Endemol Shine Group has shuttered its U.K. digital talent management firm FlipSide Talent, which formerly repped noteworthy creators like Daniel Howell and Phil Lester, Emma Pickles, Thomas ‘TomSka’ Ridgewell, and Jana Vlogs.

FlipSide Talent was formed in 2014 by Endemol Shine Group after its acquisition of the ChannelFlip multi-channel network in 2012. The London-based talent management division was led by Fleur Brooklin Smith and Mike Cook — though as of this month its website began to redirect to the homepage of Endemol Shine UK. “FlipSide has ceased to exist as a business within the Endemol Shine UK group,” the company told Tubefilter in a statement. “Its originators Mike Cook and Fleur Brooklin Smith have set up a new independent venture in which we wish them the very best.”

Brooklin Smith and Cook’s new venture is called Above The Fray, and it reps the aforementioned creators, as well as U.K. stars like Lucy Wood, Grace and Amanda Mandeville, Mikey Pearce, Stuart Ashen, Marc Zapanta, and more. It was officially established late last month, according to a public filing. Other employees at the new venture include talent coordinator Charlie Hicks and talent managers Adam Spence and Marianne Turton, according to the company’s website.

“After a great three years being part of Channel Flip and then Endemol Shine UK, we felt that it was time to take a leaf from our clients’ books and give ourselves creative and commercial freedom,” Brooklin Smith and Cook told Tubefilter in a statement. “We are thrilled that so many of our talent have joined us in the new venture and we hope to work with many more established and fledgling creators in the future.”

FlipSide’s shuttering arrives at something of a turbulent time in the U.K. digital talent management industry. Earlier this month, Caspar Lee and Joe Sugg announced their departure from top talent management firm Gleam Futures to launch their own company — and it appears as though fellow vlogger Alfie Deyes has also departed Gleam. Gleam was acquired by ad giant Dentsu Aegis in June.

In addition to its apparent shuttering of FlipSide, Endemol also closed up shop on another digital media-based operation, Endemol Shine Beyond USA, earlier this year.

Filed under: News by Geoff Weiss
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Apple is in the early phases of its venture into the original programming industry, but over the next five years, its investment in TV shows and movies is expected to rise. According to a projection from Gene Munster, an analyst at Loup Ventures, Apple will spend $4.2 billion per year on original content by 2022.

The figure Munster cites would represent a significant increase over the $1 billion yearly budget Apple is believed to have allocated for its first wave of original programs. Even if the Cupertino-based tech giants opens its pockets that widely, it is still likely to trail the yearly spend of its rivals. Netflix, for example, has projected that it will spend $8 billion on content in 2018, and its budget in that area has risen each year since it shared its first original series in 2012. While much of those funds are devoted to licensing deals, Netflix-owned content reached a value of $2.5 billion in the company’s latest earnings report. Amazon, on the other hand, will probably see an uptick in its own originals budget over the next five years, to the point that Munster believes it will pass Netflix on that front.

Apple’s current original content spending is devoted to both scripted and unscripted projects, several of which feature high-profile names attached to them. It launched a long-form version of James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke earlier this year, and it has inked an agreement with Steven Spielberg for a reboot of the scripted anthology Amazing Stories.

Munster believes Apple will support its increase in original content spending by driving more subscriptions to Apple Music, where its lineup of premium programming is available behind a paywall. “Apple should be able to quickly expand their sub base given they have a running start with just over 30 million Apple Music subs that will have access to the video offering for the same $10 per month,” he wrote in a research note.

The Loup Ventures analyst makes regular assessments of Apple. Earlier this year, he predicted the tech company would win an Oscar by 2022. At the time, he pegged Apple’s 2022 original content budget at “$5-7 billion.” While his current projection may be a downgrade from that previous figure, it is still a healthy estimate that foresees Apple as a major player in the world of digital programming for years to come.

Filed under: Apple, Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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As YouTube is in the throes of a controversy regarding inappropriate kid-aimed content — which has led to boycotts by major marketers including Adidas and Mars — dozens of users said yesterday that autocomplete suggestions within the YouTube search bar were returning pedophiliac prompts.

When some users typed “how to have” yesterday, the top two suggested search results were “how to have s*x with your kids” and “how to have s*x kids,” reports BuzzFeed News. The autocomplete results  — which YouTube called “awful” — arrive as the platform is working to purge dark, violent, and sexual content that’s aimed at children, including animated and costumed superheroes engaging in lewd behavior. YouTube has also taken action against popular channels like ToyFreaks that show children in inappropriate situations — including videos in which they’re vomiting and in pain. YouTube says it has terminated 50 inappropriate children’s channels to date.

