id: tubefilter--2020-05-27--BuzzFeed's Latest 'Unsolved' Season Scares Up Record YouTube Traffic

source: tubefilter

content:
BuzzFeed Unsolved ’ s latest season scared up all-time-high viewership for the long-running web series ’ YouTube hub .
Hosts Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej ( former BuzzFeeders turned cofounders of original studio Watcher ) returned March 13 to take viewers through six episodes of true crime mysteries , from the death of Edgar Allan Poe to the Sheppard murders to the Lady of the Dunes .
They capped off the season April 17 with Unsolved ’ s overall 100th episode .
The new episodes helped make April Unsolved ’ s most-watched month yet , BuzzFeed tells Tubefilter .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in quiet times , nets around 16 million views per month–scored a record 53.5 million views and 12.1 million hours of watch time across all episodes .
And March was busy , too : it brought 51.6 million views , 11.2 million hours watched .
( For comparison , Unsolved ’ s previous season aired in September and October 2019 .
In September , the channel brought 25.4 million views and 5.1 million hours of watch time , and in October , it brought 40.6 million views , 6.6 million hours watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season marked the aforementioned milestone–100 episodes of ghost-hunting , ghoul-chasing , and mystery investigating from Bergara ( believer in most things ghost and ghoul ) and Madej ( skeptic of all things ghost and ghoul ) .
The 100th episode revisited the very first case probed by Bergara and former short-term cohost Brent Bennett : the death of the Somerton Man .
For both Bergara and Madej , it was a chance to reflect on how far the series has come .
“ That episode was one of those times where I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of this , ” Bergara tells Tubefilter .
“ We started shooting this show with no camera .
It was just an audio recorder in a room with me and Brent , and no crew .
I did everything myself .
And now we have an incredible team , which I ’ m very close to .
The team we travel with on Unsolved is like a little family for Shane and I , so for them to all be there while we ’ re filming the hundredth episode , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special moment.
” “ Sometimes I ’ ll think about things that happened around the time that the first episode aired and it feels like yesterday , but also like a decade ago .
Especially considering all the places we ’ ve been to , ” Madej chimes in .
He gently needles Bergara ( who ’ s known for being just a little more easily spooked ) , adding , “ For some reason I think every time you visit a decrepit , dilapidated building , it probably shaves two years off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably aged like most presidents over these past four years.
” Bergara concludes that reaching 100 episodes has been “ quite the journey , but it ’ s very easy for me to look back and still remember the first episode.
” In normal times , the two would be prepping to shoot Unsolved ’ s next season , but because of COVID-19 , they ’ re stuck at home .
Much of what they ’ re working on right now involves the nascent Watcher .
Cofounded with Steven Lim ( creator/star of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Watcher ( 588K subscribers , 4M views per month ) is currently airing previously made episodes of around 10 different shows , including Madej ’ s spirited Puppet History .
But though their creative focus is elsewhere while future Unsolved content is delayed , the show ’ s dedicated fandom is never far from Bergara and Madej ’ s minds .
“ I am not an emotional human–currently , at least , ” Madej deadpans .
“ But we ’ ve just been receiving so many tweets and messages from people who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m watching Unsolved with my family while we ’ re all in quarantine.
’ It ’ s been nice to know that we can make people feel a little less alone during this very strange time in all our lives .
And it goes two ways .
It makes us feel a little less alone as well .
”

