The lead-up to the 2017 edition of the NewFronts has been hectic, with major media companies like BuzzFeed, Fullscreen, and Yahoo opting out of the annual series of pitches to potential advertisers. Now, another participant has decided to switch up its spiel. Digital media company Studio71 has announced that it will stream its NewFronts presentation online rather than hosting an in-person gathering in New York.
Studio71’s NewFronts address will be filmed at the company’s Los Angeles headquarters, and access to the stream will be granted on an invite-only basis. The plan is to incorporate contributions to We.org, which assists underprivileged youths around the world, into the broadcast, though the specifics of that plan have not yet been revealed. During its presentation, Studio71 is expected to reveal new programs and initiatives built around its roster of partners, which includes top online video stars like Lilly Singh (pictured above) and Rachel Levin as well as Hollywood notables like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
“Rather than asking you to come to a certain place, at a certain time, we want you to enjoy the show on your terms,” said Studio71 President of Brand Solutions Matt Seiler in a statement. “We have been on a tear since our last NewFront, having added nearly 3.5B monthly views to our now whopping 7B monthlies in addition to the 1.2B loyal fans that are following us. This, without adding to our channel count. Unlike some others out there, we believe in quality over quantity. For our audience we are prime time. Not surprising given that over 20% of the top 100 YouTube stars appear on our network.”
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While Studio71 will make its pitch available to advertisers whether or not they come to New York during the first two weeks of May, other brands are planning in-person events. New presenters that have been added to the NewFronts slate in recent months include Twitter and the BBC.
Studio71’s NewFronts address will go live at 12 PM EST on Tuesday, May 9th. To see the full NewFronts schedule, check out the website of the event series’ organizer, IAB.
