The Pet Channel People
They say the best meetings at MIPCOM are the ones you don’t schedule. That turned out to be the case in 2023. An opportune meeting at our stand late on Day 3 lead to one of our most fruitful YouTube channel partnerships.
When Marc Rashba, Executive Vice President of Partnerships at Cineverse, approached us about managing a new set of VOD channels for the iconic TV series, Dog Whisperer, it was a no brainer. We already ran one of the most comprehensive suite of VOD channels (YouTube, Facebook) in the pet space, off the back of hit shows such as Bondi Vet, where we have over 5 million subscribers and billions of views per year. We are the “pet channel people” and Dog Whisperer found its natural home at Radar.
More Than A Whisper
Cineverse have turned out to be a tremendous partner and Dog Whisperer has been a runaway success. In many ways, Dog Whisperer is the perfect YouTube show. Hundreds of episodes to binge, super famous talent, pets in trouble and a brand that still resonates with audiences beyond its peak broadcast years. We found it an audience quickly. While Dog Whisperer had never been on YouTube, the audience demand via search was there. We also cross-promoted the channel within our existing pet network where our pet loving audiences found a new show to love.
The Dog Whisperer YouTube channel is now homing in on 20 million views and 100,000 subscribers, with another 20 million views on Facebook and a Snapchat channel in the works.
Long Form Has Come A Long Way
YouTube and television content are now best friends. More and more IP holders are embracing the platform as a critical part of their distribution strategy. Businesses like Cineverse understand the benefits of making content available across every platform from FAST channels to Facebook.
More than 50% of US households now watch YouTube on their primary home television screen and YouTube is now the number one streaming platform in that territory.
While creators like Mr Beast still rule the roost in views and revenue, known television brands are getting more than a toehold. Afterall, YouTube is a giant search engine, and where better place to find your favourite show than right there.
Out With The Old
It started with older shows where the perceived distribution value on traditional channels had diminished, but the potential to comercialise nostalgia remained. However, there is a trend towards, newer, more current programming, driven by the demand for long form viewing on YouTube. We have had success with the likes of Bondi Vet and Border Security, which are shows that are still being produced and broadcast in 2024.
The growth of FAST channels, particularly in the US, has helped speed things up. Once you make something available for free somewhere else (like a FAST channel), you should make it free everywhere, including YouTube.
While the likes of Mr Beast are now forging new paths in more traditional television models, it only a matter of time before new and in-demand TV content debuts exclusively on YouTube. It won’t just be a dumping ground for old shows.
Setting Up Your Own YouTube Channel
Here are some considerations when deciding if you have the next TV series-inspired hit YouTube channel:
- Brand – Is your show a truly iconic brand that will have strong recall with audiences
- Search – Are people looking for the show on YouTube and in what volume. Prevalence of User Generated Content is a strong indicator of demand.
- Volume – A YouTube channel with some kind of longevity would need to start with at least 100+ hours / episodes
- Rights – Is your show available in the core YouTube monetisation territories of North America and Western Europe
- Current distribution – Is your show available on FAST channels and other “free” distribution platforms. If so, it might be time to get it on YouTube.
- Knowhow – Do you know how to run a channel correctly and for maximum commercial return. There are multi-channel networks like Radar who can help set up channels and maximise the potential of your library.
