For many young consumers, YouTube and its cachet of homegrown stars provide the primary entertainment destination. One of the TV networks that has traditionally targeted that audience is aware of its circumstances, and as a result, it is looking online to find a new wave of talent. At VidCon, Nickelodeon held a casting call, through which it searched for fresh talent from among hundreds of assembled content creators.
Nickelodeon’s casting call expands the Viacom-owned channel’s relationship with the online video community. It has launched several TV programs adapted from web properties, including a variety show led by creators from within the AwesomenessTV network and an extension of The Fine Bros’ React franchise called React To That. Other YouTube stars are set to appear on Nickelodeon in the future, too. GloZell Green, for example, will have a guest role on Game Shakers, a sitcom that will debut on September 12th.
When online video stars cross over to TV, they often bring their devoted audiences with them, and it’s those audiences Nickelodeon wants to capture. As Nickelodeon content development executive Russell Hicks told Business Insider, online video content creators “have a built-in following, and our audience are fans.”
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While it’s obviously too early to know if Nickelodeon’s casting call will result in any more TV shows led by YouTube stars, the online video community seemed excited about the channel’s VidCon presence. “It’s really cool to see the crossover from digital media to actual network television,” said Brandy Melana Walker, a vlogger who stopped by Nickelodeon’s casting booth.
Photo via the Nickelodeon Casting Twitter feed
