Watcher Entertainment Explained

Watcher Entertainment
Channel Name:Watcher
Channel Url:https://www.youtube.com/@watcher
Channel Display Name:Watcher
Channel Name2:Podcast
Channel Url2:https://www.youtube.com/@watcherpodcasts
Channel Display Name2:Watcher Podcast
Creator:
Location:Los Angeles, California, United States
Years Active:2020–present
Genre:
Subscribers:2.82million
Views:425million
Language:English
Associated Acts:Try Guys
Stats Update:June 23, 2024
Silver Year:2020
Silver Button:Yes
Gold Button:Yes
Gold Year:2020

Watcher Entertainment is an American digital media and entertainment company, founded by Steven Lim, Shane Madej, and Ryan Bergara. The channel features a variety of comedy, paranormal, gaming, cooking, and educational shows – typically hosted by Madej and Bergara. The Watcher main channel has over 400million views and 2.8million subscribers.[1] [2]

History

Buzzfeed and the creation of Watcher Entertainment (2019)

Madej, Bergara, and Lim met while working at the digital media company Buzzfeed. Madej and Bergara were co-hosts of the popular true crime and paranormal series Buzzfeed Unsolved and Lim was the creator and co-host of the popular internet food series Worth It.[3] [4] Both shows generated a combined 2billion views with 15billion minutes watched, making them two of the most successful shows on Buzzfeed.[5]

In 2019, Madej, Bergara, and Lim quit Buzzfeed as full-time employees. They each stayed on as contracted employees to complete their respective shows. The trio credited their departure due to their desire to found a company with more "creative opportunities" and the ability to have "actual ownership of the content" made.[6] [7]

The company is majority-owned by the trio. They received funding from Neuro, a caffeinated energy gum company; Boba Guys, a bubble-milk tea chain; and Steve Chen, a YouTube co-founder.

Watcher Entertainment gained its name from the infamous true crime case of The Westfield Watcher, from which Madej and Bergara had recently done a Buzzfeed Unsolved episode covering.[8]

The trio began the company as co-CEOs; however, Bergara and Madej stepped down from the role in 2023 to focus on content creation.[9] [10]

Watcher Entertainment (2020–present)

Watcher Entertainment was launched in January 2020.[11] The company debuted with seven series and a weekly interactive talk show; Homemade, Grocery Run, Weird Wonderful World, Puppet History, Tourist Trapped, Top 5 Beatdown, Spooky Small Talk, and Watcher Weekly.[12] The channel reached over 300,000 subscribers within the first month of launching. They were signed by talent agency CAA in the same year.[13]

Puppet History, a comedy educational game show, quickly became a success and gained a significant audience. The show, which stars Madej as a fluffy blue puppet, has spanned five seasons and led to the creation of a variety of merchandise.[14] [15]

The company premiered its first horror series in July 2020 with Are You Scared?.[16] [17]

Following the end of Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural in 2021, the studio premiered its highly anticipated successor, Ghost Files, just months after.[18] The show followed a similar format, with Bergara and Madej investigating reportedly haunted locations and attempting to find evidence of the paranormal. The show had significant success, with critics noting the improved production value and design from its predecessor.[19]

In 2023, Bergara and Madej went on a tour across the United States to premiere episodes of the second season.[20] [21] The series was renewed for a third season, which they will be premiering with a United Kingdom tour in 2024.[22] [23]

That year, Watcher premiered a light-hearted successor to the graphic Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime, with Mystery Files. In this rendition, Bergara or Madej present unusual crime or supernatural mysteries with a collection of theoretical solutions. The show was met with great success by audiences and was quickly renewed for a second season.[24] [25]

Watcher launched a second channel, WatcherPodcasts, in October 2023. The channel features podcasts hosted by Lim, Bergara, and Madej.[26]

On April 19, 2024, the company launched its Watcher streaming service. Going forward, some content would be released exclusively on the service and the company planned to transition away from YouTube.[27] This announcement was met with overwhelmingly negative reactions from their fans, with many calling for the company to reverse the decision.[28] Additionally, their YouTube channel lost over 50,000 subscribers in the day following the announcement.[29] On April 22, 2024, the company issued an apology and changed their decision, stating that episodes would instead be released on the streaming service a month before their premiere on YouTube.[30]