“Earlier today, our teams were alerted to this awful autocomplete result and we worked to quickly remove it,” YouTube told BuzzFeed yesterday in a statement. “We are investigating this matter to determine what was behind the appearance of this autocompletion.”

Given the specificity of the results, which reportedly turned up on a variety of devices in incognito browsing windows (see below, courtesy of BuzzFeed) before YouTube removed them altogether, BuzzFeed surmises that a coordinated campaign to game the algorithm could have been at play. Because autocomplete results are derived from search popularity, for instance, it’s possible that bad actors could have searched for the vile phrases with overwhelming frequency, thus causing them to self-populate.

Filed under: YouTube by Geoff Weiss
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A controversy related to inappropriate videos targeted at children on YouTube has resulted in some fallout among the platform’s advertising partners. As reported by The Guardian, major brands like Mars, Adidas, and Deutsche Bank have suspended campaigns on YouTube until they can be assured that their spots will not run next to dark, violent, or sexual content.

The presence of those infringing videos, which are aimed at kids, designed to excel in YouTube’s recommendation algorithm, and populated with popular family characters like Elsa and Spiderman, has triggered a controversy called ElsaGate. Spurned on by a widely-shared Medium post, some parents have raised concerns about the quality of YouTube’s family-friendly offerings, and brands are now following suit.

“We are shocked and appalled to see that our adverts have appeared alongside such exploitative and inappropriate content,” said a Mars spokesperson in a statement. “We have taken the decision to immediately suspend all our online advertising on YouTube and Google globally. Until we have confidence that appropriate safeguards are in place, we will not advertise on YouTube and Google.”

“We recognise that this situation is clearly unacceptable and have taken immediate action, working closely with Google on all necessary steps to prevent this from happening again,” added an Adidas spokesperson. Other brands that have reportedly pulled their ads include HP and Cadbury.

YouTube is not sitting idly by as its advertisers threaten to depart. It recently authored a blog post that detailed the steps it is taking to clean up its kids’ section. As part of its efforts, it is doubling down on advertising restrictions it laid out earlier this year, which disabled monetization on videos that misappropriate family characters or are otherwise unsuitable for children. Whether that initiative will allay the fears of its brand partners will become evident in the coming days, weeks, and months.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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As families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, YouTube is detailing the efforts it is taking to make its own platform more family-friendly. In a blog post, it shared five avenues through which it is combatting the presence of inappropriate videos aimed at children.

The first item on YouTube’s agenda is “tougher application of our Community Guidelines and faster enforcement through technology,” a policy whose results have already been seen. In the past week, YouTube says, it has terminated 50 channels that target young viewers with violent, sexual, or otherwise disturbing content while deleting thousands of videos that together received billions of views. The list of banned channels includes Toy Freaks, a controversial collection of skits that had 8.5 million subscribers before its termination.

YouTube also used its blog post to remind consumers of a June 2017 policy shift that stripped inappropriate videos of their ability to run ads. Since June, YouTube says, that policy has caused three million videos — many of them featuring family characters like Spiderman and Elsa — to lose monetization.

The other elements of YouTube’s battle against inappropriate children’s content include an “aggressive stance” on lewd comments that show up on those videos, increased reliance on human moderators called “trusted flaggers,” and the impending launch of a “comprehensive guide” that will provide tips for family-friendly content creators. The last of those initiatives is expected to arrive “in the coming weeks.”

Through these steps, YouTube may be able to improve its standing among parents after a pair of articles raised concerns about the nature of content on YouTube Kids. For more information about the steps the video site is taking to clean up its children’s section, check out its blog post.

Update: In data provided to BuzzFeed, YouTube has clarified that it has “terminated more than 270 accounts and removed over 150,000 videos from the platform” and has also “turned off comments on more than 625,000 videos targeted by child predators.”

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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Roman Atwood‘s collection of good deeds can now be witnesses through YouTube Red. The YouTube star has launched Roman Atwood’s Day Dreams, a series that brings heartwarming surprises to people who have been through hardships.

In each episode of Day Dreams, Atwood engineers a spectacle in order to uplift the spirits of a fan who could a positive moment or two. In the first episode, he helps a young man named Angelo, who is in a wheelchair, live his dream of participating in the action sports event Nitro Circus. He also works with his colleagues to acquire a new house for Angelo and his family. In short, Atwood’s efforts resemble those of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which has established its own ties to the YouTube community.

