Web video production house Next New Networks is looking for a new CEO. Founder and current CEO Herb Scannell, who will remain as chairman, announced it on the company’s blog. Previously, Scannell was vice chairman of MTV Networks and president of Nickelodeon, where he launched the career of SpongeBob SquarePants. (Not that he’s looking for a SpongeBob type to fill his shoes, necessarily). Next New Networks runs 16 different video Websites, including Barely Political and Channel Frederator, all creating original online video.

So what kind of candidate is Scannell and his investors (Goldman Sachs, Spark Capital, Velocity Interactive) looking for? Scannell writes in his post:

Thus far, we’ve been video-centric, built our network model, and got distribution and advertising up and running. Now, I want to see us go beyond video by building up our web capabilities in key categories, and move the company to make our sites and new offerings even more robust for communities to gather and interact. Hence, I plan on bringing in someone as CEO who has “been there, done that” in building a web business, and who will work with me as Executive Chairman.

Blogs are becoming an executive recruiting tool for startups. Last year, SocialText founder Ross Mayfield used his blog to similarly announce that he wanted to find a CEO to take his company to “thenext level.” Four months later, he found his replacement. (He remains chairman and president)

How long will it take Next New Networks to find a new CEO? If you’ve been there, done that, and want to do it again, send Herb your resume.

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The company says it has had 33 million video views so far in March across its 12 video networks, which include Barely Political (home of Obama Girl), Channel Frederator (cartoons), ThreadBanger (DIY fashion), and Veracifier (daily news). Next New Networks also announced a deal with AOL today to distribute its videos.

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Personally, in my book, you can never top the original Obama Girl video. Let’s review (for comparison purposes only):

There’s also the whole YouBama phenomenon,which we broke, and now the Washington Post, Yahoo News, and CNN has picked up. I got an e-mail earlier tonight from YouBama co-founder Christopher Pedregal informing me that “Our servers are melting.” They seem to be back up now. I wonder how long before someone puts the Obama Girl videos on YouBama. Check out Craigslist founder Craig Newmark’s Obama video testimonial. He ain’t no Obama Girl, but he is sincere. Where are all the viral videos for Hillary or McCain?

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This acquisition is Next New Networks’ first foray into politics, and BarelyPolitical will now be served along side Next New Network’s existing content including Channel Frederator. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Whilst the Obama Girl video series (there is more than one) is perhaps an acquired taste, its viral success is quite remarkable, with the original video having been seen over 100 million times.

Under the deal BarelyPolitical will launch multiple regularly scheduled shows, including frequent reports from its videobloggers and correspondents. The first project launched by BarelyPolitical with Next New Networks, “I Like a Boy“, a music video co-produced with the Iraq Afghanistan Veterans of America, racked up more than 1.5 million online video views in its first week, and was featured on various media outlets including CNN American Morning, Fox News, and ABC’s Good Morning America.

See our previous coverage of Next New Networks here.

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Next New Networks

The New York based company launched in January with $8 million in funding from Spark Capital.

The team behind the service is impressive. There are five founders of the company, Herb Scannell, Fred Seibert, Jed Simmons, Tim Shey and Emil Rensing. CEO Scannell is the former President of Nickelodeon Networks and Vice-Chairman of Viacom’s MTV. Seibert was the original creative director of MTV and a former president of Hanna-Barbera, Simmons a former senior executive at Excite and Turner Broadcasting. Shey cofounded and ran interactive agency Proteus and more recently produced Amanda Across America, Amanda Congdon’s post Rocketboom video blogging project. Rensing was an engineer at AOL before co-founding Frederator Studios.

Next New Networks aims to build internet based “micro television networks” for targeted niche communities. The concept brings together elements of traditional TV networks with Internet functionality that invites viewers to contribute, share and distribute content.

Next New Network’s PR spokesperson Brooke Hammerling shared the following description of a micro-network as the company sees it:

“[micro-networks are] a brand that lives on the internet and creates a relationship with its audience wherever it goes. In practical terms, every network of [Next New Networks] will have one or more shows, 3-11 minutes of programming, on a weekly or daily basis, a website, and a feed that can be subscribed to in places like iTunes or My Yahoo. Many may also have a Channel or homepage on sites like YouTube. You can go to any of those places and get every episode of the networks’ shows when and how you want them”.

Think Weblogs Inc meets video blogging with an everywhere distribution model.

Next New Networks has already launched 9 micro-networks with a plan to expand that number to 30:

Indy Mogul: a the network dedicated to DIY filmmakers and film lovers.

Channel Frederator: billed as the world’s original cartoon podcast, it serves the funniest cartoons sent in by viewers each week.

Fast Lane Daily: a car news network providing 5 minutes of fresh car news every day.

Pulp Secret: “the world’s first network dedicated to comic book news and culture”. Includes comic book news, interviews and reviews.

ThreadBanger: targeted at people who make their own clothes and accessories. Includes DIY tips and how-to guides.

Veracifier: “Alternative channel” with “original ideas”, reporting and commentary on news of the day.

VOD Cars: promoted as the “#1 Broadband Car Network”. Features clips of driving, racing, showing, drifting, posing and more from viewers. One for rev-heads.

The company recently signed a distribution deal that will see 7 of the 9 channels appearing on Veoh.com.

The content is niche targeted so it’s not going to appeal to everyone. However with $8million in funding and a wealth of industry experience, Next New Networks will be a company to watch in this space.

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