BuzzFeed and CNN have formed a partnership to produce video journalism for the Internet—and, at the same time, a new example of BuzzFeed’s particular brand of digital advertising.
In the deal, which was announced on Tuesday, BuzzFeed is set to double down on video by building a “social video studio” staffed with 30 new hires who will be tasked in coming months with creating news and entertainment content exclusively for YouTube, some of which will make use of CNN’s vast video archive. While known primarily for its supply of clips featuring angry babies or proving the superiority of cats, BuzzFeed’s video efforts have also generated interest by employing the so called native advertising used across its website. The new video channel will likewise ditch traditional ads in favor of sponsored content.
