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“Blippi” is huge.

The YouTube kids TV series just had its biggest month ever in January with over 2 billion views in a single month. That’s billion with a B.

The viewership of the live-action preschool series, which follows a cheerful character named Blippi who uses direct-address to the camera to teach kids about cars, animals, tools, safety and a plethora of other topics, has increased almost five-fold since Moonbug Entertainment acquired the brand in 2020, and now “Blippi” is entering a new era: premium episodes on Netflix.

As kids TV viewership migrates almost entirely online with the advent of “cord-nevers” and aging-up of “iPad kids,” YouTube is the undisputed king. But streamers like Netflix and Disney+ are starting to take notice of shows that exploded on the platform, licensing episodes of YouTube sensations like “Blippi” and “Ms. Rachel” to bolster their children’s programming much the same way Netflix licensed...

Jake Paul‘s November bout against Mike Tyson was one of the biggest Netflix broadcasts of 2024, but not even an influencer boxing spectacle can top the most popular 3D characters in the world of children’s entertainment. Entertainment company Moonbug reported that its hit franchise CoComelon was the most-viewed show of the year on Netflix, totaling 231.1 million views.

After years of secrecy regarding its traffic, Netflix has started sharing precise viewership data in biannual reports. Though Netflix’s data dumps may inflate some statistics because of how the streamer counts views, the What We Watched report offers a broad look at the programs and trends that have won over Netflix subscribers.

During the second half of 2024, many Netflix viewers had their eyes glued on the Paul/Tyson tilt. Beyond its concurrent live audience, which peaked at 65 million, the broadcast has also attracted 49 million views on-demand. That made it Netflix’s...

Courtney Holt, a veteran media and tech exec who joined CoComelon and Blippi producer Moonbug Entertainment last February, has been upped to Managing Director, Americas.

He is replacing Andy Yeatman, who is exiting Moonbug for a yet-to-be-revealed new post.

Holt will lead the Candle Media-owned company’s creative and commercial teams in North America, reporting to René Rechtman, founder and CEO of Moonbug. Holt joined Moonbug as the company’s first Global Head of Music and Strategic Audio Initiatives, and those responsibilities will continue in his newly expanded role. After the shuffle, Holt will oversee Moonbug’s originals strategy. The company, which the Blackstone-backed Candle acquired for $3 billion in 2021, creates and distributes longer-form film and TV content through various global partners.

“As a parent, I’m inspired by Moonbug’s ability to craft CoComelon, Blippi and other shows with creativity and care,” Holt said in a press release. “Millions...

Moonbug Entertainment, the kids media company behind Netflix’s massively popular “CoComelon” series, appointed Courtney Holt its new managing director for the Americas. Holt takes over the position from Andy Yeatman, who is departing Moonbug for an unspecified new gig.

Holt, a digital media veteran who has worked at Spotify and Disney, joined Moonbug earlier this year as the company’s first global head of music and strategic audio initiatives, areas he will continue to oversee in his newly expanded role.

As Moonbug’s head of the Americas, Holt will oversee the company’s originals strategy, leading the commercial teams in North America that create and distribute film and TV content through a network of global partners. Holt reports to René Rechtman, founder and CEO of Moonbug. Chief creative officer Richard Hickey will continue to lead the company’s creative teams globally.

“As a parent, I’m inspired by Moonbug’s ability to craft CoComelon,...

The VeeFriends are getting their own original series on YouTube. The line of cute, cuddly characters is the inspiration for an upcoming animated series from CoComelon owner Moonbug and production house VaynerWatt.

VeeFriends, as the show will be known, is inspired by the entertainment brand of the same name, which was created by of VaynerWatt Co-Founder Gary Vaynerchuk. Gary Vee, as he is commonly known, has had a long career as a branded content guru, oenophile, and online video innovator. Now, his VaynerWatt studio (which launched last year) is joining forces with Moonbug to develop a 2D animated series that will be aimed at kids between the ages of six and 11.

