Geoff Weiss

• Amid Flurry Of Departures, Twitch Locks Down DrLupo, LIRIK, TimTheTatman In Exclusive Deals
• The Emmys Adds First Category For Esports, Recognizing Outstanding Journalism

  For the first time ever, the Emmys will recognize the esports industry with the addition of a new category. The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), which distributes several groups of Emmy Awards, has unveiled a new category for The Sports Emmys -- for 'outstanding esports coverage' -- recognizing journalism about competitive video gaming during a championship or live event.

  
• Three Of BuzzFeed’s Biggest Video Stars Launch Indie Studio ‘Watcher Entertainment’

  Following in the footsteps of The Try Guys, Safiya Nygaard, Michelle Khare, Chris Reinacher, Gaby Dunn and Allison Raskin, and others, another fleet of former BuzzFeed creators are branching off on their own. 

  
• Endemol’s OP Talent Signs Tiana Wilson, A 12-Year-Old With 16.5 Million Subscribers

  OP Talent, a U.K.-based digital talent management firm owned by TV production company Endemol Shine UK, has signed 12-year-old YouTube megastar Tiana Wilson -- the self-described youngest female creator to surpass 10 million subscibers.

  
• Michelle Obama, Liza Koshy, Julia Roberts Venture To Vietnam For YouTube Learning Original
• BroadbandTV Reorganizes Music Services Under ‘Opposition’ Division
• Twitch’s Dr. Disrespect Developing Scripted TV Series With Team Behind ‘The Walking Dead’
• Twitter Unveils New ‘Retweets’ Account To Fete User Community
• Imgur Launches New ‘Melee’ App Where Users Can Host, Discover Gaming Memes
• Digital Kids’ Content Company ‘Moonbug’ Launches VOD Channel On Apple TV
• Verizon Media Pacts With Advisory Chair Serena Williams On Branded ‘Yahoo Shopping’ Series
• YouTube Treads Safe Approach To This Year’s ‘Rewind’, With Series Of Data-Driven Lists