The Internet Giveth, and the Internet Taketh Away

First the good news – for a fairly low value of good:

Junkee Media launches first Junkee Original Series ‘Life Lessons’

Please, do go on.

Publisher Junkee Media has launched its first Junkee original webisode series Life Lessons, based on the modern millennial and everything they should not do.

Okay, you can stop now.

Though to be fair, the real laughs from this otherwise somewhat uninspiring-sounding series are contained in the original press release:

Junkee Media CEO Neil Ackland commented “It covers every youth topic possible, from how to become a social media influencer to what not to do on your next tinder date.” adding “Life Lessons marks our foray into commissioning original scripted content under the banner ‘Junkee Original Series’. We are putting our money where our mouth is and investing in young content creators.”

“We know that the question that is being asked at dinner tables and pubs across Australia right now is ‘So what are you watching?’ There’s an explosion of amazing video content to watch and Video Junkee is all about capturing that conversation and providing an important filter to help video lovers discover and find new content,” he said.

You know who else is good at “capturing conversation”? That boring idiot at parties everyone tries to avoid. Not a great role model there.

Meanwhile, remember Seeso? Maybe not, as it’s US network NBC’s comedy streaming service, home of a wide range of series and specials that have been well-reviewed but have largely failed to gain much buzz.

Slightly more interestingly, they’re also the guys who’ve been propping up much of the ABC’s new programming, putting money into Soul Mates II, Fancy Boy, and Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am. And it’s starting to look like they’re being wound up:

Does NBC see a future for Seeso? It doesn’t necessarily seem so. Vulture has learned that Evan Shapiro, head of NBCUniversal’s all-comedy streaming service, is leaving the company this week. Seeso, for the foreseeable future, will be run by Maggie Suniewick, president of NBCU digital enterprises, instead of operating semi-independently. (Shapiro had been reporting to Suniewick since October.) A source with knowledge of the situation says it is business as usual over at Seeso and that the moves won’t effect 2017: New programming will still premiere through the end of this year, productions aren’t shutting down, and the company is still signing up new subscribers. Moreover, Seeso recently unveiled summer premiere dates for a number of shows and premiered the pilot for new a series, There’s … Johnny, at the Tribeca Film Festival.

But beyond the near term, the future of Seeso is decidedly unclear. Multiple sources indicate the service is, for all intents and purposes, on its way out. Already, agents and managers Vulture spoke with say they’re now having a hard time getting people at Seeso to return calls. For now, NBCU is only confirming Shapiro’s departure.

Uh-oh. While no doubt the ABC has other sources of overseas funding to wave in the direction of those hot young online comedians that are all the rage these days, the ability to a): bring in cash that didn’t come from the federal government and b): give local acts some exposure on a US platform was pretty darn handy.

If Seeso does close its virtual doors, you kind of have to feel bad for the entrants in this year’s Fresh Blood… competition? Talent quest? Whatever: the only finalists from the last one who went on to series at the ABC were Fancy Boy and Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am, and it’s safe to say Seeso money was probably the deciding factor there.

With that gone, what will the winners get this year? A photocopied certificate and an ABC Shop gift voucher?

Oh wait, they don’t have ABC Shops any more. Damn.