The VeeFriends animated series will consist of three-minute episodes, which are expected to arrive over the summer. According to Deadline, the show will feature characters from the VeeFriends brand, including Gratitude Gorilla, Quick Quail, and Clever Crocodile. They’ll...

Moonbug has hired an entertainment industry veteran to fill a newly created role. Courtney Holt, whose career has included stops at Spotify, Disney, Maker Studios, MySpace and MTV, has joined the children’s media company as its inaugural Head of Music and Audio Initiatives.

Some of Moonbug’s top properties, such as CoComelon, incorporate original and adapted music as part of videos and offline efforts. “I look forward to collaborating with our talented team to explore new opportunities, forge strategic partnerships and push the boundaries of what is possible,” Holt said in a statement. “As a parent, I am inspired by the work Moonbug has been doing to produce great and inspirational content for kids. I am excited to embark on this exciting journey with Moonbug.”

Holt will be based in Los Angeles, where he will head Moonbug’s growing audio and music team. He will oversee the company’s...

Moonbug Entertainment, the CoComelon producer owned by Candle Media, has appointed Courtney Holt as the company’s first Global Head of Music and Strategic Audio Initiatives.

Holt will oversee Moonbug’s music label via alliances with partners and strengthened ties with established and emerging artists. He will also be responsible for the international expansion of the audio division and global music operations including further developing Moonbug’s music commercial and creative partnerships and exploring emerging audio-based initiatives.

In his most recent career chapter, Holt was a senior exec at Spotify but left the company in 2022 as it was beginning a pullback from podcasting and implementing staff and cost reductions.

Moonbug was acquired by Candle, which is led by former Disney execs Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs and backed by private equity giant Blackstone, for $3 billion in 2021. The UK-based company is aiming to establish a globally music brand in the children’s entertainment sector.

Nir Zicherman, the executive overseeing Spotify’s audiobooks expansion, is leaving the company at the start of October after more than four years as an executive at the audio giant.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Zicherman — currently the the vp and global head of audiobooks at Spotify — said he is departing to return to his “entrepreneurial roots with a new project in the startup space.” Zicherman first joined Spotify in 2019 after the company acquired Anchor, the podcasting platform that Zicherman co-founded with Michael Mignano, as part of Spotify’s podcast product division. He was later tapped to oversee Spotify’s growing audiobooks business, which formally launched last September with an à la carte model but has faced setbacks in user adoption in part due to Apple’s App Store policies around in-app purchases.

“After a total of 9 years working across Spotify and Anchor, I’ve decided that it...

In the wake of last month’s news of Courtney Holt’s exit from Spotify, the company has made several moves in its exec structure as it continues to expand in podcasting and creator-driven content.

Bill Simmons will continue to lead The Ringer, the outlet he founded and sold to Spotify in 2020, but is also being upped to head of global sports content and managing director of The Ringer. In the new role, he will lead sports strategy around the world, which will aim to build on progress in the category in the U.S.

Simmons will report to Julie McNamara, who will continue to serve as head of talk studios, overseeing all original content across Spotify. Along with the Ringer, suppliers under her aegis include Parcast and Gimlet as well as original partnerships such as Bad Robot, DC/WB’s Batman Unburied, Jemele Hill’s Unbothered Network and Prince Harry...

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex is to host a podcast series about the common stereotypes that have historically generalized women as the first project from her and Prince Harry’s Archewell Audio after striking a multi-million dollar deal with Spotify.

The audio streaming service has set Archetypes to launch later this year.

The series will see Meghan Markle investigate the labels that try to hold women back. She will speak with historians and experts to uncover the origin of these stereotypes and have uncensored conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape narratives.

It comes after Spotify was quick to dampen tabloid speculation that it was growing frustrated by the fact that only one episode of a podcast has so far emerged from the royal deal since it was announced in December 2020.

“This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and...

Former Paramount+ exec Julie McNamara has joined Spotify.

