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Company type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | Technology |
Founded | June 5, 2013 [1] San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Defunct | December 2016 |
Successor | Group Nine Media |
Headquarters | San Francisco, California , U.S. |
Key people | Jim Louderback (Former CEO) Philip DeFranco (Senior Vice President) |
Number of employees | 75 |
Parent | Discovery Communications [2] [3] |
Website | www.discoverydn.com |
Discovery Digital Networks was a San Francisco based multi-channel Internet television and digital cable network that created, produced and distributed streaming television shows on niche topics. It was sold by Discovery Communications into Group Nine Media in December 2016 and, as such, no longer exists. [4]
Discovery Digital Networks operated the online video arm of Discovery Communications from its acquisition in May 2012 until the sale to Group Nine Media. [3] It operated as the provider for six distinct "networks:" Revision3, TestTube, Animalist, Seeker, the DeFranco Network and Rev3Games. [5]
On May 3, 2012, Discovery Communications announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Revision3. [3] The transaction closed on June 1, 2012. [3] On December 5, 2012, Discovery launched DNews, with current stories about science and technology drawn from the Discovery website Discovery News. [6]
On May 23, 2013, Discovery launched a sister site to itself called TestTube. [7] It separates documentary-type shows from the main site, including the long-running Scam School, to better market to the existing Discovery Channel audience. On May 30, 2013, Discovery acquired the company set up by Philip DeFranco, DeFranco Creative. [8] A new subsidiary was formed under Revision3 called Phil DeFranco Networks and Merchandise, which he will now completely operate under as Senior VP.
On October 4, 2013, Discovery launched an animal-based sister-site called Animalist. It produces original shows about animals, aimed at viewers of Discovery's Animal Planet.
Many of the shows are produced and owned by Discovery Digital Networks however some of DDN's shows are produced independently. DDN handles the distribution and marketing aspects of these external shows, but does not produce the content. In February 2008 DDN completed work on its own studio where their own shows are recorded.
The shows have been distributed through a wide range of platforms and distribution partners, including Virgin America's in-flight entertainment system, CNET TV, iTunes, Discovery.com, BitTorrent, YouTube, PyroTV, Miro, TiVo, Zune, Apple devices, Android and Xbox. The shows have also been distributed in wide variety of formats, including QuickTime, Windows Media Video, Theora, WebM and Xvid. An embeddable Flash/HTML5 player is also available. In September 2011, Revision3 programming began to air on cable television on the rebranded YouToo TV, the former American Life Network, which ended after the sale to Discovery Communications. In September 2012, DDN partnered with YouTube to create TechFeed, an original channel about technology made by DDN, featuring existing hosts. [9] In March 2013, the company launched an official DDN Xbox 360 app for Xbox Live Gold members. [10]
Revision3 is the consumer review and miscellaneous network launched in 2005, as well as being the company name from 2005 to 2013. The network has primarily technology-based shows hosted and produced by Patrick Norton, and gaming shows hosted and produced by Adam Sessler. The network is known for creating personalities which consumers can trust buying advice from. The network also creates and hosts comedic, political, DIY and movie-related content. The name refers to the revisioning of video programming, according to founders Jay Adelson, Kevin Rose and David Prager. The first revision was cable television, adding general interest channels, catering to the “most common denominator”. The second revision was PC-based Internet video, independent films, no business model, no loyalty, no audience. The third revision or Revision3 is TV and Internet converged. iPods, TiVo, mobile, broadband enable mass, loyal audience to shift to on-demand, niche content. [11]
In 2013, DDN acquired the company set up by Philip DeFranco, DeFranco Creative. [8] A new subsidiary was formed under DDN called DeFranco Networks and Merchandise, which he will now completely operate under as Senior VP. This set up 2 individual subsidiaries of under DeFranco Networks: SourceFed, a daily pop-culture news and comedy show, and For Human Peoples, DeFranco's storefront turned feel-good channel with unique content. These networks are all hosted under DDN.
TestTube is the education and documentary network launched in 2013. [12] The network was created to appeal to fans of Discovery Channel properties, even including their own talent and formats. It is most well known for its short science-based shows such as DNews, based on the Discovery News website, How Stuff Works content and Hard Science, the experimental education show. The network also produces documentary and inspirational content.
Animalist is an animal-based network that launched in late 2013. [13] The network handles shows for famous animals such as Lil Bub, produces educational shows on animals and also produces helpful content for pet owners. It closely mirrors programming formats on Discovery's Animal Planet. Their daily show, Animalist News, is hosted by Amberly Gochoel, Catie Wayne, and Alex Farnham.
Rev3Games is a Revision3 streaming television channel with shows about video games. The channel launched on March 13, 2012. Adam Sessler was the editor-in-chief and executive producer of Rev3Games until April 2014.
Seeker is a digital network dedicated to the spirit of adventure and pursuit of wonder. It has a channel called Seeker Daily that uploads a new video every day, 5 days a week, about information related to our world. [14] The network launched on March 3, 2014. [15]
Adam Sessler is an American video game journalist, television personality and consultant. He is best known as the host for the video game review series Xplay and the editor-in-chief for G4's video game section. Upon his departure from G4 in April 2012, Sessler was its longest-tenured television personality, having originally been hired by its predecessor ZDTV in 1998.
Treehouse TV is a Canadian English-language discretionary specialty channel for preschool children that was launched in 1997. Its name comes from sister network YTV's former programming block, "The Treehouse". The channel is owned by YTV Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. Having launched on November 1, 1997, it is the first ever full-day preschool-oriented TV channel in Canada.
