American media and entertainment company
Awesomeness
, formerly and best known as
AwesomenessTV
, is an American
digital media
and
entertainment
network company owned by
Paramount Digital Studios
, a division of
Paramount Global
. Established in July 2012 by
Brian Robbins
and
Joe Davola
, the company operated a network initially focused on children’s programs, teen dramas, comedies, live events and music videos targeting adolescents and young adults.
AwesomenessTV initially operated an eponymous
YouTube
channel and
multi-channel network
. The company later expanded into talent,
branded content
, music, publishing and retail. In 2013,
DreamWorks Animation
(DWA) acquired AwesomenessTV. In 2014,
Hearst Communications
acquired a 25% minority stake. In 2016,
Verizon Communications
acquired another roughly-quarter stake in the company for $159 million (valuing it at $650 million), while AwesomenessTV entered into a multi-year deal to produce content for Verizon's streaming video service
go90
.
In 2018, following
NBCUniversal
's acquisition of DWA (which led to conflict due to being owned by Verizon competitor
Comcast
) and the shutdown of the fledgling go90, Viacom acquired AwesomenessTV for around $50 million ? a fraction of its 2016 valuation. Since its purchase by Viacom, the studio has focused more on long-form television series and films for
over-the-top services
, and has referred to itself as targeting
generation Z
.
History
[
edit
]
Beginnings
[
edit
]
In July 2012, founders
Brian Robbins
and
Joe Davola
[3]
launched AwesomnessTV as part of the
YouTube Original Channel Initiative
, producing various web series oriented towards a
tween
and
teenage
audience. Robbins had personally observed his two sons as examples of changing media consumption trends among the demographic, which had increasingly favored short-form internet video over television.
[4]
Robbins had been well known for his work on series such as
One Tree Hill
,
Smallville
, and several
Nickelodeon
series, such as the sketch comedy
All That
. In 2009, Robbins spearheaded the production of
a film
based on YouTube comedian
Lucas Cruikshank
's character
Fred
. Robbins and Cruikshank bankrolled it as an
independent film
for Nickelodeon?where it became the highest-rated basic-cable film of the year among youth in 2010 and spawned a
larger franchise
of Nickelodeon content featuring the character.
[4]
The channel had an initial slate of 15 series in development, including the talk show
IMO;
the stunt shows
The Blow-Up Guys
, teen drama
The Runaways
, and
Awesomeness Sports
(a series of videos that would feature professional athletes and showcase youth athletes).
[4]
Davola compared the channel to
MTV
upon its launch, explaining that "it was maverick, it was brand new, it was something the young people were getting involved with."
[4]
Brett Bouttier joined as a chief operating officer in November 2012.
[5]
In December 2012, AwesomenessTV launched a
multi-channel network
targeting similar demographics.
[6]
2013?2018: DreamWorks and Verizon
[
edit
]
On May 1, 2013,
DreamWorks Animation
announced its intent to acquire AwesomenessTV for $33 million. It was also announced that AwesomenessTV would develop and operate a YouTube channel focusing on content from DWA's franchises.
[7]
In October 2013, the company partnered with the teen magazine
Seventeen
to operate its YouTube channel.
[8]
In April 2014, AwesomenessTV acquired the MCN and talent management company Big Frame for $15 million.
[9]
That month, the company also hired former
Claire's
CEO James Fielding to lead a new consumer products division.
[10]
In June 2014, AwesomenessTV launched DreamWorksTV, a YouTube channel that featured shorts and original series relating to DreamWorks franchises (such as
Shrek
, and the
DreamWorks Classics
library), as well as supplemental content promoting its upcoming films.
[11]
The following month, the
record label
Awesomeness Music was announced, in partnership with
Universal Music Group
.
[12]
In September 2014, AwesomenessTV partnered with the department store chain
Kohl's
to launch a teen fashion line co-branded with its web series
Life's S.o. R.a.d.
, as its first consumer product line.
[13]
[14]
In October 2014, AwesomenessTV launched the publishing label AwesomenessInk,
[15]
and
Netflix
ordered a live-action
Richie Rich
sitcom from AwesomenessTV as part of an ongoing development deal with DWA.
[16]
In December 2014,
Seventeen
publisher
Hearst Corporation
acquired a 25% stake in the company for $81.25 million.
