Awesomeness (company)

AwesomenessTV Holdings, LLC
AwesomenessTV
Company typeSubsidiary
FoundedJuly 2012; 12 years ago (2012-07)
Founders
Headquarters,
United States
ParentViacom Digital Studios[1]
Divisions
  • Awesomeness Films
  • Awesomeness Ink
  • Awesomeness News
WebsiteOfficial website (now redirects to the Paramount Global website)
Footnotes / references
[2][3]

Awesomeness, formerly and best known as AwesomenessTV, is an American digital media and entertainment network company owned by Viacom Digital Studios,[4] a division of Paramount Global. Established in July 2012 by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, the company operated a 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 Communications 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.

  1. ^ "Going Viral: How Viacom Digital Studios International Churns Out Global Hits | Paramount". www.paramount.com. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference auto was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference auto1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Going Viral: How Viacom Digital Studios International Churns Out Global Hits | Paramount". www.paramount.com. Retrieved 2024-09-23.