In an effort to cross-promote both channels involved, Maker Studios has announced that it is working alongside cable channels Disney XD and Disney Channel to produce a number of TV specials that will feature many of its talent. Considering that all of these equities are owned by Disney, it’s a move that will certainly pay off for all parties involved.
Both Disney Channel and XD will feature a special Maker-branded half-hour special, which will feature yet unnamed talent. Other opportunities for these folks to be featured on programs through Disney Channel Worldwide are likely to happen as well, according to Variety.
This should prove profitable for Disney, after the company invested nearly half a billion dollars in Maker Studios last year, as the deal will be worth nearly twice that.
The first part of this programming will revolve around Disney Channel’s “Monstober” programming, with two 11-minute episodes highlighting the best Halloween content from Maker’s YouTube programmers, including original specials and sketches. The show will feature hosts from both Disney Channel and Maker, including the likes of Mortem3r, AJ Rafael, Mikey Murphy and Lana.
As part of the deal, the programming will air on the YouTube channels first, and then make their way to Disney.
Ever since its acquiring by Disney, Maker Studios has been doing quite well, as its network continues to be highly popular with more than 5.5 billion page views each month. Chief executive Ynon Kreiz recently spoke out about the success during a digital entertainment conference in Cannes, France, happy with the results.
As far as why Disney picked up Maker Studios to begin with, he simply stated, “They had to do something to remain relevant in that space, in the short-form medium,” according to VentureBeat.
And now it’s a deal that’s changing for the better, with even more programming likely to happen in the future.