[17]
In June 2015, the company hired former
Lionsgate
executive
Matt Kaplan
as president of Awesomeness Films.
[18]
In August 2015, AwesomenessTV announced an output deal with Canadian children's media conglomerate
DHX Media
, in which the companies would co-develop and license new original content, with DHX handling international distribution and merchandising. DHX also began to acquire the studio's programming to air on its owned television network
Family Channel
.
[19]
[20]
On April 6, 2016,
Verizon Communications
?which had acquired several series from the studio (such as
Guidance
) for its ad-supported streaming service
go90
?acquired a 24.5% stake in AwesomenessTV for $159 million, valuing the company at $650 million. Alongside the equity stake, the deal included a multi-year, $180 million investment for the studio to produce content for Verizon, for which it would hold exclusive U.S. distribution rights. Verizon and AwesomenessTV also planned to launch a branded, subscription-based video service targeting mobile devices.
[21]
[22]
On April 28, 2016,
Universal Pictures
announced its intent to acquire DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion, in a deal completed August 22, 2016.
[23]
[24]
On February 22, 2017, Brian Robbins stepped down as AwesomenessTV's CEO.
[25]
On November 1, 2017, it was announced that Kelly Day would step down as Chief Business Officer to become the new CEO for Viacom Digital Studios.
[26]
In February 2017, it was reported that the planned premium content service with Verizon had been shelved, with content investments reallocated to go90.
[27]
2018?present: Paramount
[
edit
]
After a struggled launch and performance below expectations, Verizon shut down go90 in July 2018.
Digiday
reported that Verizon's content investments with AwesomenessTV had accounted for approximately 40% of the studio's revenue, which led to concerns over how the company would run without this backing.
[22]
The acquisition of DWA by
Universal Pictures
? which itself is owned by Verizon competitor
Comcast
? caused a lot of contoversy in industry circles due to Universal and Comcast being direct competitors.
As NBCUniversal's parent company Comcast competed directly with Verizon, the two companies were unwilling to be in a joint venture with each other. The two companies had also become uninterested in the venture, as the exits of Brian Robbins and DWA CEO
Jeffrey Katzenberg
had lessened the appeal of the venture to Verizon, while Comcast did not think that the company was one of DWA's core assets, or fit alongside its other digital media investments (such as
BuzzFeed
). The company had planned a downsizing under its new CEO
Jordan Levin
.
[22]
On July 25, 2018,
Viacom
announced that it was in talks to acquire AwesomenessTV for a fraction of the company's $650 million valuation in 2016.
[28]
[29]
Two days later, on July 27, Viacom officially announced the purchase, with a valuation initially reported to be $25 million plus the assumption of debt, but later $50 million.
[30]
Operations of DreamWorksTV were taken in-house by NBCUniversal Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises after the purchase.
[31]
[32]
Jordan Levin left his position as CEO following the acquisition.
[1]
[2]
Since the sale, the studio has shortened its name to Awesomeness, and has operated under Viacom Digital Studios. It has focused on productions for subscription video on-demand platforms such as
Hulu
, Netflix, and
Paramount+
that target a
generation Z
audience, such as the Netflix film
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
, and Hulu original series
PEN15
?which was nominated for
Outstanding Comedy Series
at the
73rd Primetime Emmy Awards
.
[33]
[34]
Viacom also launched an Awesomeness-branded channel on
Pluto TV
after acquiring the service in early-2019.
[35]
[36]
Other services
[
edit
]
Awesomeness Films
[
edit
]
On June 23, 2015, AwesomenessTV announced its launch of a film division.
[37]
[38]
[39]
Awesomeness News
[
edit
]
In 2017, AwesomenessTV launched of a news division.
[40]
Awesomeness Ink
[
edit
]
On October 14, 2014, Awesomeness launched a digital young adult publishing unit.
