Jukin Media
| File:Jukin Media logo.svg | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Digital Media |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founders |
|
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Key people | Lee Essner (president and COO) Josh Entman (Cofounder and Chief Development Officer) |
| Brands | FailArmy, JukinVideo, World's Funniest, The Pet Collective, Weather Spy |
| Parent | Trusted Media Brands |
| Website | jukinmedia |
Jukin Media, Inc. operates within the entertainment sector, focusing on the acquisition and licensing of user-generated viral videos for use by third parties as well as in its own content productions. Established in 2009 by Jonathan Skogmo, Aldo Carrascoso, and Josh Entman, the company’s headquarters are located in Los Angeles, California.
History
Jonathan Skogmo, co-founder and CEO, conceived the idea while employed as a video researcher on Country Fried Home Videos. Identifying an opportunity to curate and monetize digital clips sourced from platforms such as YouTube, Skogmo joined forces with Carrascoso and Entman to launch Jukin Media from a West Hollywood apartment in 2009.
From 2013 through 2019, Jukin secured $4.2 million in capital from investors including Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Peter Guber, Maker Studios, and Samsung Ventures. A strategic alliance formed with Maker Studios in 2014 granted access to Jukin’s extensive video archive and operational support, facilitating the creation of the dedicated FailArmy website—one of the company’s flagship entertainment properties.
By August 2017, Jukin had disbursed over $15 million to creators of viral videos, underscoring its prominent role in the viral content licensing market.
On October 16, 2018, under an agreement with Jukin, Sinclair Broadcast Group assumed operational control of the TBD network, thereby integrating more Jukin-provided content into TBD’s broadcast schedule.
In August 2020, Jukin formed a partnership with BroadbandTV Corp and Fullscreen (company), granting influencers exclusive access to its video catalog alongside dedicated support services.
The acquisition of Jukin by Trusted Media Brands, parent company of Reader's Digest, occurred in August 2021, strengthening its corporate framework and expanding its international reach.
Operations
Jukin Media’s core business revolves around sourcing, acquiring rights to, and licensing user-generated video content. It licenses these videos to advertisers, digital publishers, television programs, and other media outlets while offering clearance and licensing services to production houses and networks. The company also operates and owns various multimedia channels across platforms such as YouTube, cable networks, and broadcast television.
Licensing model
Through a combination of proprietary technology and hands-on evaluation, Jukin identifies videos with high viral potential and negotiates licensing deals directly with content owners. Compensation structures for creators include either upfront payments or revenue-sharing arrangements. Once licensed, these clips are monetized via advertising revenue streams and made available for third-party licensing across social media platforms, television broadcasts, and websites.
Prominent Cases
Jukin Media has acquired licensing rights for viral sensations like Jared Frank Kicked in the Head, which amassed close to 38 million views and generated approximately $30,000 for its creator. Another notable example is Pizza Rat, which rapidly exceeded 8 million views on YouTube and was featured on major television programs such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Conan. Additional well-known clips include Hero Cat and Chewbacca Mask Lady, the latter becoming the highest-viewed Facebook Live video in history.
In addition to licensing viral videos, Jukin Media actively pursues copyright enforcement. For instance, in June 2020, it issued a DMCA takedown request that resulted in the removal of a viral video from then-President Donald Trump's Twitter account due to unauthorized usage.
Television Productions
Jukin Media has collaborated with MRC 2 and Dick Clark Productions International to create two shows intended for international syndication.
Now That's Funny!
The company produces Now That's Funny!, a family-oriented clip show broadcast on Sunday evenings on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom.
FailArmy (TV series)
Jukin Media also develops an international adaptation of FailArmy, a 30-minute comedy series inspired by the well-known YouTube channel, which airs across 221 television markets worldwide. In the United States, this series was shown on TBD.
Associated Brands
Beyond its video services, Jukin Media produces the FOX program World's Funniest and owns several entertainment brands including FailArmy, which curates fail videos and had around 14.5 million YouTube subscribers and over 18.4 million Facebook followers as of March 2019. The company is also a co-owner of The Pet Collective, a partnership with FremantleMedia’s Tiny Riot! studio.
Disputes
In November 2014, Jukin Media filed a lawsuit against YouTuber Ray William Johnson concerning 41 "Equals Three" episodes that incorporated their content. The dispute was settled privately in February 2016 before the jury reached a verdict. Jurors indicated that the content use did not qualify as fair use under U.S. copyright legislation.
In January 2020, Jukin Media engaged in a public disagreement with YouTube channel MxR Plays over allegations of copyright infringement and claims of extortion. This matter was resolved within a few days through an agreement whose terms were not disclosed.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Online mass media companies of the United States
- 2009 establishments in California
- Companies based in Los Angeles
- American companies established in 2009
- Entertainment companies based in California
- Entertainment companies established in 2009
- 2021 mergers and acquisitions
- Reader's Digest
- Digital media organizations
- Collage television
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
- 5