Buzzfeed revealed a new YouTube channel called "CNN Buzzfeed" on Tuesday, packaging CNN footage into Buzzfeed's viral-friendly approach. Buzzfeed is the viral content giant famous for its collections of cat and celebrity videos, pictures and GIFs, but has recently been moving toward serious news coverage, including hiring political reporters, starting a long-form journalism section and launching a business news section earlier this month.
Buzzfeed is investing a low "eight-digit sum" over the next two years to build the new YouTube channel in exchange for CNN content, both current and archival, to feed their multimedia content-heavy business, according to the Wall Street Journal. Buzzfeed already has several YouTube channels, including "Buzzfeed Central," "Buzzfeed Yellow" and "Buzzfeed Food," which feature short, original and light content with titles like "How to Open A Beer Bottle Without Touching It" and "What Do Dogs Think About the Tumblr Sale?"
The new channel will feature similar packaging, but with plans to tackle hard news events. At this time, they intend to make about three videos for the new channel per week. Take a look at the first CNN Buzzfeed video, "Amazing Rescue Moments On CNN," which harnesses a more serious tone than previous BuzzFeed content, but still produced in the company's viral-friendly mashup format.
Aside from the low eight-digit sum, CNN will have the chance to gain some appeal with Buzzfeed's younger demographic of users between the ages of 18 and 34. Content from the shared YouTube channel will be available on CNN.com as well. And according to Quantcast, CNN.com currently does best with site visitors between the ages of 35 and 54 at a total of 45 percent, compared to 28 percent with younger browsers.
Right now, CNN Buzzfeed will be launched without advertising partners, according to the Wall Street Journal report.
"The More agile way to do it is to launch without letting advertising products dictate editorial content," said Jon Steinberg, Buzzfeed's COO.
Buzzfeed will eventually hire 30 new employees to their ranks and work out of new studio production offices in Los Angeles, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
- Contribute to this Story:
- Send us a tip
- Send us a photo or video
- Suggest a correction