[41]
Filmography
[
edit
]
Television productions
[
edit
]
Current programming
[
edit
]
Years
|
Title
|
Co-production with
|
Network
|
2015?present
|
My Dream Quinceanera
|
N/A
|
AwesomenessTV (2015?19)
Paramount+
(2022)
[42]
|
2020?present
|
Next Influencer
|
N/A
|
AwesomenessTV (2020?21)
Paramount+ (2022)
|
2023
|
School Spirits
|
N/A
|
Paramount+
|
2023
|
XO, Kitty
|
ACE Entertainment
|
Netflix
|
2023
|
Love Allways
|
N/A
|
Paramount+
|
Ended programming
[
edit
]
Film productions
[
edit
]
Release date
|
Title
|
Co-production companies
|
Distributor
|
June 21, 2014
|
Terry the Tomboy
|
Nickelodeon Productions
|
Nickelodeon
|
December 12, 2014
|
Expelled
|
N/A
|
20th Century Fox
|
July 24, 2015
|
Smosh: The Movie
|
Smosh Productions
Defy Media
|
20th Century Fox
(North America)
Netflix
(International)
|
October 11, 2016
|
Shovel Buddies
|
Awesomeness Films
Film 360
Entertainment 360
|
20th Century Fox
|
January 21, 2017
|
Before I Fall
|
Awesomeness Films
Jon Shestack Productions
|
Open Road Films
|
June 23, 2017
|
You Get Me
|
Awesomeness Films
|
Netflix
|
August 17, 2018
|
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
|
Awesomeness Films
Overbrook Entertainment
|
April 12, 2019
|
The Perfect Date
|
Awesomeness Films
Ace Entertainment
|
February 12, 2020
|
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
|
October 6, 2020
|
Spontaneous
|
Awesomeness Films
Jurassic Party Productions
|
Paramount Pictures
|
February 12, 2021
|
To All the Boys: Always and Forever
|
Awesomeness Films
Ace Entertainment
|
Netflix
|
September 3, 2021
|
The J Team
|
Nickelodeon Movies
Jojo Siwa Inc.
|
Paramount+
|
July 29, 2022
|
Honor Society
|
Awesomeness Films
Guardian Pictures
|
July 27, 2023
|
Zoey 102
|
Nickelodeon Movies
Awesomeness Films
|
November 22, 2023
|
Good Burger 2
|
Nickelodeon Movies
Awesomeness Films
Artists for Artists
|
March 7, 2024
|
The Thundermans Return
|
Nickelodeon Movies
Awesomeness Films
Cross Hoge Productions
Dworkingham Productions
Uptown Productions
|
March 13, 2024
|
Little Wing
|
Awesomeness Films
|
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
Spangler, Todd (July 27, 2018).
"Viacom Acquires AwesomenessTV; CEO Jordan Levin to Depart"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
July 27,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
Chmielewski, Dawn (July 27, 2018).
"Viacom Acquires AwesomenessTV; CEO Jordan Levin To Depart"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
July 27,
2018
.
- ^
Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, AwesomenessTV
. The Paley Center for Media. May 6, 2014.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Chmielewski, Dawn (June 24, 2012).
"OMG, it's a YouTube channel just for millennials"
.
Los Angeles Times
.
- ^
"Hollywood's New Leaders: PR/Digital/Management"
.
Variety
. 2014-10-28
. Retrieved
2020-03-02
.
- ^
Shaw, Lucas (2014-06-18).
"Can Big Frame Build a Management Company for Internet Stars?"
.
TheWrap
. Retrieved
2019-08-16
.
- ^
Wallenstein, Andrew (2013-05-01).
"DreamWorks Animation Buys YouTube Channel AwesomenessTV for $33 Million"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Taintor, David (October 16, 2013).
"Hearst, AwesomenessTV to Launch YouTube Effort for Seventeen"
.
Adweek
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Jarvey, Natalie (2014-04-02).
"AwesomenessTV to Buy YouTube MCN Big Frame for $15 Million"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Lieberman, David (2014-04-08).
"AwesomenessTV To Enter The Licensed Merchandise Business"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd (2014-06-16).
"DreamWorks Animation Launches YouTube Channel with Shrek, Original Series and More"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Atkinson, Claire (2014-07-21).
"Universal Music looking to cater to the YouTube crowd"
.
New York Post
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
"AwesomenessTV Teams With Kohl's on New Fashion Line"
.
The Wrap
. Retrieved
2019-05-27
.
- ^
"Awesomeness TV and Kohl's Team Up On A New Teen Clothing Line"
.
Mediapost.com
. Retrieved
2019-05-27
.
- ^
Trachtenberg, Jeffrey A. & Winkler, Rolfe (2014-10-12).
"From YouTube Stars, Literary Lions"
.