Channels and shows

Watcher

Current shows

Former shows

Watcher Podcast

Current shows

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultNotesRef.
2022Webby AwardsScience & Education HonoreePuppet History[31]
2023People's VoiceGhost Files[32]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Watcher – YouTube . 2024-03-26 . www.youtube.com.
  2. Web site: Jacobs . Kaylee . Watcher Entertainment . 2024-03-27 . The Howler.
  3. Web site: Fleshman . Cu . 2020-02-25 . Q&A: Checking In With Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara And Shane Madej Of Watcher – Character Media . 2024-03-26 . en-US.
  4. Web site: Agne . Maddie . 2022-10-20 . Hey there demons, it's them, the boys . 2024-03-26 . The Michigan Daily . en-US.
  5. Web site: Watcher Entertainment Launching January 2020 With Former Buzzfeed Talent At The Helm . 2024-03-27 . Business Insider . en.
  6. Web site: Spangler . Todd . 2019-12-09 . Ex-BuzzFeed Video Staffers Launch Watcher Entertainment Digital Studio (EXCLUSIVE) . 2024-03-26 . Variety . en-US.
  7. Web site: 9 Dec 2019 . Watcher Entertainment Launching January 2020 With Former Buzzfeed Talent At The Helm . 2024-03-26 . www.prnewswire.com . en.
  8. Web site: Kanzler . Kaitlyn . 'Westfield Watcher' home to be featured in BuzzFeed true crime series . 2024-03-26 . North Jersey Media Group . en-US.
  9. Web site: Doyle . Hannah . Graber-Lipperman . Nathan . 5 January 2024 . Why This Channel Went from 3 CEOs to 1 . 2024-03-26 . The Publish Press . en.
  10. Web site: Steven Lim to Deliver AAPI Heritage Month Lecture News Center . 2024-03-26 . news.gatech.edu.
  11. Web site: Elizondo . Abbey . 12 Oct 2022 . 'Buzzfeed Unsolved' to 'Ghost Files': Ryan and Shane's triumph over the corporate machine . 2024-03-26 . The Miami Student . en-US.
  12. Web site: Liu . Katie . 2020-10-22 . This Is My Jam: Watcher Entertainment . 2024-03-26 . North by Northwestern . en.
  13. Web site: Weiss . Geoff . 2020-04-08 . CAA Signs 'Watcher', The YouTube Studio Founded By 3 Former BuzzFeeders (Exclusive) . 2024-03-26 . Tubefilter . en-US.
  14. Web site: Alexander . Fisher . 2023-03-12 . 7 Watcher Entertainment's Must-Watch Shows . 2024-03-26 . Collider . en.
  15. Web site: Danbury . Dorothy . 29 Jan 2023 . Puppets Revolutionizing Online Media . 2024-03-26 . Puppets Revolutionizing Online Media – The Bullhorn News . en-US.
  16. Web site: Fitzgerald . Clare . 2020-06-17 . Watcher Premiere New Series, 'Are You Scared?' . 2024-03-26 . en-GB.
  17. Web site: Leishman . Rachel . 2022-01-04 . Let the Ghoul Boys Read You a Scary Story With "Are You Scared?" . 2024-03-27 . The Mary Sue . en.
  18. Web site: Spangler . Todd . 2021-06-07 . 'BuzzFeed Unsolved' Final Two Seasons Set to Premiere This Year . 2024-03-26 . Variety . en-US.
  19. Web site: Alexander . Fisher . 2022-10-03 . 'Ghost Files' Shane Madej and Ryan Bergara Are the Best Ghost Hunters in the Biz . 2024-03-26 . Collider . en.
  20. Web site: Wright . Jarah . 2023-09-14 . Ghost Files Live! Tour ready to haunt the Luxor . 2024-03-26 . Channel 13 Las Vegas News KTNV . en.
  21. Web site: Huynh . Julie . The Ghoul Boys are in town! Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej premiere new show "Ghost Files" at the Wilbur Theater . 2024-03-26 . The Suffolk Journal.
  22. Web site: Romanchick . Shane . 2023-10-31 . The Ghoul Boys Deliver a Halloween Treat – 'Ghost Files' Is Renewed for Season 3 . 2024-03-26 . Collider . en.
  23. Web site: GHOST FILES UK TOUR 2024 . 2024-03-26 . Watcher Entertainment . en-US . live . https://archive.today/20240422112638/https://www.watcherentertainment.com/tour . 22 April 2024.
  24. Web site: Alexander . Fisher . 2023-06-20 . Watcher Entertainment Cracks the Code on True Crime with 'Mystery Files' . 2024-03-26 . Collider . en.
  25. Web site: Romanchick . Shane . 2023-06-24 . 'Mystery Files' Renewed For Season 2 . 2024-03-26 . Collider . en.
  26. Web site: Podcasts . 2024-03-26 . Watcher Entertainment . en-US.
  27. Web site: Spangler . Todd . 2024-04-19 . Watcher Entertainment Launches Its Own Subscription Streaming Service: 'We're Leaving YouTube' . 2024-04-19 . Variety . en-US.
  28. Web site: Watcher's Move Off YouTube to Paid Streaming Service Sparks Angry Fan Backlash. April 20, 2024. Todd. Spangler.
  29. Web site: 50,000 Gone in a Day! YouTubers Abruptly Lose Subscribers After Risky Move. Sakwa. Kombo. April 21, 2024.
  30. Web site: An Update. Watcher Entertainment. en. video . April 22, 2024.
  31. Web site: Puppet History . 2024-03-26 . NEW Webby Gallery + Index . en.
  32. Web site: Ghost Files . 2024-03-26 . NEW Webby Gallery + Index . en.

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