AwesomenessTV, Verizon Ditch Plans For Premium Content Service

Back in April 2016, when Verizon purchased a 24.5% stake in AwesomenessTV for a reported price of $159 million, the two companies planned to do business together by building a premium content platform separate from Verizon’s Go90. Ten months later, that plan appears to have been scrapped. Variety is reporting that the telecom company and the teen- and tween-focusing digital network will no longer co-develop a service and will instead focus on Go90 content.

On their service, Verizon and AwesomenessTV planned to distribute high-quality originals aimed at the Generation Z viewers who tune into the latter company’s network on sites like YouTube. In August 2016, former ABC exec Samie Kim Falvey joined the venture as its chief content officer, but months later, priorities have shifted. Falvey now plans to leave her current post.

AwesomenessTV has already released multiple original programs through Go90, and the network plans to share more shows there even though its grander plans have been shuttered. “

Go90, however, has also had its fair share of problems. The mobile-first video platform recently laid off 155 employees, citing “organizational changes.” Since those cuts, Go90 has remained very active, so there’s little doubt we will see more AwesomenessTV content pop up there in the future.