Wall Street Journal
.
ISSN
0099-9660
. Retrieved
2019-08-15
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd (2014-10-29).
"Netflix Picks Up 'Richie Rich' Live-Action Comedy from AwesomenessTV"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Verrier, Richard (December 11, 2014).
"Hearst Corp. buys 25% stake in AwesomenessTV"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
December 16,
2014
.
- ^
Hipes, Patrick (June 23, 2015).
"AwesomenessTV Taps Former Lionsgate Exec As Film Boss"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
July 13,
2017
.
- ^
"DHX to Bring AwesomenessTV Shows to Canadian Television"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
29 August
2015
.
- ^
"Family Channel's new teen block F2N launches January 4 with the premiere of Degrassi: Next Class"
(Press release). CNW
. Retrieved
1 December
2015
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd (April 6, 2016).
"Verizon to Acquire 24.5% Stake in AwesomenessTV for $159 Million"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
July 27,
2018
.
- ^
a
b
c
Patel, Sahil (2 August 2018).
"Go90 or bust: How AwesomenessTV's fate was tied to Verizon"
.
Digiday
. Retrieved
16 November
2018
.
- ^
James, Meg (April 28, 2016).
"Comcast's NBCUniversal buys DreamWorks Animation in $3.8-billion deal"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
April 28,
2016
.
- ^
McNary, Dave (August 22, 2016).
"Comcast Completes $3.8 Billion DreamWorks Animation Purchase"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
August 27,
2016
.
- ^
Jarvey, Natalie (2017-02-22).
"Brian Robbins to Step Down as AwesomenessTV CEO (Exclusive)"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd (1 November 2017).
"Viacom Taps AwesomenessTV's Kelly Day as President of Newly Created Digital Studios Unit"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
12 August
2018
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd (2017-02-14).
"Verizon, AwesomenessTV Fold Premium-Content Venture, Samie Kim Falvey Out (EXCLUSIVE)"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2019-04-21
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd (July 25, 2018).
"Viacom in Talks to Buy AwesomenessTV"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
July 27,
2018
.
- ^
Hayes, Dade (July 25, 2018).
"Viacom In Talks To Acquire AwesomenessTV At Attractive Discount"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
July 27,
2018
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd.
"Viacom's AwesomenessTV Deal Worth More Than $50 Million: Sources"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
11 February
2020
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd.
"Viacom's AwesomenessTV Deal Worth More Than $50 Million: Sources"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
30 July
2018
.
- ^
Spangler, Todd (2018-07-27).
"Viacom Acquires AwesomenessTV; CEO Jordan Levin to Depart"
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
Frankel, Daniel.
"Viacom-Owned Awesomeness Re-emerges as Self-Proclaimed 'Studio of Gen-Z'
"
.
Multichannel
. Retrieved
2019-04-22
.
- ^
"Emmys 2021: The List of Nominees"
.
The New York Times
. 2021-09-17.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2023-11-10
.
- ^
Clarke, Stewart (2019-11-27).
"AwesomenessTV Launching on Pluto TV in the U.K. as AVOD Service Expands (EXCLUSIVE)"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
2023-11-10
.
- ^
Ben Munson (February 27, 2019).
"Viacom eyes distributor partnerships for Pluto TV"
.
FierceVideo
.
- ^
Jarvey, Natalie (2015-06-23).
"AwesomenessTV Launches Film Division (Exclusive)"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
2022-02-13
.
- ^
"AwesomenessTV Launches Feature Film Division"
.
Animation World Network
. Retrieved
2022-02-14
.
- ^
"AwesomenessTV Launches Film Division"
.
adweek.it
. Retrieved
2022-02-14
.
- ^
Munson, Ben (2017-05-02).
"AwesomenessTV signs movie deal with Netflix, launches news brand"
.
Fierce Video
. Retrieved
2022-02-13
.
- ^
"AwesomenessTV Debuts Young Adult Book Publishing Division Awesomeness Ink"
.
Tubefilter
. 2014-10-14
. Retrieved
2022-02-14
.
- ^
Cordero, Rosy (2022-08-23).
"
'My Dream Quinceanera' Gets Premiere Date At Paramount+"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
2022-09-12
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
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Kids and Family Group
| |
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Entertainment and Youth Group
| |
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Premium Network Group
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Other assets
| |
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