Reposted from Broadcast
Music brand SBTV is planning to work more closely with indies to feature content aimed at its established online community after hiring Channel 4 commissioner Isaac Densu.
Densu has set out his vision for SBTV’s future, which includes creating a stream of “binge-able” video, after joining in the newly-created chief creative officer role in January. He has been recruited by the Jamal Edwards-founded business following a year-long stint as a C4 shorts commissioner, where his role included ordering content for digital platform All 4 and producing brand-funded shows. He now plans to evolve SBTV’s output from predominantly offering in-house content to forging partnerships with third-party producers – creating factual content and ‘niche’ programming which is tailored to its fanbase.
“Companies like SBTV know how to speak to a community rather than an audience,” he said. “That’s the way content is moving now and the way that viewers want to be communicated with. It means that the content and community already share a dialogue don’t have to start from the beginning, the two start on an even footing. It’s a much more human way of communicating with audiences. There is immediate respect.”
His long-term aim is to transform SBTV into a place where ‘niche content’ is created before making the leap onto mainstream channels. He claimed that while it is labelled as an “urban, niche” brand, content which started its journey there has often ended up in the mainstream spotlight.
“SBTV predominately approaches a mainstream urban audience and people look at it as an urban channel but it’s essentially the place that broke Ed Sheeran – one of the biggest, mainstream pop stars of today. I think that’s why I’m really interested in this idea of taking the niche and feeding it into the mainstream,” he said. “We need more community-specific content, niche content which can be brought into the mainstream. To produce community-specific content you don’t have to come from that community, you just have to have an awareness or a familiarity or fondness with that community."
Densu also signalled a desire to diversify the content which is available on SBTV. The brand, which specialises in music videos, interviews and podcasts, is eyeing the factual space and looking to produce documentaries and factual entertainment projects. Last month it launched online video news service SBTV News. The service has contributed to a 75% growth in audience numbers, according to Densu, making it clear that SBTV’s “young, intelligent and hungry to learn” audience has a hunger for the factual.
As part of his role, Densu will also oversee the SBTV News brand alongside editor in chief Ash Houghton and hopes to build on its ability to attract new audiences.