new_content:
BuzzFeed Unsolved’s latest season scared up all-time-high viewership for the long-running web series’ YouTube hub.
Hosts Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej (former BuzzFeeders turned cofounders of original studio Watcher) returned March 13 to take viewers through six episodes of true crime mysteries, from the death of Edgar Allan Poe to the Sheppard murders to the Lady of the Dunes. They capped off the season April 17 with Unsolved’s overall 100th episode.
The new episodes helped make April Unsolved’s most-watched month yet, BuzzFeed tells Tubefilter. Its YouTube channel–which has 3.84 million subscribers and, in quiet times, nets around 16 million views per month–scored a record 53.5 million views and 12.1 million hours of watch time across all episodes. And March was busy, too: it brought 51.6 million views, 11.2 million hours watched. (For comparison, Unsolved’s previous season aired in September and October 2019. In September, the channel brought 25.4 million views and 5.1 million hours of watch time, and in October, it brought 40.6 million views, 6.6 million hours watched.)
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And, of course, the season marked the aforementioned milestone–100 episodes of ghost-hunting, ghoul-chasing, and mystery investigating from Bergara (believer in most things ghost and ghoul) and Madej (skeptic of all things ghost and ghoul). The 100th episode revisited the very first case probed by Bergara and former short-term cohost Brent Bennett: the death of the Somerton Man.
For both Bergara and Madej, it was a chance to reflect on how far the series has come.
“That episode was one of those times where I was able to really look back at the start of this,” Bergara tells Tubefilter. “We started shooting this show with no camera. It was just an audio recorder in a room with me and Brent, and no crew. I did everything myself. And now we have an incredible team, which I’m very close to. The team we travel with on Unsolved is like a little family for Shane and I, so for them to all be there while we’re filming the hundredth episode, to celebrate that together, was a really special moment.”
“Sometimes I’ll think about things that happened around the time that the first episode aired and it feels like yesterday, but also like a decade ago. Especially considering all the places we’ve been to,” Madej chimes in. He gently needles Bergara (who’s known for being just a little more easily spooked), adding, “For some reason I think every time you visit a decrepit, dilapidated building, it probably shaves two years off your life. So you’ve probably aged like most presidents over these past four years.”
Bergara concludes that reaching 100 episodes has been “quite the journey, but it’s very easy for me to look back and still remember the first episode.”
In normal times, the two would be prepping to shoot Unsolved’s next season, but because of COVID-19, they’re stuck at home. Much of what they’re working on right now involves the nascent Watcher. Cofounded with Steven Lim (creator/star of BuzzFeed’s Worth It), Watcher (588K subscribers, 4M views per month) is currently airing previously made episodes of around 10 different shows, including Madej’s spirited Puppet History.
But though their creative focus is elsewhere while future Unsolved content is delayed, the show’s dedicated fandom is never far from Bergara and Madej’s minds.
“I am not an emotional human–currently, at least,” Madej deadpans. “But we’ve just been receiving so many tweets and messages from people who are like, ‘Oh, I’m watching Unsolved with my family while we’re all in quarantine.’ It’s been nice to know that we can make people feel a little less alone during this very strange time in all our lives. And it goes two ways. It makes us feel a little less alone as well.”


id: tubefilter--2020-03-26--BuzzFeed Cuts Staff, Executive Pay In Attempt To Prevent Coronavirus-Related Layoffs

content:
BuzzFeed will reduce pay for most staffers , freelancers , executives , and CEO Jonah Peretti in an attempt to prevent layoffs due to the financial toll the COVID-19 pandemic is taking on the company .
“ I understand this will be a real hardship for everyone , but our goal is to make it possible for all of us to get through this , ” Peretti wrote in a staff memo obtained by Variety .
He said that he will “ not be taking a salary until we are on the other side of this.
” His pay reduction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being implemented on a sliding scale .
Employees who make between $ 40,000 and $ 64,999 will see a 5 % cut ; those who make $ 65,000- $ 89,999 will see a 7 % cut ; $ 90,000- $ 124,999 , a 9 % cut ; $ 125,000- $ 169,999 , an 11 % cut ; $ 170,000- $ 224,999 , a 12 % cut ; and $ 225,000 and up , a 13 % cut .
Peretti added that BuzzFeed ’ s most senior executives will take cuts of 14 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and contractors , regardless of amount earned , will have their rates cut by 8 % .
These cuts have not yet been agreed to by the NewsGuild of New York , the union that represents BuzzFeed News staffers .
In his memo , Peretti said BuzzFeed executives will meet with union reps to “ share this plan and invite them to participate in this or to propose a new plan that meets the same savings goals.
” In their own statement , the BuzzFeed News Union wrote , “ While this obviously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re glad the company is taking a proactive approach and pursuing options to cut costs that don ’ t result in job losses.
” BuzzFeed has around 1,450 employees after cutting staff by 15 % in January 2019 .
It ’ s headquartered in New York City and has 18 offices around the world , including London , Sydney , Sao Paolo , and Tokyo .
Peretti ’ s memo made it clear BuzzFeed has lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic .
“ We don ’ t know how long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to move quickly to make sure our business remains sustainable , ” he said .
He added that BuzzFeed will “ lift the program and reevaluate if things improve.
” The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant economic stress around the world , impacting virtually all industries , including digital advertising .
BuzzFeed ’ s news content , lifestyle content , and video business all earn revenue through digital ads–and considering Google and Facebook are projected to take a combined $ 44 billion loss in ad revenue due to the pandemic , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus might be having on BuzzFeed ’ s income .

