BroadbandTV Corp

BroadbandTV Corporation
Private
Industry Internet Video
Founded 2005
Founder Shahrzad Rafati
Headquarters 1205 Melville Street Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Key people
 Shahrzad Rafati - (CEO)
Owner RTL Group (51%)
Website www.bbtv.com

BroadbandTV Corporation is a Canadian digital entertainment company founded by CEO Shahrzad Rafati in 2005. The company is the third largest video property in the world behind Google and Facebook,[1] with head offices in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

In addition to its network, the company provides end-to-end channel management and technology solutions for independent content creators and media companies to grow their presence on YouTube. Current clients include the NBA, FremantleMedia, and Sony Pictures.

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.[2]

In 2009, the NBA became a client of BBTV's and success monetizing NBA footage in fan videos had A&E and Sony Pictures quickly signing up.[3] 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.[5][6]

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.[7] Further expansion has seen offices open in Brazil, India, France, and Japan.[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 to 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] BBTV's further expansion has also been announced with opportunities in APAC regions, including Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt.[13]

Founder and CEO Information

Shahrzad Rafati founded BBTV in 2005, while completing her BSc in computer science at the University of British Columbia.[14]

In 2017 Rafati joined the board of Hootsuite.[15]

In addition to her company's achievements, Rafati is a co-founder of Chopra Yoga, in partnership with Dr. Deepak Chopra.[16]

Rafati has been a regular speaker at international tech conferences since 2015, including CES, VidCon, BC Tech Summit, Dreamforce, and Web Summit.[17][18][19] In 2017, The Hollywood Reporter named Rafati in their list of 25 Most Powerful Women in Global Television.[20] That same year, Rafati was included in Canada 150 Women, a book celebrating 150 of the brightest female minds in Canada.[21]

Investments, Partnerships & Acquisitions

Outspeak

In June 2015, BroadbandTV partnered with The Huffington Post to create a network of citizen video journalists called Outspeak. The new network combined BBTV's 24.4 billion monthly views and The Huffington Post's 214 million monthly unique visitors.[22] Partners are eligible to have their content distributed across The Huffington Post's site and YouTube channel and select creators will have the opportunity to develop their channels into original content series on Outspeak.[23]

YoBoHo

In April 2015, BroadbandTV acquired YoBoHo, which operates the HooplaKidz children's brand on YouTube, along with their 8,000 video library generating over 3 billion YouTube views annually. HooplaKidz is the largest preschool and K-12 educational digital-first producer on YouTube with more than 1.5 million subscribers. All 55 YoBoHo employees joined BroadbandTV.[24]

SocialBlade

In summer 2015, BroadbandTV partnered with leading YouTube analytics website SocialBlade "to supply data and services to its community of users".[25] SocialBlade previously offered partnership through Maker Studios' entry-level partnership program, Maker Gen.[26]

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.[27] 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."[28]

The NBA

In August 2014, BBTV renewed its existing YouTube rights-management deal with the NBA to manage fan-uploaded content on the site.[29] 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.[30] In 2016, BBTV and The NBA also launched NBA Playmakers, a new digital entertainment brand focused around basketball culture.[31]

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.[32][33]

Network Brands

Affiliate Brands

  • TCN - automotive YouTube network.[37]

Technology Brands

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

  • VISO Catalyst - for "enhancing on uploaded videos.[38][39]
  • VISO NOVI - for detecting and "managing" fan-uploaded content related to its clients' properties.
  • VISO Magnetics - for connecting brands and advertisers to "influential content creators" and "millennial audiences".

