My Damn Channel Celebrates 5th Birthday with Record-Setting Growth and Cake
300 Percent Increase in Original Video Production Drives Substantial Growth in Viewers, Engagement and Revenue
NEW YORK, NY(07 Aug 2012)
My Damn Channel (www.MyDamnChannel.com) recently wrapped up its strongest quarter ever since launching its entertainment studio, destination site and distribution business five years ago, July 31, 2007. Halfway through 2012, the company is on pace to increase its revenue 300 percent from 2011, and My Damn Channel online video viewership, engagement and production has shown significant growth, including 120 percent increase in video views on its YouTube channels.
My Damn Channel Studios is producing the most ambitious slate of original programming in its history, launching more than 30 new comedy series in 2012 being distributed at www.MyDamnChannel.com and the company’s broad network of partner sites including YouTube. In five years, the company has grown from five employees to a full-time of staff of 27 people on both coasts – with more hiring expected this year – and has launched a growing network of owned and operated blogs and vlogs.
One significant driver of growth is My Damn Channel LIVE, which premiered March 28. This live, daily comedy series streams at 4 p.m. ET every Monday through Friday on www.MyDamnChannel.com/LIVEand www.YouTube.com/MyDamnChannel. The show is hosted by writer/actor/comedian Beth Hoyt from a new studio inside My Damn Channel headquarters in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. Beth interviews stars from comedy, TV, film and YouTube, introduces world premiere videos of new My Damn Channel original comedy series, and she brings the audience kicking and streaming into the mix on every live show via YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, email, video and carrier pigeon.
Grace Helbig has become another rising star at My Damn Channel, now earning over one million new video views every week. She hosts My Damn Channel LIVE every Thursday and her breakout daily vlog series Daily Grace has featured new videos posted each weekday morning since 2008. Her large and growing fan base has brought www.YouTube.com/DailyGrace to 250,000 subscribers; a number that is growing rapidly. Her entire, four-year video archive, along with additional, exclusive content is housed atwww.MyDamnChannel.com/DailyGrace.
“We launched My Damn Channel in 2007 to give artists we love the freedom, money, production, distribution and promotion they deserve,” said company Founder/CEO Rob Barnett. “We’re hitting our highest numbers ever in production, viewership, engagement and revenue because these artists have risen to the occasion and our fans have excellent taste buds for talent. I want to thank everyone who’s ever worked inside My Damn Channel for bringing their spirit, sweat, brain and backbone to build a business that's grown consistently stronger for five years. We're making new strategic deals now that will make ‘phase 2’ too much fun.”
Highlights for 2Q (April 1-June 30) – the first since the premiere of My Damn Channel LIVE:
- Average monthly video views on YouTube.com/MyDamnChannel more than doubled.
- Video views on all My Damn Channel properties (including its YouTube channel) increased by 50 percent in 2Q 2012 vs. 1Q 2012.
- My Damn Channel video views on YouTube in June were approximately three times higher than any other month since the LIVE launch, including over four times higher than March (the month prior to launch).
- YouTube favorites, shares and likes in June were six times greater than in March.
- YouTube comments in June were more than three and a half times greater than in March.
Other recent highlights:
- My Damn Channel increased its YouTube subscribers 39.5 percent to approximately 141,000 from June 1 - August 6, 2012.
- My Damn Channel has recently ranked as high as the 11th most-viewed channel, among the 100-plus others that are part of the new YouTube original channels initiative.
- In the first half of 2012, video views across all of the company’s YouTube channels increased 120 percent vs. 2011. This includes YouTube.com/MyDamnChannel as well as others controlled by the company such as YouTube.com/DailyGrace.
“2012 has been a game-changing year for our company and for online video overall, with blue chip brands and major portals seeking new original programming,” said Co-Founder/COO Warren Chao. “With demand for premium content stronger than ever, we decided that now was the ideal time to invest in more people, programming, sales, marketing and promotion.”
This month, My Damn Channel Studios will premiere its newest original series, The Bill Murray Show Starring Mark Malkoff, a weekly talk show designed to inspire one of the world's best actors to show up to comedian Mark Malkoff’s Queens apartment for dinner. Additionally, Harry Shearer, who has been creating content for My Damn Channel since day one, will premiere new music videos from his upcoming new comedy album, Can’t Take A Hint.
About My Damn Channel
My Damn Channel is a leading entertainment studio and distributor of premium content. Since launching in 2007, it has produced thousands of original videos featuring major stars and emerging artists from TV, film and the internet. It has created some of the most successful comedy online, including Wainy Days, Horrible People, You Suck at Photoshop and videos by Harry Shearer, with more than 30 new series premiering in 2012. The company also creates premium, branded entertainment and targeted distribution campaigns for major advertisers. In addition to www.MyDamnChannel.com-- one of TIME Magazine's Best 50 Websites of 2011-- the company operates Blog, Vlog and Talent Networks plus a music channel run by Don Was.
New episodes of My Damn Channel original series premiere inside My Damn Channel LIVE, a daily, live comedy show hosted by Beth Hoyt. The first original comedy programming – and first live entertainment series – to launch as part of YouTube's original channels initiative, My Damn Channel LIVE airs weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on www.YouTube.com/MyDamnChannel and www.MyDamnChannel.com/LIVE, and is available on demand.