Means (company)
| Company type | Limited liability worker cooperative |
|---|---|
| Industry | Mass media |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Naomi Burton, Nick Hayes |
| Headquarters | Detroit , United States |
| Products | Means TV (subscription streaming service), Means Interactive (video game publishing) |
Means, LLC—also referred to as The Means Cooperative—is a United States-based mass media limited liability worker cooperative established in 2019 by filmmakers Naomi Burton and Nick Hayes in Detroit. This entity originated from their earlier video production firm, Means of Production. The cooperative manages two principal sectors: a subscription streaming service known as Means TV and a video game publishing division called Means Interactive.
History
Prior to launching The Means Cooperative, Burton and Hayes were engaged in commercial media production for Detroit's automotive industry while participating in Democratic Socialists of America gatherings. Growing dissatisfied with their former roles, they departed to create Means of Production. Their company attracted attention through a viral campaign advertisement produced for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 2018 electoral bid.
Means TV
Owned by The Means Cooperative, Means TV is a subscription-based video on demand streaming platform. It features a variety of films, documentaries, television series, an original news segment titled Means Morning News, along with content from independent creators on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. The cooperative successfully raised close to $200,000 via crowdfunding efforts. The complete service became available on February 26, 2020.
Nick Hayes credits the anarchist podcast Street Fight as a key influence, having partnered with them for live sessions in both 2017 and 2019.
On August 8, 2020, a drive-by shooting targeted the residence and workplace of Hayes and Burton; fortunately, no injuries were reported. Hayes indicated that the incident might have been politically driven, though no additional information was disclosed.
Means Interactive
As a subdivision of The Means Cooperative, Means Interactive operates as a video game publisher. Its debut title was Tonight We Riot, released in May 2020 and developed by Pixel Pushers Union 512, itself a worker-owned cooperative.