Web video production house Revsion3 is canceling three shows, cutting back staff, and ending distribution agreements with Wine Library TV and Epic Fu. Rumors started swirling earlier today about layoffs, when Rocketboom founder Andrew Barron put out a Tweet about one of the layoffs. Revision3 CEO Jim Louderback confirms in a blog post that three in-house shows have been canceled (the long-running Pixel Perfect, as well as PopSiren, and Internet Superstar). In addition, Revsion3 will no longer be distributing Smashface’s Epic Fu or Gary Vaynerchuck’s Wine Library TV, possibly because those required upfront payments to the producers of those shows which Revision3 had been hoping to make up over time in advertising revenues.
In his post, Louderback writes:
As you may have heard, today we had to make some tough staffing decisions as we ended the run of a few of our shows.
Even though we’re sad to see these shows end on Revision3, in today’s economic climate it’s essential for us to focus on what we do best, and where the best opportunity for success lie.
We’re continuing to develop and invest in new properties. We launched seven new shows last month, for instance, on Revision3 Beta, and we’ve got high hopes for an expanded lineup there – and seeing some of that first crop graduate to Revision3
He does not say how many people were laid off. I’ve asked him via e-mail. (I count at least five. Caroline McCarthy at Cnet counts nine, which would be about one third of employees. If anyone knows the exact number, please submit it to our Layoff Tracker. Update: Kevin Rose lists ten people). Smashface, for its part, is laying off three staffers as a result of losing the Revision3 licensing revenue.
Revision3 was founded by Digg founders Jay Adelson and Kevin Rose (who also hosts its most popular show, Diggnation). It raised $8 million just last June. But producing video shows can be very expensive.
Actually I remember when Louderback was talking to Leo Laporte on Twit.tv him saying that Tekzilla is the most popular show.
me too now that i think about it. That and Diggnation.
Thanks for highlighting the Layoff Tracker service
OMG. What’s the world coming to.
OMG. The world’s come to!
OMG. And too, upon this world doth come.
“The content is designed for an Internet-savvy audience that seeks quality content about specific, narrow and in-depth topics”
With such a wide net like that, how could they go wrong? You can’t be too vertical when trying to engineer a long tail (or so the buzzwords go).
How expensive is it to poorly produce video shows? Don’t get me wrong (let the flaming begin): I’m a huge Diggnation fan, but when I see the poor production quality of their live shows, it just frustrates me. I know it’s a “fun” program, but it’d be great to have a bit more professionalism behind the scenes. Try a dry run before a live event. It shouldn’t be that tough… And I’m sorry to hear about the layoffs. Good luck to all.
I have to totally disagree with this. This is just my opinion, but what makes the show so great for me is that it feels so unscripted, as I believe it is. I could totally see those guys having the exact same dialogue exchange without any cameras. The base production is a plus in my book because it feels a bit rebellious – like the Internet generation giving a huge pioneering slap to old media.
“The content is designed for an Internet-savvy audience that seeks quality content about specific, narrow and in-depth topics”
More like content produced by people gaming Digg and then having two rich kids drink beer and regurgitate their website on Video. Waste of time.
Are you still a “kid” when you’re 30?
Yes. Age is an attitude!
25m (haha like old chat rooms)
I honestly didn’t think Gary would last long on Rev3, his show doesn’t appeal to the site’s general audience and Epic Fu is sometimes pretty lame. I’ve watched Pop Siren before and am sad to see those ladies go although I can’t say the same for Pixel Perfect and Internet Superstar. Hopefully some new shows will be sprouting from this soon.
Mark- I have to disagree with you on your point about Gary’s show. I think there is a relatively large overlap between the TC crowd and the wine crowd. Many of the TC community are techies (only), but many are huge social media people who watch Gary for that reason alone. Also, wine is classy and who doesn’t want to be classy… thoughts?
The TC crowd isn’t the core audience of Revision3, Ryan. While I’m sure plenty of people from the web-tech watch Rev3 shows, their main audience are the Digg/TRS crowd, mostly normal geeks without a set web agenda.
How many times must rev3 switch things up? stick with good shows, good content and let it ride out., popsiren had a prosper future if they would jsut let the audience grow and quick mucking things up
They could certainly raise the production value of the shows just a little. Maybe they’ll try that out with the new crop of Rev3 beta shows but considering what they have there now, I doubt it.
I cant believe Sarah and Kevin were on twit last night and today she is fired. I wonder if Kevin knew?
Jim Louderback is one of the worst, unbelievable, Mr. Gameshow, 1984 , salesman, schmoozefest speakers I have ever seen. Really embarrassing presentation at mediabistro this summer. Every bad machismo joke in the book was inferred. No wonder.
response on rev3 {seesmic_video:{”url_thumbnail”:{”value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/0ORcHiSkaT_th1.jpg”}”title”:{”value”:”response on rev3 ”}”videoUri”:{”value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/vTs9BsrMOH”}}}
A good feature for Seesmic is to add a transcript of what people are saying. Sometime you just can’t listen of what it is said (being in the office, for example).
Mad love and respect GaryV, people will never stop making/drinking wine. Keep pushin’ forward.
“I threw up in my mouth watching that game.”
lol. Rock on, Gary. Rock on.
