BroadbandTV Corp

BroadbandTV Corporation is a Canadian media and technology company[1] founded by CEO Shahrzad Rafati in 2005. The company is the second largest video property by unique viewers across the top 12 countries in the world, according to comScore,[2] with head office in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

BroadbandTV Corporation
Private
IndustryInternet Video
Founded2005
FounderShahrzad Rafati
Headquarters
Vancouver, British Columbia
,
Canada
Key people
Shahrzad Rafati (CEO)
OwnerRTL Group (51%)
Websitewww.bbtv.com

The company provides end-to-end content management and technology solutions for independent content creators and media companies to grow their presence online. Current clients include the NBA, FremantleMedia, and Sony Pictures. BroadbandTV considers itself a quadruple bottom line business, that measures how it treats its employees as well as social, environmental and financial performance.[3]

History

Origins

BBTV was founded as an OTT set-top box company in 2005, but Rafati quickly turned to developing software and solutions in the digital video sphere. Her idea was to create software which would change how companies approached piracy, resulting in technology which enabled companies to claim and monetize content uploaded by fans.[4]

In 2009, the NBA became a client of BBTV's and success monetizing NBA footage in fan videos led to organizations like Sony Pictures quickly signing up.[5] With these larger deals came a new opportunity: individual YouTube channels also wanted to monetize their content and work with professionals to drive success. BBTV once again expanded in order to develop this new business opportunity.[4]

2010–2016

European media group RTL bought 51% of BBTV in 2013 for $36M USD.[6][7]

In fall 2014, BBTV opened offices in New York City, to host the company's branded entertainment division, which brokers deals between content creators and brands.[8]

By December 2015 BBTV had become the number one MCN globally, outperforming Disney's Maker Studios.[9] With this milestone the company expanded its scope yet again and began creating more content in-house and repositioning the BBTV as a "fully rounded digital entertainment company".[10]

2016–present

In 2016, BBTV moved its Vancouver office to a bigger space.[11]

It expanded on its working relationship with Sony Pictures in 2018 by co-releasing the official Breaking Bad YouTube channel.[12]

In the same year BBTV also launched its Interactive division devoted to original games and mobile apps built around digital IP and audiences,[13] as well as its Distribution and Label services for artists.[14]

In 2019 BBTV announced that its content now garners 575 million unique viewers each month, making it second only to Google in terms of all monthly internet viewership, per a February 2019 comScore study.[15]

Founder and CEO Information

Shahrzad Rafati founded BBTV in 2005, while completing her BSc in computer science at the University of British Columbia.[16]

In 2017 Rafati joined the board of Hootsuite.[17]

Rafati has been a regular speaker at international tech conferences since 2015, including CES, VidCon, BC Tech Summit, Dreamforce, and Web Summit.[18][19][20] In 2017, The Hollywood Reporter named Rafati in their list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Global Television.[21] That same year, Rafati was included in Canada 150 Women, a book celebrating 150 of the brightest female minds in Canada.[22]

Investments, Partnerships & Acquisitions

YoBoHo

In April 2015, BroadbandTV acquired YoBoHo, which operates the HooplaKidz children's brand on YouTube. HooplaKidz is the largest preschool and K-12 educational digital-first producer on YouTube.[23]

SocialBlade

In summer 2015, BroadbandTV partnered with leading YouTube analytics website SocialBlade "to supply data and services to its community of users".[24] SocialBlade previously offered partnership through Maker Studios' entry-level partnership program, Maker Gen.[25]

FremantleMedia

TV production firm FremantleMedia partnered with BroadbandTV to identify and manage user-uploaded content on YouTube for more than 200 shows, including American Idol, The Price Is Right, America's Got Talent, Baywatch, and The X Factor.[26] In September 2014, BBTV signed a multi-year original content agreement with FremantleMedia North America's digital studio, Tiny Riot "to produce original programming in the entertainment, gaming, and music genres."[10]

NBA

In August 2014, BBTV renewed its existing YouTube rights-management deal with the National Basketball Association to manage fan-uploaded content on the site.[27] The NBA channel is the largest professional sports channel on YouTube, boasting over 5.6 million subscribers and more than 2.2 billion page views at the time of the renewal.[28] In 2016, BBTV and The NBA also launched NBA Playmakers, a new digital entertainment brand focused around basketball culture.[29]

RTL Group

In June 2013, BroadbandTV received a $36 million private placement from RTL Group. At the time, this marked the largest private placement into an internet media company in Canada since 2007.[6][7]

Content Brands
  • TGN – Gamer network on YouTube.[30]
  • Opposition – Music brand that provides distribution and label services to artists.[14]
  • HooplaKidz – Kids and family digital first producer on YouTube.
  • Controle Dois – Gamer network on YouTube dedicated to the Brazilian audience.
  • NBA Playmakers – Basketball culture network launched in partnership with the NBA.

