Vox Media says it is “shaping the future of journalism and entertainment.” Chad Mumm, VP, Head of Vox Entertainment at Vox Media, tells how.
Cynopsis: What can others take away from Vox Media’s success?
Chad Mumm: Here at Vox Media, we’ve been very happy to see that we can successfully bring our digital audience along to become viewers of our longform TV programming. Our media brands such as Vox, Eater, SB Nation, The Verge, and the teams behind them, are already a great source of IP, expertise, authority, and creativity that informs our TV programming business. Now we know that they can be a source of significant audience for our TV partners as well.
Cynopsis: What is the difference between working on a project for a streaming platform like Netflix, and one for CNN or PBS?
Chad Mumm: Every project is different, just like every network is different. What has been consistent across the board is an unequivocal commitment to ambitious and quality storytelling. Nobody is telling us to dumb it down for TV.
PBS’s No Passport Required
Cynopsis: How is video content evolving?
Mumm: Viewers all over the world have more choice than ever before, which means producers (and their networks) have to work to make that viewing experience extremely rewarding. We want all of our shows to be surprising and rewarding for audiences, no matter the space or the network. Vox’s explanatory format, spearheaded by Joe Posner, Vox’s head of video, reaches almost 5 million subscribers on YouTube. Vox’s acclaimed series Explained on Netflix, with a roster of talented creators, has seen great success on the platform. We’re excited to continue pushing these boundaries of what to expect coming out of Vox Entertainment, the studio arm of Vox Media.
Cynopsis: What kinds of projects are most in demand right now?
Mumm: We have a news and politics talk show (Consider it on Facebook), a historical documentary anthology series (American Style on CNN), a food and travel show (Eater’s No Passport Required on PBS), a standalone pop documentary series (Vox’s Explained on Netflix), and a new explainer series (Vox’s upcoming series on YouTube Originals), so there’s obviously demand for a huge range of projects. We think focusing on shows that are informed by great true stories, next generation talent (both in front of and behind the camera), and a deep curiosity about the world is a good place to start.
The Cynsiders column is a platform for industry leaders to reach out to colleagues, followers, and the public at large. In their own words and in targeted Q&As, columnists address breaking news, issues of the day, and the larger changes going on in the ever-evolving world of television, video and digital. Cynsiders columns live on Cynopsis’ main page and are promoted across all daily newsletters. We welcome readers’ comments, queries, and column ideas at [email protected].