McNamara exited the ViacomCBS streamer in May, as revealed by Deadline, where she was EVP and Head of Programming. She is now moving to the audio service, where she will set the creative vision for studios and key partnerships for Spotify Originals that includes The Ringer, Gimlet, Parcast and Studio 4, Higher Ground and Archewell.

She will work with the Spotify executive leadership and report to Chief Content Officer and Advertising Business Officer Dawn Ostroff.

Courtney Holt, VP Global Podcast Business, as a co-lead will continue managing Partnerships, Exclusive Licenses and Market Originals.

McNamara, who oversaw drama development for CBS Studios and original content for Paramount+’s predecessor CBS All Access before taking the programming reins of Paramount+ when it was announced in early 2020, shepherded the platform’s inaugural original slate, which was unveiled at a star-studded presentation in February.

Jemele Hill is launching a podcast network exclusively with Spotify that will focus on elevating the voices and stories of Black women.

Taking its name from Hill’s hit podcast, Jemele Hill Is Unbothered, which was renewed for a third season Tuesday, The Unbothered Network will release original content exclusively on Spotify. Spotify, Hill and her production company Lodge Freeway Media will identify and develop series for the new podcast network.

“The Unbothered Network is more than just a content hub, it’s a space where Black women can hopefully see their full selves,” Hill said in a statement. “There’s so much about the lives of Black women that haven’t been fully explored, and so many of our stories have either been dismissed or overlooked. I’m also proud of this network because it not only centers Black women, but it’s also run by Black women. We...

“Avengers” directors Joe and Anthony Russo, or the Russo Brothers, have signed a multiyear, first-look podcast deal with Spotify.

The directors through their banner Agbo will work with Spotify on a series of new podcast shows, which will be genre-based, interconnected stories across a slate of multiple podcasts, much like the shared universe stories that the Russo Brothers have come to be known for in their Marvel films. No specific titles or details were provided about the podcasts, but the shows will be scripted content and focus on universe building.

The news was announced by Dawn Ostroff, Spotify’s chief content officer, at the company’s Stream On event Monday.

The Russo Brothers are behind “Avengers: Endgame” and most recently directed the upcoming “Cherry” starring Tom Holland.

Spotify has made other podcast deals recently with people such as Ava DuVernay, Barack and Michelle Obama, Jordan Peele and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently.

Exclusive: Spotify and Chernin Entertainment have appointed ex-caa agent Vanessa Silverton-Peel to lead its hunt for podcasts to adapt for TV and film.

Last year, the two companies struck a multi-year deal that would see Chernin Entertainment adapt Spotify’s audio IP for the screen. At the time, the pair said that they were looking to hire an executive to sit inside the audio giant to identify opportunities. Deadline understands that Silverton-Peel is that executive.

She has joined Spotify as Head of Chernin Partnership and will search for series and episodes to adapt. This comes after she left CAA, where she was an agent in the television department, last year. During her seven year tenure at the agency, she represented podcasts companies such as Spotify’s Gimlet Media, Pineapple Street Studios and Wnyc Studios to adapt their IP in scripted and non-scripted television, as well as documentary filmmakers and directors,...

The number of podcasts being adapted for television is set to explode over the course of the next few years, with audio IP rivaling books as Hollywood’s go-to source for inspiration.

The podcasting business has been a growing source of intellectual property for the small screen for the last couple of years with the likes of Amazon’s Homecoming, USA Network’s Dirty John and ABC’s Alex, Inc. But Deadline understands that the number of podcasts in various stages of development to be adapted is now well into three figures. These includes the likes of Wondery’s crime drama Over My Dead Body and cult drama Guru: The Dark Side of Enlightenment, paranormal series Welcome to Night Vale, Neil Strauss’ investigative series To Live and Die In LA, basketball cheat scandal Whistleblower, Australian crime series The Teacher’s Pet, ESPN’s 30 for 30 on Clippers owner Donald Sterling The Sterling Affairs,...