As with other YouTube Red shows, the first episode of Day Dreams is available for free. Additional installments are enclosed behind the subscription service’s $9.99-per-month paywall.

“This was an opportunity for me to do something different in partnership with YouTube Red and to focus on doing great things for some amazing people,” Atwood said in a press release. “I’m excited for the world to see the life changing results.”

Roman Atwood’s Day Dreams is produced by Studio71.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News, Roman Atwood by Sam Gutelle
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If you ever plan to become a TV star, you should be careful about what you post on social media. Otherwise, you may end up like Jack Maynard. The 22-year-old vlogger and DJ had his stint on the British version of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! cut short after The Evening Standard unearthed several inappropriate tweets from his teenage years.

The tweets included several common slurs, The Evening Standard reported. Maynard posted his offensive tweets between 2011 and 2013 and has since deleted many of them.

Initially, the YouTube star offered a statement through a representative. “Jack was a lot younger when he posted them in 2012, but realises that age is no defence,” the statement reads. “He would never use that language now and realises that, as someone who was bullied himself, this kind of retaliatory, insulting language is completely unacceptable.”

Ultimately, the continued controversy swirling around Maynard led to his exit from I’m A Celebrity, which is currently in its 17th season on ITV. The reality show is filmed in the Australian wilderness and offers its contestants limited contact with the outside world while they compete. “Since it is only fair that everyone should be aware of any allegations made against them and should also have the right to defend themselves, it was agreed that it would be better to bring him out of the show,” reads a statement from Maynard’s agent. “Jack agrees with this decision which was made by his representatives and ITV and thanks everyone who has supported him in the show this far.”

Maynard has used music videos, challenges, and other formats to accrue more than 1.2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel. Before his departure, he was the first online video personality to ever appear on I’m A Celebrity.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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Rooster Teeth‘s heroes have suited up once again and are ready to do battle with extraterrestrial foes. The Austin-based studio has released Lazer Team 2, a feature film that serves as a sequel to 2016’s Lazer Team.

In the original Lazer Team, four friends — portrayed by Michael Jones, Gavin Free, Burnie Burns, and Colton Dunn — came upon a powerful suit of armor, which granted them special abilities. In the second film, all four of the lead actors reprise their roles as the titular team heads out on an adventure to save one of their own. A trailer showcases some of the action, comedy, and 80s references viewers can expect:

The first Lazer Team film, funded with the help of a record-breaking raise on Indiegogo, ultimately reeled in more than $1 million in theatrical ticket sales. Emboldened by that success, Rooster Teeth announced a sequel in August 2016, with Fullscreen Films serving as co-producer. After beginning a brief theatrical engagement of its own on November 13, Lazer Team 2 is now available for YouTube Red subscribers, who can pay $9.99 per month for the right to watch the sci-fi flick, along with an additional slew of original programs.

Lazer Team pulled in mixed reviews upon its premiere but found an audience among Rooster Teeth’s millions of fans; the studio known for shows like Red Vs. Blue has more than nine million subscribers on its primary YouTube channel alone. Lazer Team 2, some early reviews suggest, is another overture to the Rooster Teeth audience. Given the passion and fervor of that group, Rooster Teeth’s strategy is a smart one.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News, Rooster Teeth by Sam Gutelle
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Despite the controversy that has surrounded him over the past nine months, YouTube star Felix “PewDiePie” Kjellberg continues to wield a significant amount of influence among his followers. His new videos still receive several million views each, and products that depict his “bro fist” insignia tend to be in demand. The latest branded items Kjellberg’s fans can get their hands on are headphones, which the Swedish gamer designed alongside Razer.

Kjellberg’s headphones come in an electric magenta shade and feature bro fists over each ear. The YouTube star appealed to his viewers through his pug Edgar, who tried on the new gadget as part of an introductory video.

Previous items vended by Kjellberg include video games and fidget spinners. He also made his literary debut in 2015, authoring This Book Loves You.

Kjellberg has faced extensive criticism for several controversial remarks he has made over the past year. In February, a Wall Street Journal article highlighted several PewDiePie videos that included material deemed anti-Semitic by some. As a result, Kjellberg’s contract with Maker Studios was terminated and his YouTube Red series was cancelled. Seven months after that, Kjellberg used the n-word during a live stream, returning him to the online video hot seat.

