Seeking to compete against other video sites that may soon pay top amateur vid-makers, Break.com has hired TV production company Endemol USA for an original 30-episode series to appear on its website. Endemol is the production force behind TV hits “Deal or No Deal” and “Fear Factor”.
This is the second time in less than 30 days that Break.com has decided to go pro. Last month the website, catering to 15-35 year-old males, announced a deal with NBC Universal’s digital studio to create a series of videos for Break featuring “beautiful women finding creative ways to break different objects.”
Keith Richman, Break’s 34-year-old chief executive, is banking on users wanting a mix of professional and amateur content. He also sees the investment in professional video as a way for Break to ensure a stream of good programming.
Jon Vlassopulos, vice president of new media for Endemol, views the synergy another way. “With Break, we can push the envelope a bit further.” Rebuffing reports of riffing riled amateur video producers, Richman hopes to turn the deal into a two-way street. He says he hopes to help them find a way onto television, just as TV producers are finding their way onto the Internet.
Break’s move to pro content may be a response to the likely challenges Break faces as more sites begin to pay amateur videographers. The most talented amateurs are going to demand better deals, Jupiter Research analyst Joe Laszlo said.