new_content:
BuzzFeed will reduce pay for most staffers, freelancers, executives, and CEO Jonah Peretti in an attempt to prevent layoffs due to the financial toll the COVID-19 pandemic is taking on the company.
“I understand this will be a real hardship for everyone, but our goal is to make it possible for all of us to get through this,” Peretti wrote in a staff memo obtained by Variety.
He said that he will “not be taking a salary until we are on the other side of this.” His pay reduction is the most drastic. Other reductions are being implemented on a sliding scale. Employees who make between $40,000 and $64,999 will see a 5% cut; those who make $65,000-$89,999 will see a 7% cut; $90,000-$124,999, a 9% cut; $125,000-$169,999, an 11% cut; $170,000-$224,999, a 12% cut; and $225,000 and up, a 13% cut.
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Peretti added that BuzzFeed’s most senior executives will take cuts of 14% to 25%. All freelancers and contractors, regardless of amount earned, will have their rates cut by 8%.
These cuts have not yet been agreed to by the NewsGuild of New York, the union that represents BuzzFeed News staffers. In his memo, Peretti said BuzzFeed executives will meet with union reps to “share this plan and invite them to participate in this or to propose a new plan that meets the same savings goals.”
In their own statement, the BuzzFeed News Union wrote, “While this obviously isn’t ideal for anyone, we’re glad the company is taking a proactive approach and pursuing options to cut costs that don’t result in job losses.”
Our statement on BuzzFeed’s plans to reduce employee salaries. pic.twitter.com/krufCAalYo — BuzzFeed News Union ✊ (@bfnewsunion) March 25, 2020
BuzzFeed has around 1,450 employees after cutting staff by 15% in January 2019. It’s headquartered in New York City and has 18 offices around the world, including London, Sydney, Sao Paolo, and Tokyo.
Peretti’s memo made it clear BuzzFeed has lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic. “We don’t know how long this will last, but we want to move quickly to make sure our business remains sustainable,” he said. He added that BuzzFeed will “lift the program and reevaluate if things improve.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant economic stress around the world, impacting virtually all industries, including digital advertising. BuzzFeed’s news content, lifestyle content, and video business all earn revenue through digital ads–and considering Google and Facebook are projected to take a combined $44 billion loss in ad revenue due to the pandemic, it’s not hard to imagine the effects coronavirus might be having on BuzzFeed’s income.


