1 big thing: NBC News digital bets pay off

Chris Berend, EVP of Digital for the NBCU News Group; Catherine Kim, SVP of Global Digital News; and Janelle Rodriguez, SVP of NBC News NOW, joined Axios’ Kerry Flynnat VidCon 2022.

2. The BFD: Candle Media boosts brands

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3. Charted: IP in the metaverse

4. Deal flow

5. Movin' on up (or out)

6. Channel surfing

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7. Charli D'Amelio on losing TikTok's top spot

Charli D'Amelio and Brandon Baum at VidCon on June 23, 2022. 

🗓️ Situational awareness: Join us June 30 at 12:30pm ET for exclusive conversations with Standard General managing partner and CIO Soo Kim and DoubleVerify CEO Mark Zagorski, highlighting scoops and top stories from the second quarter. Register.

🎙️ To wrap up her VidCon adventure, Kerry's moderating a panel today about video podcasts featuring Rooster Teeth executives. Read about it in Monday's newsletter. 

@kerrymflynn: "Dog" on Delta Inflight Movies. I'll pretty much watch any film featuring a dog. 

Thank you for reading Axios Pro Media Deals! Please ask your friends, colleagues, and Hello Sunshine's future vice president of audio to sign up.

Media Deals

Goin' back to Cali

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1 big thing: Meet the new boss 

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2. The BFD: TikTok's takeover

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3. Why they're going

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4. 🗓️ Highlights from the week's schedule

5. Deal flow

6. Movin' on up (or out)

7. Channel surfing

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From the team that brought you previous special editions on Elon's Twitter takeover and Upfront week ... 

@tim_bays: Meta Creator Lounge. Starting the week off with an exclusive look at Meta's Reels Meadow, Quest 2 demos and, in what will be a major theme this year, an NFT gallery. 

@kerrymflynn: "Dear Evan Hansen" on Delta Inflight Movies. I watched two-thirds of this cringefest earlier this month. 

Thank you for reading Axios Pro Media Deals! Please ask your friends, colleagues and Charli D'Amelio to sign up.

1 big thing: Video to boost podcast "cool" factor

A.J. Feliciano (Head of The Roost - Rooster Teeth); Geoff Ramsey (Co-founder at Rooster Teeth); Kerry Flynn (Media Deals Reporter, Axios Pro at Axios) at VidCon 2022 on June 24, 2022.

2. The BFD: Idris Elba's Channel 4 bid

Idris Elba. Photo: Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET

3. Charted: Foreign-owned sports teams

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✍️ Situational awareness: A federal grand jury in New York issued subpoenas to each board director of Digital World Acquisition Corp., Axios' Dan Primack writes.

🗓️ Join us this Thursday at 12:30pm ET for exclusive conversations with Standard General managing partner and CIO Soo Kim and DoubleVerify CEO Mark Zagorski. Register.

@kerrymflynn: "Westworld" season 4 on HBO Max. I'm excited to question the nature of my reality. 

Thank you for reading Axios Pro Media Deals! Please ask your friends, colleagues, and video podcasters to sign up.

1 big thing: Condé Nast's new biz dev exec

2. The BFD: DirecTV partners with Yahoo

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3. Charted: SVOD revenue slowdown

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🌴 Situational awareness: Tim and Kerry will be at VidCon in Anaheim this week. Let us know if you'll be there, and check out Kerry's panels on Thursday and Friday.

Get ready for a special edition of Media Deals tomorrow! 😮 

@tim_bays: "Halftime" on Netflix. A good behind-the-scenes look at Jennifer Lopez's Super Bowl LIV halftime show, even if as a 49ers fan it was a return to the scene of the crime. 

@kerrymflynn: "Lightyear" at AMC Theatres. Despite the disappointing box office performance, I'm seeing it again — this time with my fiancé. I just love Sox that much.

Thank you for reading Axios Pro Media Deals! Please ask your friends, colleagues and Condé Nast's M&A targets to sign up.

1 big thing: Roblox at VidCon

Photo illustration of Manuel Bronstein, Chief Product Officer of Roblox, with an image of the metaverse and abstract shapes.

