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Watcher Entertainment is an American YouTube digital media studio, 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 400 million views and 2.8 million subscribers.[2][3]

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.[4][5] Both shows generated a combined 2 billion views with 15 billion minutes watched, making them two of the most successful shows on Buzzfeed.[6]

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.[7][8]

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.[7]

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.[9][10]

The trio began the company as co-CEOs; however, Bergara and Madej stepped down from the role in 2023 to focus on content creation.[11][12]

Watcher Entertainment (2020–present)

Watcher Entertainment was launched in January 2020.[13] 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.[7][10] The channel reached over 300,000 subscribers within the first month of launching.[4] They were signed by talent agency CAA in the same year.[14]

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.[15][16]

The company premiered its first horror series in July 2020 with Are You Scared?.[17][18]

Following the end of Buzzfeed Unsolved: Supernatural in 2021, the studio premiered its highly anticipated successor, Ghost Files, just months after.[19] 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.[20][13]

In 2023, Bergara and Madej went on a tour across the United States to premiere episodes of the second season.[21][22] The series was renewed for a third season, which they will be premiering with a United Kingdom tour in 2024.[23][24]

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.[25][26]

Watcher launched a second channel, WatcherPodcasts, in October 2023. The channel features podcasts hosted by Lim, Bergara, and Madej.[27]

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 plans to transition away from YouTube.[28] This announcement was met with overwhelmingly negative reactions from their fans, with many calling for the company to reverse the decision.[29] Additionally, their YouTube channel lost over 50,000 subscribers in the day following the announcement.[30] 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.[31]

Channels and shows

Watcher

Current shows

  • Puppet History (2020–present)
    • A whimsical puppet host walks through history's wildest tales as two guests compete for the title of history wizard.
  • Making Watcher (2020–present)
    • What happens when 3 creators with no business experience decide to make their own company? A multi-series documentary on the journey of creating Watcher Entertainment.
  • Too Many Spirits (2020–present)
    • Ryan and Shane read and rate audience-submitted ghost stories, while getting progressively more tipsy drinking cocktails prepared by Steven and Ricky Wang.
  • Top 5 Beatdown (2020–present)
    • Ryan and Shane compare asinine top 5 lists with a topical expert, inspiring surprisingly heated debate.
  • Ghost Files (2021–present)
    • Ryan and Shane investigate haunted locations to discover whether something paranormal really lays within.
  • Mystery Files (2023–present)
    • Ryan and Shane present unusual crime or supernatural mysteries with a collection of theoretical solutions.
  • Survival Mode (2023–present)
    • Ryan and Shane play a variety of horror games and give a spooky review.

Former shows

  • Grocery Run (2020)
    • Steven interviews a celeb on their typical grocery run, before returning to their home to help prepare their signature dish.
  • Homemade (2020)
    • Steven examines popular food by comparing an elevated restaurant experience vs. a home-cooked experience.
  • Spooky Small Talk (2020)
    • Ryan interviews celebs in a haunted house, exposing their fears and if they can manage it, a little about themselves too.
  • Social Distancing D&D (2020)
    • Socially Distance along with your motley gang of Watchers as they embark on a great quest of Dungeons and Dragons!
  • Tourist Trapped (2020)
    • Ryan and Shane battle for tour guide supremacy, highlighting the two sides of a city, tourist attractions and hidden gems.
  • Watcher Weekly (2020–2021)
    • Steven, Ryan, and Shane chat the week's content and answer questions, with the occasional musical guest!
  • Are You Scared? (2020–2022)
    • Ryan reads the internet's scariest stories (some true, some false) to his pal Shane as they try to figure out if the story is experienced or imagined.
  • Weird Wonderful World (2020–2023)
    • Curious pals Shane and Ryan explore lesser-known destinations and the fascinating subcultures within them.
  • Dish Granted (2021–2022)
    • A show where host and amateur home cook Steven Lim attempts to create the most extravagant dishes for his friends.
  • Pretty Historic (2022)
    • Selorm and guests explore beauty and fashion trends from history, try them, and decide whether the trends should remain in the past or come to the present.
  • Worth a Shot (2022–2023)
    • Take a seat at a Master Mixologist's bar as pro Ricky Wang crafts the unbelievable into a digestible drink for his guests.

Watcher Podcast

Current shows

  • Pod Watcher (2023–present)
  • For Your Amusement (2023–present)

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Notes Ref.
2022 Webby Awards Science & Education Honoree Puppet History Won [32]
2023 People's Voice Ghost Files Won [33]

References

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