Sky Angel was a U.S. operator of Christian television networks; it operated three channels, Angel One, Angel Two, and KTV, all of which were exclusive to Dish Network. The company's corporate headquarters were located in Naples, Florida. The company also operated a Chattanooga, Tennessee location where programming, engineering and network operations resided.
1080p is a set of HDTV high-definition video modes characterized by 1,920 pixels displayed across the screen horizontally and 1,080 pixels down the screen vertically; the p stands for progressive scan, i.e. non-interlaced. The term usually assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a resolution of 2.1 megapixels. It is often marketed as Full HD or FHD, to contrast 1080p with 720p resolution screens. Although 1080p is sometimes referred to as 2K resolution, other sources differentiate between 1080p and (true) 2K resolution.
Blip was an American media platform for web series content and also offered a dashboard for producers of original web series to distribute and monetize their productions. The company was founded on May 5, 2005, and it was located in New York City and Los Angeles. It was financed by Bain Capital Ventures, Canaan Partners, and Ambient Sound Investments. Blip's mission statement was "to deliver the best original web series to audiences across multiple platforms." The site showcased a wide variety of dramas, comedies, arts, sports and other shows. Blip was acquired by Maker Studios in 2013 and shut down by them on August 20, 2015.
My5 is the brand name of video-on-demand services offered by Channel 5 in the United Kingdom. The service went live on 26 June 2008. It is owned by Paramount Global and operated by their Paramount Networks UK & Australia division.
Veronica Ann Belmont is an American online media personality. She was formerly the co-host of the Revision3 show Tekzilla alongside Patrick Norton. Belmont was the co-host of the former TWiT.tv gaming show Game On! along with Brian Brushwood, and the former host of the monthly PlayStation 3-based video on demand program Qore. Additionally, she was the host for the Mahalo Daily podcast and a producer and associate editor for CNET Networks, Inc. where she produced, engineered, and co-hosted the podcast Buzz Out Loud.
Epic Fu was a web series created by producers Steve Woolf and Zadi Diaz. The show premiered on June 1, 2006 with Zadi Diaz as the host and ended in 2011.
SourceFed was a YouTube channel and news website created by Philip DeFranco in January 2012 as part of YouTube's original channel initiative, and was originally produced by James Haffner.
Fishbowl Worldwide Media is an independent production company with a focus on transmedia development and production. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, it was founded by Vin Di Bona and Bruce Gersh.
The Philip DeFranco Show, often abbreviated and referred to as the PDS, is a pop culture and news series created by American YouTube personality, Philip DeFranco, and his main claim to fame. The show has gone through several schedule changes through its lifetime, but as of 2023, airs weekly, Monday through Thursday. The first video with The Philip DeFranco Show included in its intro was uploaded on June 21, 2007. As DeFranco became increasingly popular, he signed with Revision3, which would eventually acquire all of DeFranco's assets, including the PDS. The Philip DeFranco Show has been sponsored by Netflix, Ting, and State Farm. The show has been nominated for and has won several awards that focus on internet culture and web series. In 2017, DeFranco purchased his assets back from Group Nine and the Philip DeFranco Show is now a part of the Philip DeFranco Network and produced by Rogue Rocket, DeFranco's production company.
Philip James DeFranco, commonly known by his online nickname PhillyD, and formerly known as sxephil, is an American media host and YouTube personality. He is best known for The Philip DeFranco Show, a news commentary show centered on current events in politics and pop culture.
Revision3 was a San Francisco–based multi-channel television network that created, produced and distributed streaming television shows on niche topics. Founded in 2005, it operated as a subsidiary of Discovery Digital Networks since 2012. The network produced technology and gaming oriented programming in tandem with traditional comedic, political, DIY, and movie-related content. On March 31, 2017, Discovery Communications closed the website.
Rev3Games was a streaming television channel owned by Revision3, a subsidiary of Discovery Digital Networks, with shows about video games. The channel launched on March 13, 2012. On November 12, 2012, Revision3 announced that it had hired Adam Sessler, a previous staff member of TechTV who had continued through to G4 to host the television series X-Play. Sessler was the editor-in-chief and executive producer of Rev3Games, until leaving Discovery Digital Networks in April 2014. The channel includes reviews and previews of upcoming games, interviews, and general discussion of video games. The channel's final hosts were Tara Long and Nick Robinson. Past hosts were Max Scoville, Scott Bromley, and Anthony Carboni. Discovery Digital Networks ended the operations of Rev3Games on November 6, 2014, for reasons that have not been disclosed.
Animalist was one of the networks under Discovery Digital Networks based upon animal-themed video content. Launched in Fall of 2013, Animalist, along with Revision3, TestTube, and the Defranco Network make-up the web-original video arm for Discovery Communications. The channel is also famous for previously owning "Brave Wilderness" YouTube Channel hosted by Coyote Peterson that later became independent of the network.
TAPP TV is a subscription-based online video content network, home to individual "channels" built around public personalities with large followings. It was founded in 2013 by Jeff Gaspin, former chairman of NBC Universal Television, and Jonathan Klein, former president of CNN US. Michael Greer, former CTO of the Onion, is TAPP's co-founder and CTO.
Midnight Pulp is an OTT streaming service launched in March 2015 as a joint venture between Cineverse and Wizard World.
Seeker 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. Seeker produces online video and editorial content for the digital media landscape, with an emphasis on social platforms and YouTube.
Reina Suzuki, better known by her stage name Reina Scully, is a Japanese-American YouTuber, vlogger, translator, and voice actress.
SourceFed Studios was an American digital media company and multi-channel network created by Philip DeFranco in 2011. After finding success during the early years of YouTube with his eponymous news show, DeFranco secured funding from YouTube and launched SourceFed as part of the YouTube Original Channel Initiative in 2012.