Liz Gateley, the veteran TV executive served as Evp and Head of Programming at Lifetime until exiting the company a year ago, has been hired as Head of Creative Development at Spotify. It’s the latest move as the streaming music service dives into the entertainment business.

Gateley joins a team headed by veteran TV executive Dawn Ostroff, who became the company’s chief content officer in August. Ostroff and Gateley worked together at Lifetime; the former was head of programming from 1996-2002.

In her new role, Gateley said Thursday via a LinkedIn post, she will oversee Spotify’s “original content development teams on both coasts and their expansion into Comedy, Sports, Ya Fiction & Scripted, News/Docs and obviously more Music formats in the podcast space.”

Spotify most recently purchased podcast biggie Gimlet Media, which is behind the popular “Homecoming,” “StartUp,” “Reply All” and “Crimetown” which are now being seen...

Jemele Hill is set to launch a new talk show podcast for Spotify, the former ESPN host announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Tuesday.

Titled “Unbothered,” the twice-weekly show will see Hill discuss news, politics and culture with her co-hosts and rotating stable of guests. It is currently slated to launch in March.

“Spotify and I are very like-minded,” Hill said in a statement. “We both believe in being bold and authentic. I am thrilled to get the opportunity to stretch myself in a much different way, with a support system that I believe will bring out the best in me. I look forward to sharing my perspective and experience with Spotify’s many listeners across the world.”

Also Read: Parcast's Max Cutler Explains How His Podcast Network Stood Out By Going Dark

“Jemele is an important voice in sports, race, culture and politics, and their intersection in media,...

Former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jemele Hill will launch a podcast exclusively on Spotify, joining a growing roster of talent who are lending their authentic voices and perspectives to the streaming service.

Dubbed Unbothered, Hill’s podcast will air twice a week, starting in March.

“I have a lot of things to say, and there’s not a lot of platforms that give you the freedom to not just be thoughtful but to come with a realness that not everyone is prepared to accept,” said Hill in remarks this morning at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Hill announced her departure from ESPN in September. She attracted national headlines when she tweeted that “Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.” Two days later, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the remarks “a fireable offense” and “one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make.

Spotify has named former Vevo executive Tom Connaughton as the managing director of its U.K. operation, a rep for the company confirmed to Variety. The news was first reported by Music Business Worldwide.

Connaughton joined Spotify’s London operation in April after seven years in New York as Vevo’s Senior Vice President of Creative Content & Programming. The move comes just weeks after news broke that George Ergatoudis, Spotify’s former Head of Music Culture, International Shows & Editorial / Content, is leaving the company to head up Apple Music’s U.K. office.

Connaughton will lead Spotify’s U.K. business, including driving its content strategy, artist partnerships, shows and editorial and artist marketing.

Spotify had another big executive move just last week when Dawn Ostroff was named its new Chief Content Officer. Ostroff, who was previously president of entertainment at Conde Nast, will be based at Spotify’s New...

Spotify, the world’s leading music-streaming service, has named Dawn Ostroff as its new Chief Content Officer. According to the announcement, Ostroff, who was previously president of entertainment at Conde Nast, will be based at Spotify’s New York office and will lead all aspects of its content partnerships across music, audio and video. Specifically, she will oversee the company’s Shows & Editorial, Studios & Video (headed by Courtney Holt), Creator Services (headed by Troy Carter), Creator Marketplace, and Content Operations departments.

At Conde Nast Entertainment — which Ostroff cofounded upon joining the parent company in 2011 — she was tasked with developing film, TV and digital products from its brands, which included such magazines as the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Details and others. At the Conde Nast NewFront last month, she announced that Wired, GQ and Bon Appetit are slated to become the first magazine brands within Condé Nast to support their own fully programmed streaming channels,...

Ynon Kreiz has a new gig. More than two years after he left his post as the CEO of Maker Studios (which is now part of the Disney Digital Network), Kreiz has been named as the next CEO of toy company Mattel, where he is also expected to become chairman of the board.