Those headline-grabbing incidents have not knocked Kjellberg off his position as YouTube’s most-subscribed creator. The PewDiePie channel currently has close to 58 million subscribers.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News, PewDiePie by Sam Gutelle
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Long ago, before the advent of the television, radio plays had their moment in the spotlight. 70 years later, the rise of podcasting has brought old formats to new consumers, and the radio play has seen a resurgence in popularity as a result.

Now, it’s coming to the internet. Nerdist and 1620 Media are behind Frequency Bandits, a video series that brings the radio play to those who subscribe to Legendary’s year-old streaming service, Alpha.

Frequency Bandits is a multi-camera show that takes place upon a stage. There, actors read out scripts that detail the fanciful, space-hopping adventures of the titular crew. Sometimes, the bandits will encounter monsters; at other junctures, they’ll have to attend inter-dimensional dinner parties.

Nerdist is the right company to digitalize the radio play, since it has its roots in audio programming. Now an entire network of geeky shows, it started as a single podcast hosted by Chris Hardwick. Frequency Bandits will be released as a podcast as well.

1620 Media, an offshoot of Pilgrim Media Group, is serving as the producer of the upcoming show. “Frequency Bandits has emerged as an ideal project to expand 1620 Media into the long-form arena,” Pilgrim Media Group Chief Content Officer Nicholas Caprio told Tubefilter. “Since launching the division, we’ve partnered with an array of top talent and digital platforms to create premium original and branded content, and this series really embodies the wonderfully unique and innovative spirit of the 1620 team. We’re thrilled to partner with Nerdist and Alpha to bring this intensely fun show to viewers.”

The first season of Frequency Bandits will consist of ten episodes, the first of which will premiere on November 29. To watch it, you’ll need an Alpha subscription, which costs $4.99 per month.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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To market its Nike Air VaporMax line ahead of the holiday season, the top sneaker brand in the US turned to a YouTube star. Nike has teamed up Megan Batoon, a dancer and vlogger who ran a half-marathon as part of her efforts to promote Nike’s sporty shoe.

Batoon appeared in a short spot in which she showed off the VaporMax line, which is part of Nike’s selection of running shoes. In order to demonstrate how the sneaker performs, Batoon trained for a 13.1-mile race, even though she had little experience at that distance. Ultimately, she successfully completed her half-marathon, vlogging all the while:

“Every time I go for a run it’s like a one-on-one adventure,”  said Batoon in a press release. “I just breathe deep, run far and discover what I’m capable of.”

The partnership with Batoon marks the first time Nike has teamed up with a YouTube star. Finish Line, which sells the VaporMax shoe, is also involved in the promotion.

Batoon, who posts dance clips, makeup and hair tutorials, recipes, and other videos on her YouTube channel, has more than 700,000 subscribers. She is represented by Jeff Worob from Serling Rooks Ferrara McKoy & Worob, LLP, Ray Hughes Management, and APA.

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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If you’re bored with typical Thanksgiving fare, you can try to zest up your table by adding a “breakout” food item to it. YouTube has shared a list of  culinary items that trended upward in 2017. At the top of the list is deep fried ice cream, which could also top your holiday pies as a decadent accompaniment.

As YouTube users showed off various techniques for preparing deep fried ice cream, the artery-clogging foodstuff saw its cultural cachet rise. Multiple channels, including Divas Can Cook and Insider, rolled up big view counts in 2017 by depicting examples of deep-fried dessert. The most-watched clip in that category, however, came from BuzzFeed‘s Tasty, which shared three different cooking methods for a dish that can easily come apart once it is dropped into hot oil.

The other entrants on YouTube’s list of “breakout foods” speak to some of the year’s culinary trends. As poke shops pop up on what seems like every single corner, videomakers shared their recipes for the Hawaiian fish dish, pushing poke to the #6 spot on YouTube’s ranking. Aquafaba, which came in at #3, is an option for gluten-free eaters, as it offers the delicious taste of chocolate-chip cookies on top of a chickpea base.

“If you’re thinking of sprucing up your Thanksgiving spread, you may want to consider one of YouTube’s top trending foods,” reads the video site’s post about its breakout cuisine. “Bust a Gordon Ramsay and add some exotic items to the menu like fried ice cream, poke and even green papaya salad!”

Here is the full list of breakout foods. YouTube did not share its methodology for the ranking:

1. Fried Ice Cream
2. Okra
3. Aquafaba
4. Seaweed Soup
5. Jerky
6. Poke
7. Green Papaya Salad
8. Crab Boil
9. Brussels Sprouts
10. Coconut Cake

Filed under: Articles, Featured, News by Sam Gutelle
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