Awesomeness (abbreviation of AwesomenessTV) is an American-based film and television studio as well as a multi-channel based multilingual television network owned by Paramount Digital Studios, a division of Paramount Global. Established in June 2012 by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, the network initially focused on children’s programs, teen dramas, comedies, live events, and music videos targeting adolescents and young adults.
AwesomenessTV initially operated an eponymous YouTube channel and multi-channel network. The company later expanded into talent, branded content, music, publishing, and retail. In 2013, DreamWorks Animation (DWA) acquired AwesomenessTV. In 2014, Hearst Corporation acquired a 25% minority stake. In 2016, Verizon Communications acquired another roughly-quarter stake in the company for $159 million (valuing it at $650 million), while AwesomenessTV entered into a multi-year deal to produce content for Verizon's streaming video service go90.
In 2018, following NBCUniversal's acquisition of DWA (which led to conflict due to being owned by Verizon competitor Comcast) and the shutdown of the fledgling go90, Viacom acquired AwesomenessTV for around $50 million – a fraction of its 2016 valuation. Since its purchase by Viacom, the studio has focused more on long-form television series and films for over-the-top services, and has referred to itself as targeting generation Z.
History
Beginnings
In July 2012, founders Brian Robbins and Joe Davola launched AwesomnessTV as part of the YouTube Original Channel Initiative, producing various web series oriented towards a tween and teenage audience. Robbins had personally observed his two sons as examples of changing media consumption trends among the demographic, which had increasingly favored short-form internet video over television.
Robbins had been well known for his work on series such as One Tree Hill, Smallville, and several Nickelodeon series, such as the sketch comedy All That. In 2009, Robbins spearheaded the production of a film based on YouTube comedian Lucas Cruikshank's character Fred. Robbins and Cruikshank bankrolled it as an independent film for Nickelodeon—where it became the highest-rated basic-cable film of the year among youth in 2010 and spawned a larger franchise of Nickelodeon content featuring the character.
The channel had an initial slate of 15 series in development, including the talk show IMO; the stunt shows The Blow-Up Guys, teen drama The Runaways, and Awesomeness Sports (a series of videos that would feature professional athletes and showcase youth athletes). Davola compared the channel to MTV upon its launch, explaining that "it was maverick, it was brand new, it was something the young people were getting involved with."
Brett Bouttier joined as a chief operating officer in November 2012. In December 2012, AwesomenessTV launched a multi-channel network targeting similar demographics.
2013–2018: DreamWorks and Verizon
On May 1, 2013, DreamWorks Animation announced its intent to acquire AwesomenessTV for $33 million. It was also announced that AwesomenessTV would develop and operate a YouTube channel focusing on content from DWA's franchises. In October 2013, the company partnered with the teen magazine Seventeen to operate its YouTube channel.
In April 2014, AwesomenessTV acquired the MCN and talent management company Big Frame for $15 million. That month, the company also hired former Claire's CEO James Fielding to lead a new consumer products division. In June 2014, AwesomenessTV launched DreamWorksTV, a YouTube channel that featured shorts and original series relating to DreamWorks franchises (such as Shrek, and the DreamWorks Classics library), as well as supplemental content promoting its upcoming films. The following month, the record label Awesomeness Music was announced, in partnership with Universal Music Group.
In September 2014, AwesomenessTV partnered with the department store chain Kohl's to launch a teen fashion line co-branded with its web series Life's S.o. R.a.d., as its first consumer product line. In October 2014, AwesomenessTV launched a publishing label, AwesomenessInk. As part of their ongoing relationship with DWA for original productions, Netflix announced that it had ordered a live-action Richie Rich sitcom from AwesomenessTV. In December 2014, Hearst Corporation (who published Seventeen) acquired a 25% stake in the company for $81.25 million.