- As core part of digital strategy, Bell Media commits to broad
marketing campaign and obtains exclusive monetization rights in Canada
for innovative new platform -
hub•ub [huhb-uhb]
noun
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a personal interest channel: the hubub on Orphan Black is like a real-time, multimedia fan magazine.
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a community around a particular topic: my CFL hubub has 346 likes.
Join the hubub for this announcement: hubub.com/bellmedia
TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2014 /CNW/ - Bell Media announced today an investment
in Toronto-based digital startup Hubub, Inc. Under the terms of the
agreement, Bell Media has invested $5 million in cash and committed
millions more to market Hubub.com and the Hubub mobile app, a new digital platform for exploring and
discussing interests, across its leading media properties. In addition
to acquiring an equity stake in the company, Bell Media has obtained
the exclusive rights to monetize Hubub in Canada.
Bell Media is committing significant marketing resources to grow Hubub
in Canada - creating hububs for its brands, leveraging its TV and radio
talent, and integrating Hubub technology into its digital media
properties. In an innovative partnership agreement, Bell Media will
earn additional equity in the company based on the resulting scale of
Hubub's Canadian audience.
"Hubub is a core part of our strategy to grow our digital reach in
Canada," said Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media. "We see Hubub at the
intersection of social and search, the two digital categories that
continue to see significant growth. It's also the perfect social
complement to our media properties and talent, leveraging the
significant conversation around news, sports, and entertainment that
originate with our brands."
"We are honoured to partner with Bell Media, Canada's gold standard in
news, sports, and entertainment," said Peter L. Corsell, Hubub founder
and CEO. "Our team has pioneered the concept of personal interest
channels to provide a deeper level of engagement and collaboration
around interests, and we are thrilled that Bell Media will greatly
increase Hubub's exposure in Canada."
A "hubub" is a personal interest channel. Users can join existing hububs
on subjects ranging from municipal politics and entertainment to the
Toronto Maple Leafs, or start their own hububs on any topic. Hububs
display a mosaic of videos, articles, blogs, and polls, as well as
innovative features like one-on-one debates. Some hububs host
conversations among thousands of people from all over the world, while
others serve as a continuous, visual search feed for individual users.
Bell Media brands such as CTV, CTV News, TSN/RDS, The Movie Network/HBO
Canada, Space, Super Écran, and Canal Vie, among others, will create
and promote hububs, where consumers, content, and brands can come
together around topics of mutual interest. Bell Media will also
integrate proprietary Hubub technology into its digital properties to
enhance search and engagement capabilities.
The desktop version, hubub.com, is currently in beta, and the Hubub mobile app will be released in
October. A commercial launch, extensively supported by Bell Media, is
scheduled for the fall. Inclusive of the Bell Media investment, Hubub
has raised $14 million to date.
About Bell Media
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media
creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and
inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is
Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television,
radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30
local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network;
35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched
specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services,
including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also
Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in
54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of
Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies
with a network of more than 9,500 advertising faces in Québec, Ontario,
Alberta, and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates more than 200
websites, delivers TV Everywhere with its innovative GO video streaming
services, including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO, holds an equity stake
in digital startup Hubub, and owns Dome Productions Inc., a
multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX,
NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell
Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.
About Hubub
Hubub is the best digital platform for exploring and discussing
interests. Each personal interest channel, called a hubub, provides a
multimedia stream on a dedicated topic, including videos, articles,
blogs and polls, as well as innovative features like one-on-one
debates. Users can join an existing hubub, create their own public or
private hubub, or simply use Hubub to follow the topics that matter
most to them. Hubub.com is currently in beta and the mobile app will
launch in October 2014.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
@BellMediaPr
@Hububs
Facebook.com/Hububs
Pinterest.com/Hububs
SOURCE Bell Media