Kreiz was appointed as Mattel's Chairman back in February, but it now appears he will take on the company's CEO role as well. In doing so, he will replace Margo Georgiadis, who is expected to step down from her position on April 26. She is expected to assume an advisory role at Mattel until May 10. One week after that, Kreiz is expected to be elected as the chairman of the toymaker's board.

Kreiz came to Maker Studios from Endemol, arriving at the multi-channel network in 2013. A year later, he led the digital media enterprise as it sold to...

The future of Spotify's video programming is taking shape. The music streaming service has announced Spotlight, a new platform that will be anchored by podcasts and will also feature videos, images, and text.

Spotlight will feature contributions from several top media companies, including BuzzFeed News, Gimlet Media, and Lebron James' Uninterrupted. Those publishers will supply the new venture with podcasts and audiobooks, all of which will be backed by supplementary content in order to create a structure Spotify calls "visual layers."

“We are excited to launch Spotlight, a new format that merges great storytelling, news, information and opinion with visual elements all delivered in playlist form across a number of content categories,” said Courtney Holt, Spotify's Head of Studios and Video, in a post announcing the new feature. “Playlists play an important role in the daily lives of our users bringing them closer to the creators they love.”

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Former top Maker Studios executive Courtney Holt -- who most recently served as Evp of media and strategy at Disney after the company folded Maker into its Consumer Products And Interactive Media (Dcpi) arm last December -- is now set to lead original video and podcast programming at Spotify.

The move comes just days after Spotify confirmed the exit of video head Tom Calderone. Under Calderone’s tenure, Spotify rolled out a slate of music-themed original shows -- including the Carpool Karaoke-adjacent Traffic Jams and Trading Playlists, in which two athletes shared their favorite songs across disparate genres. Calderone also helped Spotify broaden its podcasting efforts.

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Spotify is bringing Disney executive Courtney Holt aboard as vice president of Spotify Studios and Video, the company announced Wednesday. In his new position, Holt will spearhead the music streaming service’s continued push into original content — including video and audio programming — and podcasting. Holt will be based in Los Angeles and report to Chief Content Officer Stefan Blom. Also Read: Spotify Purges Violent, Hate-Inspired Music From Its Service Amid Charlottesville Fallout The industry veteran was an Evp of advanced media strategy at Disney. Holt joined Disney after it purchased Maker Studios in 2014, which he led for more than five years.

Maker Studios head Courtney Holt is stepping down from his current role to transition to a new role within parent company Disney, TheWrap has learned. An individual with knowledge of the situation says that Holt will take on the new role of executive vice president of media and strategy. Maker will now be overseen by Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president of content and media within Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media (Dcpi). Holt joined Maker after serving as an advisor to News Corp. Digital and as president of MySpace Music, a joint venture between MySpace and major record labels and publishers.

Courtney Holt, who has served as the top executive at Maker Studios for roughly one year, is leaving that post to take on a new role within parent company Disney. The move comes as Disney has folded Maker Studios into a different division of its Consumer Products And Interactive Media (Dcpi) arm, Variety reports.

Upon its acquisition in 2014, the Maker team initially reported to Disney CFO Jay Rasulo, but was folded into the Dcpi division last year, and will now exist within Dcpi’s Content & Media area, according to Variety. Andrew Sugerman, who is Evp of Content & Media for Dcpi, will replace Holt as Maker’s top executive. Holt has now been named Evp of media and strategy at Disney, reporting to senior Evp and chief strategy officer Kevin Mayer.

