News

Underknown is building a network of curious content. It just acquired the YouTube channel Aperture.

Despite its name, Underknown is getting more attention with each passing day. The digital media publisher, which self-identifies as “obsessed with boiling down complex subjects in a fun, engaging way,” has announced its first acquisition of a previously-independent YouTube channel. It has scooped up the scientific, philosophical, and technological content of Aperture for an undisclosed sum.

Underknown’s top brands include the science channel What If and the self-explanatory hub How To Survive. Aperture has a lot in common with those channels. It features speculative, curious, and educational video essays of creator Mike McEwen, who balances a subdued, wondrous tone with abstract and colorful images. His most popular video asks viewers to ponder “The Most Advanced Civilization In The Universe.”

Subscribe to get the latest creator news

Subscribe

In a statement, McEwen said he was drawn to Underknown because of its “vast experience in scientific storytelling, award-winning team of researchers and producers, and an unwavering curiosity for the world we live in.” Underknown’s seven other channels all produce fact-based content, and the Toronto-based company also boasts a vast distribution network, with more than 50 million followers

across all platforms. As part of the acquisition, Underknown will expand Aperture to reach viewers on platforms like Facebook and Snapchat.

This is the first time Underknown has added a channel through acquisition rather than in-house development. CEO and co-founder Steve Hulford said that acquisitions are “hard to come by,” but the Aperture deal provides a platform for “expanding our content themes into Philosophy, Science and Psychology.”

“We look forward to working with Mike,” Hulford added. “What he has built is fantastic and we hope to continue to grow it on other platforms like Snapchat, Facebook, and Tiktok.”

More details about the Aperture acquisition can be found in a blog post on the Underknown website.

Share
Published by
Sam Gutelle

Recent Posts

Under pressure from Hollywood, TikTok agrees to “maintain strong guardrails” for AI content

On TikTok, AI Tom Cruise's days may be numbered. The app's parent company, ByteDance, has announced that…

8 hours ago

The founders of Kick are in the Club as their new platform comes out of beta

After co-founding the virtual casino Stake.com in 2017, Australian entrepreneurs Bijan Tehrani and Ed Craven set their sights on live streaming…

8 hours ago

They belong in a museum: Australia is putting ten well-known creators into its national archive

As Australia limits teen access to major social media feeds, it is simultaneously preserving a…

10 hours ago

YouTube’s now counting public views from the “first frame,” hoping inflated numbers will help creators negotiate brand deals

YouTube now counts a "view" the instant someone clicks on a video. They don't have…

11 hours ago

Top 5 Branded Videos of the Week: MrBeast and the Mouse

'Tis the season for festive holiday beverages, and some of YouTube's biggest channels are raising…

1 day ago

As YouTube airs Eurovision, TikTok brings back in-house music contest

What do you get when you combine the Eurovision Song Contest, American Idol, and the…

1 day ago