LONDON — U.K. television network ITV has acquired a minority stake in Channel Mum, a YouTube channel aimed at young mothers. The move represents the company’s first investment in a Multi-Channel Network.
Channel Mum was set up by Siobhan Freegard, the founder of parenting website Netmums, in January with a group of vloggers sharing their real-life experiences of every aspect of motherhood. The MCN has 10 vloggers, and is seeking to add to that number. In a bid to encourage new vlogger voices, Channel Mum recently collaborated with Panasonic, selecting a hundred mothers to receive peer mentoring, £1,000 ($1,560), and digital camcorders to start their vlog.
Channel Mum has struck a deal with nappy brand Pampers, and a number of other sponsorship and branded-content partnerships are set to be announced.
Freegard said: “I am so pleased that ITV has seen the potential of Channel Mum, recognizing millennial mums as an important and growing demographic. Our research shows that brands are keen to connect with these women in a meaningful way.”
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“Siobhan Freegard is a hugely successful entrepreneur with a proven track record in digital business,” said ITV managing director of online, pay and interactive Simon Pitts. “She and her team at Channel Mum have a brilliant understanding of content, advertisers and mothers, and how they can work together to produce genuinely appealing, authentic content.”
The news follows ITV’s recent investments in U.S. video content companies Believe Entertainment, Indigenous Media and Zealot Networks.
