WhatCulture
WhatCulture is an online entertainment news website and magazine[1] which was launched in 2010.[2] The site offers news in the field of professional wrestling, television, films, video games, and board games.
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Type of site | Infotainment |
---|---|
Available in | English |
Headquarters | Baltic Place |
URL | whatculture |
Commercial | No |
Launched | 2010 |
Current status | Active |
History
Originally started by Peter Willis and Matt Holmes as ObsessedWithFilm in 2006, WhatCulture originally had its headquarters in Newcastle upon Tyne before moving to Baltic Place in 2015.[3][4][5] As ObsessedWithFilm, the site was geared towards news and conversation about things going on in Hollywood.[6] On August 17, 2011, WhatCulture's YouTube channel was created[7] but the company did not upload its first video until October 14, 2014.[8]
On December 11, 2014, WhatCulture opened a new channel originally named WhatCulture WWE, now known as WhatCulture Wrestling.[9] On April 29, 2015, this channel introduced its first regular host, Adam Blampied.[10] Content updates to the site became more frequent, other personalities including Adam Pacitti, Kenny McIntosh, Sam Driver, Jack "The Jobber" King, "King" Ross Tweddell, and others were introduced, and their popularity rose. The hosts began to include an on-air kayfabe storyline feud between Blampied and his followers, collectively known as B-X, versus Pacitti and his followers, collectively known as Pacitti Club. WhatCulture expanded its coverage with red carpet events in Leicester Square, WWE Raw and San Diego Comic-Con panels,[11] as well as starting its own wrestling company named WhatCulture Pro Wrestling (WCPW).[12] In 2017, the WhatCulture brand was split and diversified, with the WCPW banner being rebranded as Defiant Wrestling,[13] with the web series Loaded, featuring professional wrestlers Bea Priestley and Gabriel Kidd, returning to YouTube in late 2018.[14]
On September 19, 2017, WhatCulture announced on its Twitter page that Blampied, Pacitti, Tweddell, Driver and King were all leaving the company.[15] The departed hosts were all planning on creating their own wrestling-dedicated site called Cultaholic,[16] which originally included Blampied,[17] but shortly after their departure, Blampied resigned from the channel for sexual harassment allegations which he admitted to.[18][19][20][21][22][23]
2017 also saw Defiant Wrestling suffer financial issues due to YouTube advertisement policy[24][25] and the promotion closed down in August 2019.[26][27]
References
- Bergonzi, Ezequiel (July 14, 2016). "Eric Bischoff will serve as General Manager at WCPW". Súper Luchas. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "About Us". WhatCulture. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "WhatCulture.com Signs Up To Baltic Place". Insider Media. October 8, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- "Cushman & Wakefield advises on WhatCulture.com's relocation to Baltic Place". Commercial News Media. October 8, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- Hardesty, Jamie (October 8, 2015). "WhatCulture.com to remain in the North East with Baltic Place expansion". B Daily. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- "About Us". WhatCulture. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- "WhatCulture - YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- "11 Dumb Decisions - The Dark Knight Trilogy". YouTube. October 14, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- "WhatCulture Wrestling - YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- "How WWE Should Have Booked: The Summer Of Punk". YouTube. April 29, 2015. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- "G.I. Joe: Retaliation Red Carpet Interviews – The Rock & More". WhatCulture.com. March 28, 2013. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
- Cooling, Will (October 6, 2016). "WhatCulture Pro Wrestling's Adam Clery On Their First IPPV & Star-studded Weekend". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Currier, Joseph (September 30, 2017). "WCPW Rebranding As Defiant Wrestling, Wade Barrett To Be New GM". F4Wonline. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Franchomme, Steph (August 29, 2018). "Defiant Wrestling 'Loaded" Back on YouTube by the end of the year" (Press release). United Kingdom: Vulture Hound. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
- "WhatCulture announces staff departures". Twitter. September 19, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
- Sheehan, Gavin (October 16, 2017). "Former WhatCulture Wrestling Crew Debut "Cultaholic" In New Video". Bleeding Cool News. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Satin, Ryan (September 19, 2017). "What Culture Departees File Docs For New Business Venture". Pro Wrestling Sheet. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Kettle, Harry (October 28, 2017). "Former WhatCulture Personality Adam Blampied Officially Fired From Cultaholic". WrestleZone. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Sheehan, Gavin (October 28, 2017). "Adam Blampied Officially Out Of Cultaholic". Bleeding Cool News. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- "YouTuber Adam Blampied apologises for 'manipulating' women". BBC. October 27, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- "YouTuber Adam Blampied apologises for "manipulating" women". NME. October 27, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- Tamburro, Paul (September 19, 2017). "WhatCulture Announces Controversial Staff Departure of Core Employees". GameRevolution. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Donnellan, Jimmy (September 20, 2017). "WhatCulture Staff To Depart, YouTube Subscribers Drop". CulturedVultures. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Murtha, Patrick (July 14, 2017). "YouTube's New Revenue System Has Wrestling Content In A Chokehold". Study Breaks. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Jordan, Paul (May 22, 2017). "YouTube Policy Changes Leads To What Culture Pro Wrestling Canceling Multiple Shows". PWInsider. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Kettle, Harry (August 1, 2019). "DEFIANT Wrestling Officially Confirms Closure". Mandatory.com. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- Thomas, Jeremy (August 2, 2019). "Defiant Wrestling, Formerly What Culture Pro Wrestling, Is Shutting Down". 411Mania. Retrieved July 10, 2020.