id: tubefilter--2020-05-06--BuzzFeed Furloughs 68 Staffers Without Pay, Extends Salary Cuts Through End Of 2020

content:
Sixty-eight BuzzFeed staffers will be furloughed without pay through mid-August , CEO Jonah Peretti told the company today .
In a staff memo obtained by Variety , Peretti–who in late March announced he would not be taking a salary “ until we are on the other side ” of the COVID-19 pandemic–said the dropoff in revenue has been steeper than expected , and that BuzzFeed is currently hoping to keep losses under $ 20 million for the year .
“ I ’ ve made the very difficult decision to furlough 68 employees beginning May 16th , ” Peretti wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will last for 3 months .
During this period , these employees won ’ t work and won ’ t be paid.
” BuzzFeed will continue providing health coverage to furloughed employees , and will “ pay out all accrued unused vacation days [ … ] which will provide extra cash to most impacted employees , ” he added .
Staffers affected include folks across BuzzFeed ’ s business , studio , and administration teams in the U.S. and U.K. ( BuzzFeed has around 1,450 employees total in 18 offices around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News team is unaffected , but Peretti wrote that the company plans to start negotiations with NewsGuild of New York , the labor union that represents the News staff , “ about the need to reduce costs in News , ” so it appears cuts in that sector may be imminent .
In addition to the furloughs , BuzzFeed will extend the sliding scale pay cuts it introduced in March through the end of the year .
That means employees who make between $ 40,000 and $ 64,999 annually will continue with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 65,000- $ 89,999 will continue with a 7 % cut ; $ 90,000- $ 124,999 , a 9 % cut ; $ 125,000- $ 169,999 , an 11 % cut ; $ 170,000- $ 224,999 , a 12 % cut ; and $ 225,000 and up , a 13 % cut .
The company ’ s most senior executives will continue with cuts of between 14 % and 25 % .
All freelancers and contractors , meanwhile , have had their rates cut by 8 % .
Other measures BuzzFeed is taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis and Washington , D.C. , offices , closing 50 previously posted job openings in content and tech departments , and potentially suspending its 401 ( k ) matching program through December , per Variety .
Separately , BuzzFeed revealed yesterday that it has hired Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Mark Schoofs as a replacement for BuzzFeed News ’ founding editor-in-chief , Ben Smith , who left in January to become a columnist at The New York Times .

new_content:
Sixty-eight BuzzFeed staffers will be furloughed without pay through mid-August, CEO Jonah Peretti told the company today.
In a staff memo obtained by Variety, Peretti–who in late March announced he would not be taking a salary “until we are on the other side” of the COVID-19 pandemic–said the dropoff in revenue has been steeper than expected, and that BuzzFeed is currently hoping to keep losses under $20 million for the year.
“I’ve made the very difficult decision to furlough 68 employees beginning May 16th,” Peretti wrote. “In the U.S., the furlough will last for 3 months. During this period, these employees won’t work and won’t be paid.”
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BuzzFeed will continue providing health coverage to furloughed employees, and will “pay out all accrued unused vacation days […] which will provide extra cash to most impacted employees,” he added.
Staffers affected include folks across BuzzFeed’s business, studio, and administration teams in the U.S. and U.K. (BuzzFeed has around 1,450 employees total in 18 offices around the world.) For now, the BuzzFeed News team is unaffected, but Peretti wrote that the company plans to start negotiations with NewsGuild of New York, the labor union that represents the News staff, “about the need to reduce costs in News,” so it appears cuts in that sector may be imminent.
In addition to the furloughs, BuzzFeed will extend the sliding scale pay cuts it introduced in March through the end of the year. That means employees who make between $40,000 and $64,999 annually will continue with a 5% cut; those who make $65,000-$89,999 will continue with a 7% cut; $90,000-$124,999, a 9% cut; $125,000-$169,999, an 11% cut; $170,000-$224,999, a 12% cut; and $225,000 and up, a 13% cut.
The company’s most senior executives will continue with cuts of between 14% and 25%. All freelancers and contractors, meanwhile, have had their rates cut by 8%.
Other measures BuzzFeed is taking to mitigate COVID-19 losses include subleasing its Minneapolis and Washington, D.C., offices, closing 50 previously posted job openings in content and tech departments, and potentially suspending its 401(k) matching program through December, per Variety.
Separately, BuzzFeed revealed yesterday that it has hired Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Mark Schoofs as a replacement for BuzzFeed News’ founding editor-in-chief, Ben Smith, who left in January to become a columnist at The New York Times.