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The Execs Amy Emmerich (Refinery29) David Grant (PopSugar) Chad Gutstein (Machinima) Matthew Henick (BuzzFeed) Courtney Holt (Maker Studios) Stephanie Horbaczewski (StyleHaul) Reza Izad (Studio71) Jimmy Maymann (AOL) Martha Nelson (Yahoo) Dawn Ostroff (Conde Nast) Keith Richman (Defy Media) George Strompolos (Fullscreen) John West (Whistle Sports) Troy Young (Hearst Magazines) At The End Of Newfronts, The Headline Should Read … Emmerich Live and Snapchat and Vr, Oh My! Grant Five Years In: Are the NewFronts More Like an Auto Show or a TV Upfront, and Does It Matter? Henick We'll All Work for Ellen One Day Holt Digital Companies Take Evolved Approach to Solving

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While Disney’s acquisition of Maker Studios was one of the earliest and largest plays by a traditional media powerhouse for a so-called multi-channel network, the seminal deal has ultimately proved less valuable than anticipated.

All told, Disney ended up paying $675 million for Maker Studios, according to a 10-q form filed by the company yesterday. This included an initial payment of $500 million and a subsequent $175 million in earn-outs. While that isn’t exactly chump change, it’s significantly less than the additional $450 million that Maker was slated to earn (and which many expected it would) if certain performance goals were met.

Maker CEO Ynon Kreiz stepped down in December after the earn-out period expired amid reports of some friction. Maker felt it would have more access to Disney’s brands and IP, according to Re/code, and was also upset by changes in Disney’s corporate architecture. Kreiz was succeeded by former COO Courtney Holt,...

Shortly after the start of the new year, Maker Studios will experience a changing of the guard. The multi-channel network’s CEO, Ynon Kreiz, will step down from his position, and current COO Courtney Holt will replace him as the company’s top executive.

After months of speculation about his status as Maker’s CEO, Kreiz will officially step down on January 11th. Back in August, Recode hinted that Kreiz could leave his post at the end of 2014. As we learned then, the timing of his departure is significant, since it comes just a few days after Disney finalizes the payout totals from its 2014 purchase of Maker. Kreiz, who was instrumental in engineering that deal, will therefore receive a hefty payday before stepping down, although Recode’s August report suggested the total payout will fall short of the $950 million Maker’s shareholders would receive were the company to achieve all its performance-based incentives.

Ynon Kreiz, the Maker Studios CEO who ushered the online video company through its acquisition by Disney for up to $950 million, will depart next month, handing the reins to chief strategy officer Courtney Holt. Kreiz’s exit is voluntary and coincides with the end of an earn-out period following Disney’s takeover, according to an individual familiar with the matter. Maker will not hit all of the targets needed to unlock the full $450 million earn-out, but the YouTube-focused network has increased revenue to “hundreds of millions of dollars” annually from less than $100 million at the time of Disney’s purchase,...

While YouTube has kinda sorta resurrected its multi-million dollar Original Channels Initiative and is on the job to finance new content from some of its top creators, one of the site’s largest multi-channel networks just inked a deal to receive cash for exclusive programming from a different source.

Vimeo announced today a partnership with Maker Studios in which the video-sharing site will fund original content from the massive McN and its roster of over 55,000 creators and distribute that content by way of exclusive windows on Vimeo On Demand.

“We’re excited to welcome Maker’s incredible community of creators to the Vimeo On Demand platform, allowing them to bring their content to new audiences and earn more revenue through direct VOD sales,” said Vimeo’s CEO, Kerry Trainor in the release.

Details aside from the fact the deal exists are scarce. The dollar figures associated with the funding of original programming,...

Disney’s Maker Studios Partners With Vimeo for Exclusive VOD ContentMaker Studios and Vimeo will collaborate to create exclusive content for global distribution, as well as bringing together Maker’s massive community of creators with Vimeo’s global VOD platform, Vimeo on Demand.

As part of the partnership, Vimeo will fund Maker Studios content and distribute it in exclusive windows on Vimeo on Demand throughout 2015. Vimeo on Demand is the largest open, global, self-distribution VOD platform and will be made available to Maker’s community of 55,000 creators.

Also Read: Disney’s Maker Studios Partners with Five Top Toy Review Channels

Maker,...

