Fullscreen announces launch of its own subscription video service

George Strompolos, CEO of popular YouTube video network Fullscreen Inc., announced Wednesday that the company will roll out its own subscription video service to “help bridge the gap between social media and television for youth audiences.”

Timing and cost of the subscription-based video service were not disclosed. However, Fullscreen said the service will be geared toward “a very specific audience — a community of viewers who grew up online and live on their mobile devices.”

Founded in 2011, Culver City-based Fullscreen, which has helped boost the popularity of many YouTube stars, has more than 70,000 creators with 600 million subscribers who help generate more than 5 billion video views across Fullscreen’s global network each month. The company’s talent roster includes the Fine Bros., O2L and Jack and Jack. Last year, AT&T Inc. and the Chernin Group’s joint venture, Otter Media, acquired a majority stake in the company.

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“As an extension of our mission to empower creators, we are providing an opportunity for talent of all types to produce their best work in an immersive product experience,” Strompolos said in an email to the creator community Wednesday morning. “Just as premium cable networks raised the bar for television over the past decade, we aim to do the same with a new generation of creators, stars and personalities. And we’re going to do it our way.

Programming on the platform will include the reboot of “Electra Woman and Dyna Girl,” starring YouTubers Grace Helbig and Hannah Hart, “#O2LFOREVER,” which stars YouTube supergroup Our 2nd Life (O2L) on its 2014 North American tour, “The Outfield,” a coming-of-age story starring social media stars Nash Grier and Cameron Dallas, and an untitled teen parody from executive producers Paul Scheer (FX’s “The League”) and Jonathan Stern (Netflix’s “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp”).

“Our long-term ambition is to create the most personal and immersive entertainment experience in the world,” Strompolos said.
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