References

  1. ↑ Sundstrom, Lauren."BroadbandTV opens 30,000-square-foot Coal Harbour office, now world's third largest video property" Daily Hive
  2. ↑ Blattberg, Eric. "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati" Digiday
  3. ↑ Advanced Television
  4. ↑ Blattberg, Eric. "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati" Digiday
  5. ↑ Parry, Jacob."BroadbandTV Inks $36-Million Deal with RTL Group" BC Business
  6. ↑ Barrett, Jessica. "Major European media firm invests in Vancouver’s BroadbandTV". Vancouver Sun.
  7. ↑ Gutelle, Sam. "BroadbandTV Expands To The US With A New Office In New York" Tubefilter
  8. ↑ Blattberg, Eric. "From war zone to boardroom: The improbable rise of BroadbandTV's Shahrzad Rafati" Digiday
  9. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "BroadbandTV Claims No. 1 MCN Spot, Topping Disney’s Maker Studios" Variety
  10. ↑ unknown. "BroadbandTV Inks Multi-Year Original Content Deal with FremantleMedia" 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. ↑ unknown."Vancouver-based BroadbandTV expands across the globe" Daily Hive
  14. ↑ unknown."CS Alumna Turned Pirate into Profit" Computer Science UBC
  15. ↑ unknown."Hootsuite Expands Partner Ecosystem with Strategic Adobe and Hubspot Integrations" Hootsuite
  16. ↑ unknown."Shahrzad Rafati" Business In Vancouver
  17. ↑ unknown. "Inspiring stories in online video" Web Summit
  18. ↑ unknown. "The New Digital Entertainment Ecosystem" CES
  19. ↑ unknown. "The Top 10 Moments from Dreamforce '17" Salesforce
  20. ↑ Roxborough, Scott. "25 Most Powerful Women in Global Television" The Hollywood Reporter
  21. ↑ unknown. "Meet the Women" Canada 150 Women
  22. ↑ Reuters. "BroadbandTV, Huffington Post to launch citizen journalism network" Business Insider
  23. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "Huffington Post Launches ‘Outspeak’ Digital Video Network with BroadbandTV" Variety
  24. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "RTL’s BroadbandTV Acquires YoBoHo, YouTube Kids Multichannel Network" Variety
  25. ↑ Patel, Sahil. "BroadbandTV Cuts Exclusive Deal with YouTube Analytics Site Social Blade" The Video Ink
  26. ↑ Social Blade. "SocialBlade Announces Partnership with BroadbandTV" SocialBlade
  27. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "FremantleMedia Claims Rights to YouTube User-Uploaded Clips" Variety
  28. ↑ unknown."BroadbandTV Inks Multi-Year Original Content Deal with FremantleMedia" The Video Ink
  29. ↑ Patel, Sahil. "BroadbandTV and NBA Renew Deal for YouTube Rights Management" The Video Ink
  30. ↑ Salas, Jesus. "NBA and BroadbandTV Renew Their Deal" Sport Techie
  31. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "NBA Launches Fan-Powered ‘Playmakers’ Video Network With BroadbandTV" Variety
  32. ↑ Parry, Jacob."BroadbandTV Inks $36-Million Deal with RTL Group" BC Business
  33. ↑ Barrett, Jessica. "Major European media firm invests in Vancouver’s BroadbandTV". Vancouver Sun.
  34. ↑ Reuters. "BroadbandTV Acquires YoBoHo; Becomes One of the Top Kids and Family Networks on YouTube" Reuters
  35. ↑ Brouwer, Bree. "BroadbandTV Debuts Hip-Hop-Centric Network ‘Opposition’, Hits 3 Billion Monthly Views" Tubefilter
  36. ↑ Spangler, Todd. "BMG, BroadbandTV Create 'Windfall' for Aspiring YouTube Music Stars" Variety
  37. ↑ TCN. "BroadbandTV collaborates to launch TCN; one of BBTV's first sub-networks." Peter Danihel
  38. ↑ Gutelle, Sam. "BroadbandTV Agrees To Manage FremantleMedia Shows On YouTube" Tubefilter
  39. ↑ Patel, Sahil. "BroadbandTV and NBA Renew Deal for YouTube Rights Management" The Video Ink
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