2. The BFD: TikTok's new top account

MILAN, ITALY - MAY 26: Khaby Lame during the ABOUT YOU Awards Europe 2022 at Superstudio Maxi on May 26, 2022 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Franziska Krug/Getty Images for ABOUT YOU)

3. #VidCon sunsets 

Sunset at VidCon, photo by Anthony Quintano 

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🗓️ Situational awareness: If you're at VidCon, Kerry's moderating a panel about streaming and online video for news featuring NBC News executives. We'll cover the highlights in tomorrow's newsletter. 

@kerrymflynn: "Marry Me" by Jennifer Lopez and Maluma. I watched this movie on my flight to VidCon, and I cannot get this song out of my head!

Thank you for reading Axios Pro Media Deals! Please ask your friends, colleagues, and Roblox users to sign up.

NBC News has been ambitious with digital platforms — and those investments are paying off and inspiring further investments, executives told Axios in a panel at VidCon on Thursday.

Why it matters: Not every news organization has succeeded with a streaming product. NBC News, however, has found a way to make it both worthwhile and a profitable part of its business.  

What they're saying: "It is profitable, and we continue to grow and become even more profitable," Janelle Rodriguez, senior vice president of NBC News Now, says of the streaming service. 

"Last quarter alone ... we had 100 million hours viewed ... and we just keep blowing through all of our projections in terms of audience growth," she adds.

How it works: Rodriguez and Chris Berend, executive vice president of digital for the NBCUniversal News Group, attributed one reason for the success to the platform being free and ad-supported. 

"I think with subscription products, what you need is like a very, very highly interested niche of people who are willing to pony up for something very specific," Berend says. "Part of our brand mission with NBC News is to serve all of the United States and to be accessible to everybody."

Streaming helps NBC News reach and serve a younger audience, compared to its traditional channel. Berend says the "sweet spot" of that audience is ages 30 to 45. 

Yes, and: NBC News started producing for TikTok in 2019. It's since built up a 12-person social video team that has grown its main account to 3.2 million followers. 

"We saw through our early coverage of the invasion in Ukraine that there was an audience deeply engaged," says Catherine Kim, senior vice president of global digital news for NBC News and MSNBC. "We saw incredible engagement, crazy views, tens of millions of views on TikToks we were posting daily, sometimes hourly."

What's next: NBC News launched a daily news show on Snapchat in July 2017. Five years later, the show is still going, and now the next step is continuing to grow the brand on other platforms.

Kim says her team is piloting a daily podcast, planning to launch original programming on YouTube this fall and shooting a documentary —all under the "Stay Tuned" brand.

Disclosure: NBC is an investor in Axios and Sat Brainch, chief commercial officer of NBCU News Group, is a member of the Axios board. Axios journalists appear on MSNBC.

NBC's bets on streaming, TikTok pay dividends

Not every news organization has succeeded at streaming.

Janelle Rodriguez, SVP of NBC News Now; Chris Berend, EVP of Digital for the NBCU News Group; Catherine Kim, SVP of Global Digital News for NBC News and MSNBC; Kerry Flynn. Photo: Lauren Wade

NBC News

NBC News has been ambitious with digital platforms — and those investments are paying off and inspiring further investments, executives told Axios in a panel at VidCon on Thursday.Why it matters: Not every news organization <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="has succeeded with a streaming product" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/22/cnn-plus-discovery-zucker-zaslav" data-vars-content-id="3bd972c3-d615-45c7-8701-20e22ee11ecb" data-vars-headline="NBC&#x27;s bets on streaming, TikTok pay dividends" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/04/22/cnn-plus-discovery-zucker-zaslav" target="_self">has succeeded with a streaming product</a>. NBC News, however, has found a way to make it both worthwhile and a profitable part of its business.

Candle Media's brands have big plans to use the larger organization's funding and support to invest in new areas, executives said yesterday at VidCon. 

Why it matters: The new media rollup company, backed by Blackstone and led by former Disney executives Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer, has become one of the most fascinating companies to watch as it buys up and supports the growth of popular brands.

Driving the news: Speaking Thursday at VidCon, Hello Sunshine COO Liz Jenkins said her company's next big push is podcasting. 

"We dabbled in podcasts in the past, and even more so, it's become a strategic imperative for our business to launch in a really meaningful way," she said.