A version of this story first appeared in the Feb. 7 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. One of the top digital media firms is adding a major pop star to its roster. Maker Studios, which boasts more than 4.2 billion monthly video views and consistently ranks among the top five YouTube partners, has teamed with will.i.am to launch an online video platform with original content drawn from the Black Eyed Peas frontman's interests. "Will is best-known for being a musician, but he has so many other passions," says Maker COO Courtney Holt. "[The content]

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Last September, Maker Studios landed a $26 million investment round led by a group of overseas communications companies. Now, Maker has hired an executive to helm its international expansion. René Rechtman, previously of AOL. Rechtman came to AOL when the web giant acquired Goviral, where he had served as CEO. After joining AOL, he served as CEO of Be On, an entertainment platform for brands. All together, he brings more than 18 years of experience to Maker, where he will attempt to expand the network's reach to countries across the globe. "Maker is at the forefront of a new industry, changing the face of media for generations to come by creating a platform for talent, brands and syndication to partner and engage at scale,” said Rechtman. “I look forward to working with my friend Ynon, great people like Courtney Holt and the entire Maker team to continue to build the Maker business.

Maker Studios is looking to legitimize the music in its creators' videos and dodge any potential legal action that could come its way. The top multi-channel network recently inked a deal with Epidemic Sound that brings a library of royalty-free tracks to Maker partners. Epidemic is similar to several other services, such as YouTube's official audio library and third-party services like Mobygratis. It provides tracks that can be sorted by mood and genre in order to create the perfect soundtrack for a specific video project. Maker creators now have loads of options when it comes to creating their personal soundtracks, an asset that should help the network avoid more lawsuits like the one it is currently settling with the National Music Publishers Association. “We plan to use as much content from Epidemic Sound as possible,” said Maker Studios Chief Operating Officer Courtney Holt. Judging by recent events, YouTube is beginning...

With its acquisition of Blip and its recent $26 million funding round in the books, Maker Studios has continued its rapid growth. The multi-channel network has launched 'Maker Made', a service that offers the network's resources to online video advertisers. The launch of Made is reminiscent of YouTube's extension of its partner program towards advertisers. As with that invitation, Maker's most useful offerings for brands will be access to its Culver City production studios, the marketability of its star partners, and the promotional considerations it can provide through its 30 million-strong audience. “Brands today recognize the power of online video as a medium that resonates with the coveted millennial audience. Made now gives brands and agencies access to Maker’s resources, intelligence and creative talent to create content that resonates with audiences,” said Maker COO Courtney Holt. “This is a very tough demo to reach and Maker has proved we understand how...

Lost amid the hubbub caused by Maker Studios' impending acquisition of Blip is the network's continued efforts to debut new collaborative channels. Maker's latest partnership pairs it with noted photographer Estevan Oriol, who will explore Los Angeles' singular lifestyle on a new channel. Oriol's channel is called SanctionedTV, and at launch it features three web series. The most prominent of these is Tattoo Stories, which enters the parlor of Oriol's longtime business partner, Mister Cartoon. Tattoo Stories is far from the first web series to explore the world of body ink, but it is making an impact thanks to its high profile guests. The most recent episode features Snoop Dogg, a fellow Maker Studios creator. The other two launch programs are La Women, where Oriol brings viewers along on his photo shoots, and Skid Row Stories, which examines La's most downtrodden individuals. "Our partnership with Sa Studios will provide a new,...

