Tag: youtube channel

Educational Toys Top Indian and American Toy Lists

If toy-makers are looking to grab Indian parents’ toy-budgeting funds, recent press indicates their R&D ought to be aimed toward educational toys. A New Kerala article is catching notice this week, saying that “edutainment” toys (those promoting learning through play) have the potential for 15 percent year-on-year growth over the next five years.

Much of what US parents see in this year’s top toy lists leans toward tech-heavy toys. Though not out for this holiday season, Google is putting its toy-hopes (and potential hiring future) in the hands of Play-i, which will release its programmable robots in 2014. The gadgets, nicknamed Bo and Yana, are round robots which can be programmed through a smartphone and tablet and are being promoted for kids 5 and older.

Toy-maker VTech is garnering high awards (20 based on this count) and topping holiday shopping lists for its developmental, electronic learning toys. Highest acclaim going to the VTech InnoTab 3S Learning Tablet, which is being promoted by, “respected toy industry lists,” such as Parents Magazine, Dr. Toy, and Amazon.com among others.

The educational toy list provided by Shyam Makhija, director of Pegasus ToyKraft business development, is a little more tactile, “The categories which fit the bill most appropriately are educational jigsaw puzzles, tile puzzles, memory-based games, do-it-yourself art and craft kits, builder blocks and construction sets.”

In India, the industry uses seminars for parents, teachers, psychologists and social scientists to educate on educational toy prerequisites. Indian toy experts advocate toys that are boredom-resistant and curiosity-stimulating, but also age and gender appropriate; gender alone having become a hot topic in the toy industry.

And just in case parents on any continent need additional guidance for tots to teens, Toys “R” Us is debuting a Toy Channel (YouTube-based), “for exclusive, original and entertaining programming for kids and families on all things toys.”

[Images via Toys “R” Us, VTech, and ToyKraft official Facebook pages.]

November 13, 2013
Machinima Closes $35 Million Financing Round Lead by Google

Earlier this month we reported that Machinima, a popular video game news and pop culture YouTube channel, would raise 30$ million during a fundraising round led by Google. Those facts have now mostly been confirmed. Machinima actually managed to raise $35 million in financing during the round. Google did, in fact, lead the round, though previous Machinima investors Redpoint Ventures and MK Capital also participated.

“With this latest round of funding, Machinima is well-positioned to make the next evolutionary step in the world of multi-channel video programming and distribution by expanding into original content, international territories, and new platforms and devices,” said Allen DeBevoise, Chairman and CEO of Machinima. “Our tremendous growth as one of the world’s largest online video communities, with innovative social metrics and attributes and massive mobile viewership, positions us well to lead the third wave of original video programing brands.”

In addition to content, new platforms and international expansion, Machinima plans to use the funds for global sales operations and product and technology initiatives. The company stated that it wants to create a global video programming brand that will transform the way new generations engage with online video and gaming content. An ambitious goal, for sure, but Google seems to think it is possible. “Machinima has built a brand and an audience that rivals some of the biggest channels on TV,” said David Lawee, Vice President of Corporate Development at Google. “The success and uniqueness of their business makes this a smart investment opportunity.”

Google’s investment in Machinima is part of an initiative by Google to promote and improve programming on premium YouTube channels. With Yahoo!, Hulu, and Netflix, and other websites also investing in video content production, we seem to be getting a glimpse of how entertainment will look in the future.

May 22, 2012
Google Invests in Machinima YouTube Channel

Google is putting more of it money into content and investing in the popular YouTube channel Machinima. AllThingsD is reporting that Google will invest in Machinima during its current fundraising round which is expected to raise more than $30 million. This will raise the value of the Machinima to around $190 million.

Machinima is a video game news and pop culture YouTube channel that caters to a younger male demographic. According to their website, the channel had 1.52 billion video views in March of this year and 11 billion total views last year. There is also evidence that those viewers are watching Machinima for longer than any other YouTube partner channels. With such explosive growth, it’s easy to see why Google might want to invest in the company to make sure it keeps its content on the YouTube platform.

The AllThingsD report states that this is the first time that Google has invested in a YouTube content company. Last week Google announced that it would spend $200 million promoting premium YouTube channels. These news items, and recent Google TV announcements, mean that Google is well-positioned to take in large ad revenues from internet TV. Something tells me that this is a do-or-die time for traditional TV networks, which won’t be able to operate with their current business models a decade from now.

Channel launches on YouTube have been something of a cliche lately. Felicia Day, VICE, Lionsgate, and the Center for Investigative Reporting have all launched YouTube channels within the past month. It’s clear that the YouTube platform is finally mature enough, and the ad revenues are significant enough, for professional production companies to use as a broadcast medium.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let us know.

(via AllThingsD)

May 7, 2012
VICE Launches a New YouTube Channel

VICE, the art and culture magazine with a popular online presence, announced today that it is launching a new YouTube channel. The Vice YouTube channel will feature short, absurd comedic content hosted by Ryan Duffy, a contributing host for VICE’s upcoming HBO series. In addition, VICE will release some of its most well-known content to to the YouTube such as new “VICE Guides” and clips from VICE photo shoots.

The VICE YouTube channel is launching with three new series. VICE Today is the short-form comedy clip show hosted by Ryan Duffy. The first episode makes it seem similar to Current TV’s Infomania, but with VICE sensibilities and sarcasm. VICE Presents will share the best videos from VICE.com, edited for YouTube. VICE specials will feature behind-the-scenes footage, long-form interviews, and everything else that doesn’t fit into the other two shows.

The first episode of VICE Today is already up, so see for yourself what the VICE channel will be bringing you in the future:

This is the second YouTube channel VICE has launched this year. In February, the Noisey music channel was rolled out to “[lay] the groundwork for the future of music television.”

Aside from the lowbrow, ironic comedy that VICE Today will offer, VICE is also well-known for its in-depth investigative journalism. There are several of these news videos already on the VICE YouTube channel, which has existed for years, but has not been regularly used. Here is the first part of a report in which VICE co-founder Shane Smith travels to North Korea, but keep in mind that VICE does not edit its news programs for content:

April 23, 2012