Hello Sunshine is hiring a vice president of audio to run that business. 

Yes, and: Moonbug Entertainment is looking for more acquisitions, particularly in gaming.

"We're sniffing around the gaming space, which is a big area in terms of engagement that we're not playing in in a major way, and I think by this time next year, we will be," said Andy Yeatman, managing director at Moonbug Entertainment.

Candle Media gives Hello Sunshine, Moonbug a boost

Hello Sunshine is hiring a vice president of audio.

Streaming media

Candle Media&#x27;s brands have big plans to use the larger organization&#x27;s funding and support to invest in new areas, executives said yesterday at VidCon. Why it matters: The new media rollup company, backed by Blackstone and led by former Disney executives Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer, has become one of the most fascinating companies to watch as it buys up and supports the growth of popular brands.

Video podcasts aren't new, but the medium is becoming a more crucial component of creating and marketing podcasts, Rooster Teeth executives tell Kerry at VidCon last week.

Why it matters: More media companies and distribution platforms have invested in video for podcasts, as consumer habits bring more attention to the format.

What they're saying: "The word 'podcast' is not cool. I don't think it has been for a while," Rooster Teeth co-founder Geoff Ramsey says. "I have a 17-year-old daughter who would never listen to a podcast, for any reason, but she would absolutely watch a podcast on YouTube and not recognize it as a podcast." 

"When we first started doing podcasts, we didn't actually call it a podcast. Our podcasting team was actually called a broadcast team. 'Broadcast' is a term that is better standing the test of time," says A.J. Feliciano, head of Rooster Teeth's podcast network, The Roost.

How it works: A video podcast actually doesn't need to involve video at all, Feliciano suggests. 

"Podcast consumption is a conditioned behavior based on who you're talking to," Feliciano says. "If you put your podcast on YouTube, it doesn't necessarily need to be in a studio. It doesn't have to be video. ... Maybe you just throw up a still."

Rooster Teeth's podcasts are distributed on 170 platforms. "Generally, we want to be everywhere and anywhere. We don't really limit our distribution," Feliciano says.

The intrigue: TikTok, the star of VidCon 2022, isn't necessarily where consumers go to watch podcasts. But it can be a worthwhile marketing tool through bite-sized clips. 

Rooster Teeth produces TikTok versions of some of its podcasts, including "30 Morbid Seconds" for its "30 Morbid Minutes" series and "Minute Mysteries" for its "Red Web" series. 

"TikTok is an absolute must if you're going to be marketing your podcast today," Feliciano says. "It is far outpacing any other platform in hours of consumption, the totality of people."

Of note: Spotify also spoke about video podcasts at VidCon last week. In an 8-minute presentation, two partner managers pitched the format as an important development for the platform. 

"Since Spotify first started, we have looked for ways to empower artists and creators to be heard by everyone. Now we want to empower them to be seen by everyone," Spotify's Tracy Rivas said. 

What's next: YouTube has been building more tools for podcast creators.

"When thinking about the future of podcasts, I think it's really on the platform distributors to generally dictate what that's going to look [like]," Feliciano says. "I would keep my eyes on YouTube."

Video to boost podcast "cool" factor

"The word 'podcast' is not cool," Rooster Teeth co-founder Geoff Ramsey says.

A.J. Feliciano (Head of The Roost - Rooster Teeth); Geoff Ramsey (Co-founder at Rooster Teeth); Kerry Flynn (Media Deals Reporter, Axios Pro at Axios) at VidCon 2022 on June 26, 2022.

Podcasts

Video podcasts aren&#x27;t new, but the medium is becoming a more crucial component of creating and marketing podcasts, Rooster Teeth executives tell Kerry at VidCon last week.Why it matters: More media companies and distribution platforms have invested in video for podcasts, as consumer habits bring more attention to the format.

Actor Idris Elba is in talks to be among the bidders for Channel 4, a state-owned broadcaster that the U.K. government is seeking to privatize, The Sunday Times reported. 

Why it matters: U.K. culture secretary Nadine Dorries suggested in April that privatization could help the TV network compete with the streaming giants. But its future success also depends on who buys it.  