On the third day of South by Southwest Interactive, execs and talent behind Maker Studios -- the Culver City-based YouTube-stars studio which boasts more than 2.5 billion page views a month -- spoke before an overflow crowd addressed the unique business challenges facing makers of original content for YouTube. The all-Maker panel, moderated by company COO Courtney Holt, featured co-founders and comedic talent KassemG and Shaycarl and co-founder/CEO Danny Zappin. The talk veered between humor and serious business as the panel members discussed the maturing YouTube space, expressing some frustration that many advertisers, according to Shaycarl,

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Exclusive: Bringing together people from film, TV, music and fashion, TEDxHollywood has been set for March 28 at the UCLA Freud Playhouse in La. An offshoot of parent TEDTalks, TEDx is a series of local events organized independently. With the theme centering on “how content, technology and brands entertain and inform”, confirmed speakers to date include Funny or Die President and CEO Dick Glover, Heroes creator Tim Kring, Courtney Holt of Maker Studios, Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, musicians John Forte and Kina Granis, BioBeats co-founder Nadeem Kassam and entrepreneur Rachel Shechtman. More will be lined up in the coming weeks. Topics include succeeding in the entertainment world outside the traditional Hollywood system, and great gadgets, gear and technology imagined by Hollywood that could become reality in the near future. Ken Hertz, an entertainment attorney at Hertz & Lichtenstein and founder of memBrain llc, a brand and licensing company, is the event chair.

In light of Time Warner's $36 million investment in Maker Studios, Maker CEO Danny Zappin made note of the potential for growth as a main reason why Maker sought a deal with the media and entertainment juggernaut. We founded Maker because, as YouTube content creators ourselves, we recognized there was a need for a new type of studio and network that could support artists on any platform. We remain committed to providing the best possible environment for creators and look forward to further expanding our offerings to our extremely talented partners around the globe. Tubefilter had a chance to catch up with Maker COO Courtney Holt about how the funding came to be and what Maker hopes to accomplish now that they have some extra spending money. "We always had a purity of vision from when [Maker's founders] started the business." said Holt. "There were lots of active conversations and we thought it...

Maker Studios is a “collaborative community empowering content creators in their work and allowing them to support themselves doing what they love” whose videos attracts no less than 14 million monthly viewers living in the United States, who watch no less than 155 million videos. The well-funded, content-creator-founded startup lists online video notables like Ray William Johnson, KassemG, NicePeter and ShayCarl in its roster of amateur-turned-professional videomakers. Mike Tompkins is an incredibly talented Canadian musician with a penchant for covering pop hits in wonderfully produced, visually appealing videos reminiscent of the Brady Bunch opening theme and without any musical instruments. By way of his voice, mouth, and video editing skills Tompkins has amassed over 460,000 YouTube subscribers, 70 million views, an appearance on Ellen, a gig with Timbaland, and now, a deal with Maker. Tompkins is the first all-out musician to partner with Maker (that is, if you don’t count NicePeter). The partnership...

Courtney Holt is joining Maker Studios as the Culver City-based new media studio’s new Chief Operating Officer, the company informed us today. Holt in some ways represents the closest thing to parental guidance that YouTube creator-founded studio has seen yet, as it continues its rapid growth and prepares for production on its three new YouTube-funded content channels set for early next year. Holt will serve in the newly created COO role, overseeing the growth and development of the Maker Studios brand, advertising models, strategy and its operations, the company said. His last post as President of MySpace Music, a free streaming music joint venture with the major labels, ended in February, though Holt remained on as an advisor for News Corp. Before that Holt served as executive vice president of digital music for the MTV Networks Music & Logo Group. Related News:Maker Studios Scores Three Channel Deal with YouTube...

Maker Studios made out big with YouTube's big announcement last night revealing its first wave of original channels. Maker Studios was one of the big winners with three original channels—the most channels awarded to any producer. Of the 96 original channels announced yesterday, most only received one; only six other producers were given three channels: Bedrocket Media, BermanBraun, Clevver Media, Demand Media, Electus, and IconicTV. YouTube has committed over $100 million dollars for its latest content initiative, tapping A-list producers and top talent to create premium content. Yet unlike many of the new Hollywood-focused channels blessed by YouTube, what Maker founders Dan Zappin, Lisa Donovan, and Ben Donovan have created along with talent co-founders KassemG, Michael Gallagher, Shay Carl, and many others is something built from the ground up. "YouTube itself has changed the world, some individual videos on YouTube and certain YouTube Partners have impacted the world, and now whole...