Viral content factory BuzzFeed has announced a partnership with cable network turned foodie vacation outlet CNN to create a new YouTube channel: the aptly-dubbed CNNBuzzFeed.
BuzzFeed CEO Jon Steinberg told the Wall Street Journal that the CNNBuzzFeed channel will tackle serious news events and produce “around three videos a week.” BuzzFeed will have access to CNN’s three-decades deep library of archival video footage to create repackage as new content. The channel’s first offering “Amazing Rescue Moments on CNN” is a two-minute montage of “Inspiring moments of human courage as captured by CNN.” Check it out:
The future of BuzzFeed video channels
CNNBuzzFeed joins sibling YouTube channels BuzzFeedVideo, BuzzFeedYellow, and BuzzFeedFood. As with the established BuzzFeed video offerings, the new channel will not be part of YouTube’s new pay-to-access channel format.
While BuzzFeed has pefected the sponsored-viral content model, CNNBuzzFeed will initially be sponsor free, although Steinberg comments that “BuzzFeed and CNN will figure out ways to do various ad formats and sponsored content down the road.”
I predict that before 2013 is complete, CNNBuzzFeed will produce and offer the following videos “Wolf Blitzer’s 12 Most Heated Interviews!,” “10 Best Celebrity Confessions told to Piers Morgan,” and “The 15 Most WTF Jeanne Moos Moments!”