New TV channel will exclusively star online personalities in scripted shows

YouTube stars, who gained recognition through self-created content shared online, are now jumping onto the small screen to star in scripted TV shows.

Entertainment giant CJ E&M on Wednesday announced the launching of DIA TV, a television network that will exclusively star one-person content creators. The new TV channel’s content will be created through a collaborative process between CJ E&M’s writers and the featured YouTubers, according to Yang Song-chul, an in-house producer at the company.

“The YouTubers will star in the shows like other TV actors and entertainers,” Yang said at a press conference at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. They will receive performance fees, but not possess the content’s copyright, which will be owned by CJ E&M.

This is a new area for the previously self-sufficient, online-exclusive figures. It may be a testament to their rise to near-celebrity status and the popularity of their content, industry insiders said. It also means that the creators will now have to comply with a new set of rules and TV regulations, which are generally more stringent than those for online platforms.

“Adhering to TV’s stricter regulations could lead to higher quality content that is fit for a broader audience, for global standards,” said DIA TV’s General Manager Hwang Hyung-jun.

Before the launch of DIA TV in January 2017, the featured YouTubers will rehearse during a trial run in December.

While YouTubers’ spontaneity and individuality were some of the key reasons behind the popularity of their content, they are expected to show a more polished side on TV.

“Online content creators can go to excessive lengths to nab viewers,” said producer Yang. “But we’ll be doing a lot of prior preparation, educating them thoroughly on safety measures and such.”

(From left) YouTube stars Lamuqe, Kkangna, Rena, Calgary Girl and Ssin pose for a photo at a press conference for the new channel DIA TV, set to exclusively star online creators, held at Korea Press Center in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Most online creators make the majority of their profits through branded content, or videos featuring products for advertisement. Product exposure on television, however, is limited to a few minutes.

“We’ll comply with all of those rules, of course,” said Rhee Hak-sung, director of CJ E&M’s broadcasting business.

DIA TV will be available both on television and a mobile app. Viewers will be able to vote for, comment and “like” shows as they air, via their mobile phones. It marks one of the first worldwide efforts to connect on-air broadcasting with mobile platforms, since online news site Vice launched the TV channel Viceland last year, CJ E&M noted.

Some of Korea’s most renowned individual content creators are lined up to host their own shows. Beauty gurus such as Kkangna, Calary Girl and Lamuqe will give makeup tips and introduce new products, while Ssin will team up with K-pop singer Jisook to play beauty-related games.
Mukbang stars, who originally streamed videos of themselves eating huge amounts of food online, will engage in similar activities.

Makeup creator Ssin believes that through CJ E&M’s resources, DIA TV will offer her a chance to deliver content that better targets a global audience.

“For example, different K-pop stars are popular in different countries. I could do makeup tutorials of stars that target a certain country’s audience, and so on,” said the 26-year-old YouTuber who boasts over 1 million followers and releases videos with English, Vietnamese, and Thai subtitles.

The target audiences are viewers in the 16-29 age group, said Director Rhee. “This generation isn’t content with just watching content, they want to interact with the subjects,” he said.

Organizers acknowledge that teenagers spend less time watching television these days, but they believe it will pay off to build up a new platform to re-define what it means to be a creator.

“It’s a long-term project we’re investing in,” said Hwang.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)