I just grabbed all the Wine Library vids I’ve missed, before they disappear. Hoping to see you continue.
that’s craziness. hopefully it makes room for some new and improved shows. diggnation is awesome….
smart move {seesmic_video:{”url_thumbnail”:{”value”:”http://t.seesmic.com/thumbnail/HslS3vK4OG_th1.jpg”}”title”:{”value”:”smart move ”}”videoUri”:{”value”:”http://www.seesmic.com/video/YNdgjttfTT”}}}
What I don’t understand is how the bad “economic climate” has any effect on Revision3?
Revision3’s business model hinders on advertising revenue. In hard economic times, Advertising and Marketing money is the first to get cut, thus things directly effected by advertising revenue models also have to cut back. This seems like a smart move to make sure they have money to withstand any strong downturn in the economy, especially since they’ve invested in a huge studio.
It is all basic business.
The Digg Reel is actually really entertaining.
I think the members of the Board at Rev3 now have to ask themselves some serious really questions if they want the company to survive the downturn and come out the other side stronger.
Here’s one: What Rev3 show has the best production values, and is by far the most creative? Answer: TRS. TRS may be just about the best quality independent video podcast in the world, actually.
However, TRS isn’t produced in Rev 3’s expensive custom studios, but in a garage against a green screen. That show isn’t produced by Rev3 either , it’s produced, AFAIK, by Team Awesome (aka Alex, Dan and Jeff).
Here’s another question: What Rev3 is the most popular? It’s Diggnation (Tekzilla only counts as having bigger numbers, AFAIK, unless you also count Tekzilla Daily views, and that’s a different show). Diggnation is filmed on location at Kevin’s apartment, sometimes at Alex’s house, or occasionally different locations.
So, if the company’s most popular show, and the show with the best production values and most creativity don’t need a studio… why did they build one? Why didn’t they invest in talent instead of using the money for CAPEX?
And a final question for the Board: So, Martin’s and Sarah’s shows didn’t find big enough audiences at Rev3, and you couldn’t afford them anymore. Whose fault is that? They’re talented presenters. I think the Rev3 audiences really *really* liked those guys (even if they didn’t like the shows they were on so much). The company is where it is; and maybe it can’t afford to hold onto them anymore. That’s Rev3’s loss. However, the Board better be sure that the people who mismanaged them got fired as well, otherwise what makes anyone think the company will make better show choices in future?
Wow, they were just talking about Revision 3 on Twit yesterday. Wow, wow, wow…
Not a shocker. Martin Sargent overstayed his show on Internet Superstar. Epic Fu didn’t fit the mold but Zadi does a “terrific” job producing that show. Can’t remember when I tuned into pixel perfect or the other one. WLTV never was a fit. Wine + sophisticated drinks don’t fit the typical rev 3 viewer. Gary does a great job distributing it on his own, in addition to a great business sense.
When a bulk of your income depends on ads and those ads go away, then its trouble.
Most concerned about the loss of the Photoshop show. It acknowledged the many Photoshop users out there!!
I can’t say that I’m that surprised about what shows got axed, but I’m very surprised to see Sarah Lane go. They’re going to have a very hard time capture the long tail with one studio in San Francisco – they need to continue to focus on generating home-grown shows.
If I were them, I’d focus on being an entire vertical for home-grown shows. A place where someone can start a ’series’, upload their series, with REv3 taking care of the hosting, ad syndication, and distribution once the show becomes awesome – I’m thinking something along the lines of Fed Media + YouTube + iTunes Podcast Directory. Rev3 is prominently a male audience, and to throw a show in like PopSiren into the mix isn’t going to work. You’ll need to bring in a show based on already popular content with female viewers – a Perez Hilton show, I don’t know. The GigaOm show was fantastic, but alas, isn’t produced anymore and I have doubts of it coming back. It filled a niche with knowledgeable hosts and great interviews.
General shows on technology that’s extremely scripted isn’t going to help. Tekzilla is seriously slipping these days, I think Patrick is rubbing me the wrong way. He seems cynical of high-end technology, HD, and Macs etc, and writes off half the things before actually reviewing them thoroughly. DL.TV is great, just because Robert Heron actually geeks out on the stuff he covers.
Revision 3 produce inferior crappy low-budget shows anyway, I won’t lose any sleep over this announcement. The people that got layed off will lose a lot of sleep, good riddance.
Dwayne.
http://probablysucks.com
Gutting. PixelPerfect was my favourite show out of them all
About time! There is a lot of really crappy shows, I am surprised it lasted this long.
Tekzilla is probably the only show with any value. Diggnation is only popular because of their audience who likes to watch Kevin and his buddy drink while talking about Digg.
Wow, that is such as shame to see this happen. I think Revision3 has a really neat idea going. I would have thought they would do well in the down market – I was wrong.
haha to Martin Sargent getting the boot! He was also in charge of new show development – but he spent all the time trying to just hype up his own lame show. You can’t be in charge of developing new shows when you desperately want to have your own show.
Maybe now that Martin is gone – he won’t block the good shows that people have brought past Revision 3!
This totally suks, I lived vicariously through Martin Sargents shattered hip, limping fropm one internet adventure to another, u guys gotta come back, What next, are the Polar Ice caps gonna melt or something else Cataclysmic?
Oh Yeah, I totally got turned on by Moujan, seriously, I looked forward to seeing her in profile and getting a glimpse of her hidden curves. Only guys would understand. She will be missed. Maybe a calendar, The Girls Of Revision 3 past?
Gary V has mannerisms like Jim Cramer… right? He opens the shows screaming. I wanted to learn about wine, but I can’t stand the noise and craziness.
We’re actually huge fans of R3. TekZ is one of the best shows ever.