Seeker (media company)

Seeker (stylized see<er) is an American digital media network and content publisher based in San Francisco, California. The network was established in 2015 within a former independent division of Discovery Communications known as Discovery Digital Networks.[4] Seeker produces online video and editorial content for the digital media landscape, with an emphasis on social platforms and YouTube.[1]

Seeker
IndustryDigital media
FoundedMarch 3, 2015 (2015-03-03)[1]
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
,
U.S.
Key people
Caroline Smith (Chief Creative Officer)[2]
Ben Lerer
Number of employees
70[3] (2016)
ParentGroup Nine Media
(Discovery Communications/Lerer Hippeau Ventures)
Websitewww.seeker.com

History

Seeker was relaunched in May 2016 in an effort by Discovery Digital Networks to reach millennial audiences looking to satisfy their curiosity by immersing themselves in science, technology and culture.[5] The network was initially launched in March 2015, with a focus on exploration and adventure.[6]

In October 2016, Seeker was acquired by the newly founded Group Nine Media, along with Thrillist Media Group, NowThis News, The Dodo and SourceFed Studios. This new media group earned a $100 Million investment from Discovery Communications, and is under the leadership of former Thrillist CEO Ben Lerer.[7][8]

Properties

Seeker's YouTube Channel (also called Seeker; formerly DNews) surpassed more than 4 million YouTube subscribers in August 2019.[9]

In 2015, Seeker's program Rituals, with Laura Ling, was nominated for an Emmy. A Seeker Stories documentary co-produced with the ONE Campaign about energy poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa was honored with a Shorty Award in 2016.[10] Seeker Daily, a short-form news show, partnered with YouTube to cover the 2016 Republican & Democratic Party national conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia.[11]

In 2016, Seeker began producing content for virtual reality headsets.[12] Seeker VR content is also distributed on YouTube.[13] and the DiscoveryVR app.[14] Addison O'Dea was among the first to create original films for them, including explorations into the origins of voodoo in West Africa and explorations into the Sahara to find ancient Koranic libraries.[15]

In May 2018, Seeker launched a new vertical, "Seeker Universe". The channel is dedicated to outer-space content and intended for a millennial audience.[16]

In June 2018, Seeker partnered with Discovery to launch "The Swim", a multi-platform franchise following Ben Lecomte's 5,000-mile-long swim across the Pacific Ocean from Tokyo to San Francisco in an effort to gain awareness on the state of ocean health from pollution. His six-month journey was available to viewers across multiple platforms, a mid-form video series on Seeker's channels and Discovery GO, short-form social videos, weekly Instagram Stories, weekly TV Swim updates on Discovery channel, and the project culminates with a feature-length documentary later in 2019.[17][18]

In April 2019, Seeker released its new YouTube series "SICK", which looks at how diseases work in the human body. Each episode covers a different disease and brings in researchers and doctors to explain them.[19]

In July 2019, Seeker partnered with Discovery on a one-hour television special, "Confessions from Space", in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.[20]

Legacy properties

TestTube and DNews
Main article: TestTube

On September 12, 2012, DNews launched on YouTube with three hosts: Trace Dominguez, Anthony Carboni, and Laci Green. Three videos were uploaded every day.[21][22] The show was rebranded to Seeker on March 1, 2017.[23]

In May 2013, Discovery Digital Networks launched the TestTube network, which became the home of DNews, Laci Green's Sex+ Channel, and Blow it Up! hosted by Tory Belleci from Mythbusters.[24]

In March 2015, Discovery Digital Networks launched Seeker Network, which became the home of Seeker Daily, Seeker Stories, and several affiliate shows that centered around adventure and human interest stories.[25]

On May 25, 2016, Discovery Digital Networks rolled out changes to its network lineup. The TestTube channel – which had since been renamed to TestTube News – rebranded to Seeker Daily, a show that previously ran on the primary Seeker channel. The overall format of the TestTube News was preserved, but the TestTube brand was phased out of existence.

On March 2, 2017, DNews' YouTube channel was rebranded to Seeker.[26]

On March 17, 2017, the Seeker Daily channel was rebranded with a new format and new team as NowThis (part of Group Nine Media; along with Seeker).[27]

References
  1. "Discovery adds online adventure channel to reach Web generation". Reuters. 2015-03-03.
  2. "Caroline Smith, Chief Content Officer, Seeker at Group Nine Media". Telly Awards. 2017-05-26. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  3. Patel, Sahil (27 May 2016). "'No walled gardens': Discovery embraces platform distribution". Digiday.
  4. "Discovery Communications Launches All-New 'Seeker' to Feed Bright, Curious Minds – Discovery Communications, Inc".
  5. "Discovery takes on Buzzfeed and Vice with 'Seeker'". Politico. 2016-03-31.
  6. "Discovery Introduces Seeker Network To Cater To Adventurous Spirits'". Tubefilter.
  7. Spangler, Todd (13 October 2016). "Discovery Investing $100 Million to Merge Thrillist, NowThis, The Dodo in New Digital Venture". Variety.
  8. Balakrishnan, Anita (17 October 2016). "Group Nine scores $100 million for viral content empire". CNBC.
  9. "Science Brand 'Seeker' Attracts 4 Million Subscribers With Content Strategy". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  10. "SHORTY SOCIAL GOOD AWARDS ENERGY POVERTY & THE ELECTRIFY AFRICA ACT: HOW AFRICA IS HACKING ITS ENERGY CRISIS".
  11. "YouTube will livestream the Republican and Democratic national conventions in 360 degrees". VentureBeat.
  12. "Discovery Launches Virtual Reality Online Network". The Hollywood Reporter.
  13. "Seeker VR". YouTube.
  14. "SEEKER". Discovery VR.
  15. O'Dea, Addison (Director) (April 19, 2017). Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Mauritania's Deadly Sahara Desert (Virtual Reality). Mauritania: Seeker.
  16. "Group Nine Unveils Seeker Universe Video Channel". www.mediapost.com. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  17. Maese, Rick (May 24, 2018). "Six months. 5,700 miles. One ocean. Ben Lecomte wants to be first to swim across Pacific". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  18. Richford, Rhonda (April 11, 2019). "MIPTV: Group Nine's Suzanne Kolb Talks Savvy Social Media Strategy for 'The Swim'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  19. Blakemore, Erin (July 13, 2019). "This show is really 'Sick.' If you're concerned about your health, that's why you should watch it". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  20. "DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE CHANNEL CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOON LANDING WITH DEFINITIVE LOOK AT HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT APOLLO: THE FORGOTTEN FILMS (wt)". Discovery. April 10, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  21. "Seeker - YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  22. "DNews Starts Today! - YouTube". YouTube. 2012-11-28. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  23. "YouTube - Seeker, Subscriber Count". Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  24. "No Cable Needed: Discovery Bows TestTube Online Network". Variety.
  25. "Introducing Seeker – A Digital Network Dedicated to the Spirit of Adventure". Discovery Communications.
  26. "Pluto Could Be Made A Planet Again, Along With 102 Other Celestial Bodies - YouTube". YouTube. 2017-03-02. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  27. "Seeker Daily Is Becoming NowThis - YouTube". YouTube. 2017-03-17. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
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