State of play: Elba may join Marc Boyan, CEO and founder of Miroma Group, a TV and production company, on an estimated £1 billion bid, per The Sunday Times.

But the pair may face a lot of competition. At least 25 buyers have expressed interest to JP Morgan, the bankers the U.K. government appointed for the sale, per The Sunday Times.

Other bidders may include a consortium bid led by former Viacom executive Philip Bourchier O'Ferrall and other media companies such as Paramount, Comcast, Warner Bros. Discovery and ITV.

What's next: The plan and permission to sell Channel 4 is expected to come through parliament soon via a "Media Bill."

The bottom line: Elba "is a good fit for Channel 4, which has a remit to reach underserved audiences. The son of immigrants from west Africa, Elba, whose full Sierra Leonean Christian name is Idrissa, has long been an advocate for more diversity on screen." — The Sunday Times

Idris Elba is in talks to join Channel 4 bid

The U.K. government is seeking to privatize the state-owned broadcaster.

Idris Elba. Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET

Media deals

Actor Idris Elba is in talks to be among the bidders for Channel 4, a state-owned broadcaster that the U.K. government is seeking to privatize, The Sunday Times <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="reported" data-vars-click-url="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/idris-elba-considers-1bn-bid-for-channel-4-nwhsgqcjk" data-vars-content-id="cf0079a8-d1ef-4807-8ff4-646c314fdaab" data-vars-headline="Idris Elba is in talks to join Channel 4 bid" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/idris-elba-considers-1bn-bid-for-channel-4-nwhsgqcjk" target="_blank">reported</a>. Why it matters: U.K. culture secretary Nadine Dorries <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="suggested" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/NadineDorries/status/1511076442980896769" data-vars-content-id="cf0079a8-d1ef-4807-8ff4-646c314fdaab" data-vars-headline="Idris Elba is in talks to join Channel 4 bid" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/NadineDorries/status/1511076442980896769" target="_blank">suggested</a> in April that privatization could help the TV network compete with the streaming giants. But its future success also depends on who buys it.

Data: DISSECTING THE METAVERSE from Vox Media, UTA; Chart: Axios Visuals

Perhaps the next installment of "Jurassic Park" will be in the metaverse. It's a possibility that some consumers are hoping for as the next generation of virtual gets more attention. 

What they did: UTA and Vox Media produced a joint study about the metaverse, which they presented at VidCon on Thursday.

In May, they surveyed a 4,050-strong nationally representative sample of the internet population, ages 13 to 56 years of age. They partnered with The Circus, a data storytelling consultancy. 

What they found: One question asked people to consider franchise IP in the metaverse, versus a traditional format with specific types of media.

For video games, about 49% of people would prefer to experience the brand in the metaverse, rather than seeing a new installment (sequel, prequel, spinoff) in the traditional format. 

While the majority of consumers chose traditional formats, each media type did have a significant portion of people interested in the metaverse.

What they're saying: "That idea that consumers are more primed for different types of distribution models or innovative distribution of content should be extremely exciting for people in my industry," says Shelby Bier, marketing analyst at UTA. 

"It does represent new opportunities. It gives a lot of energy [for the metaverse]," says Edwin Wong, senior vice president of insights and innovation at Vox Media. "This is where the head of the consumers are."

Some people want media franchises' new installments in the metaverse

Perhaps the next installment of "Jurassic Park" will be in the metaverse.

Metaverse

Share of consumers who say they'd prefer to see franchises in the metaverse, by media type

Perhaps the next installment of &quot;Jurassic Park&quot; will be in the metaverse. It&#x27;s a possibility that some consumers are hoping for as the next generation of virtual gets more attention. What they did: UTA and Vox Media produced a joint study about the metaverse, which they presented at VidCon on Thursday.

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Stories

Video to boost podcast "cool" factor

Idris Elba is in talks to join Channel 4 bid

Candle Media gives Hello Sunshine, Moonbug a boost

NBC's bets on streaming, TikTok pay dividends

Some people want media franchises' new installments in the metaverse

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Media: 😎 Making podcasts "cool" again

Media: 📈 NBC's digital buzz

Media: Roblox's "vibe" for creators

Media Deep Dive: Welcome back, VidCon

Media: 👀 Condé gets dealsy