Technology Brands

BroadbandTV's suite of VISO technology for online video includes:

  • VISO Catalyst – for "enhancing on uploaded videos.[31][32]
  • VISO NOVI – for detecting and "managing" fan-uploaded content related to its clients' properties.
  • VISO Prism – for highlighting areas of the content that are outside of its stringent trust and safety criteria to comply with policies and regulations of platforms.[33]
gollark: It will be soon.
gollark: They're just too good, which makes them bad.
gollark: The sprites are terrible - how are we meant to complain? It's the most vital part of a new release.
gollark: The post-truth trade hub.
gollark: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_star_namesCool dragon naming ideas.

References
  1. "BroadbandTV Content Partners Nominated for The 9th Annual Streamy Awards Which Honor Excellence in Online Video | Financial Post" (Press release). 2019-10-17. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  2. "BroadbandTV Now Viewed by More Than 575 Million Unique Viewers Each Month (and Represents 56% of Google's Unique Viewership)". www.bctechnology.com (Press release). Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  3. Rockel, Nick. "STEM POWER: Shahrzad Rafati". BCBusiness. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  4. Blattberg, Eric. "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati" Digiday
  5. BBTV and NBA extend relationship Advanced Television
  6. Parry, Jacob."BroadbandTV Inks $36-Million Deal with RTL Group" BC Business
  7. Barrett, Jessica. "Major European media firm invests in Vancouver’s BroadbandTV". Vancouver Sun.
  8. Gutelle, Sam. "BroadbandTV Expands To The US With A New Office In New York" Tubefilter
  9. Spangler, Todd. "BroadbandTV Claims No. 1 MCN Spot, Topping Disney’s Maker Studios" Variety
  10. "BroadbandTV Inks Multi-Year Original Content Deal with FremantleMedia" Archived 2015-07-03 at the Wayback Machine The Video Ink
  11. Sundstrom, Lauren."BroadbandTV opens 30,000-square-foot Coal Harbour office, now world's third largest video property" Daily Hive
  12. Weiss, Geoff. "Sony, BroadbandTV Launch ‘Breaking Bad’ YouTube Channel On Show’s 10th Anniversary" Tubefilter
  13. Spangler, Todd (2018-01-10). "BroadbandTV Launches Interactive Games and Apps Division". Variety. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  14. "BBTV To Help Digital Musicians Secure Distribution On Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, More". Tubefilter. 2018-10-03. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  15. "Canadian Digital Network BroadbandTV Surpasses 575 Million Monthly Viewers". www.tubefilter.com. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
  16. "CS Alumna Turned Pirate into Profit" Computer Science UBC
  17. "Hootsuite Expands Partner Ecosystem with Strategic Adobe and Hubspot Integrations" Hootsuite
  18. "Inspiring stories in online video" Web Summit
  19. "The New Digital Entertainment Ecosystem" Archived 2018-04-12 at the Wayback Machine CES
  20. "The Top 10 Moments from Dreamforce '17" Salesforce
  21. Roxborough, Scott. "25 Most Powerful Women in Global Television" The Hollywood Reporter
  22. "Meet the Women" Archived 2018-03-06 at the Wayback Machine Canada 150 Women
  23. Spangler, Todd. "RTL’s BroadbandTV Acquires YoBoHo, YouTube Kids Multichannel Network" Variety
  24. Patel, Sahil. "BroadbandTV Cuts Exclusive Deal with YouTube Analytics Site Social Blade" Archived 2015-08-07 at the Wayback Machine The Video Ink
  25. "SocialBlade Announces Partnership with BroadbandTV" SocialBlade
  26. Spangler, Todd. "FremantleMedia Claims Rights to YouTube User-Uploaded Clips" Variety
  27. Patel, Sahil. "BroadbandTV and NBA Renew Deal for YouTube Rights Management" Archived 2015-08-02 at the Wayback Machine The Video Ink
  28. Salas, Jesus. "NBA and BroadbandTV Renew Their Deal" Sport Techie
  29. Spangler, Todd. "NBA Launches Fan-Powered ‘Playmakers’ Video Network With BroadbandTV" Variety
  30. "BroadbandTV Acquires YoBoHo; Becomes One of the Top Kids and Family Networks on YouTube" Reuters
  31. Gutelle, Sam. "BroadbandTV Agrees To Manage FremantleMedia Shows On YouTube" Tubefilter
  32. Patel, Sahil. "BroadbandTV and NBA Renew Deal for YouTube Rights Management" Archived 2015-08-02 at the Wayback Machine The Video Ink
  33. "BroadbandTV Launches Brand Safety Video Solution VISO Prism | Financial Post". 2018-11-08. Retrieved 2019-11-16.
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