People

Award-winning television producer WTFN Entertainment has launched a new division to support its rapidly growing digital content network.

Radar MCN, headquartered in Melbourne and with an office in the UK, will bring together a network of owned channels with millions of subscribers across YouTube, Facebook and Snap, as well as a series of global FAST Channels.

The network, which includes hit TV series Bondi Vet, generates 100s of millions of views per month, and will expand in 2023 with channel launches in the history, food and design space.

Radar MCN’s General Manager Derek Dyson said that unlocking the potential of WTFN’s owned library of content is just the start. “While we’ve managed to extract enormous value out of our existing content library, building channels supported by sustainable content models is our major priority. Now, we are keen to grow our partner base worldwide with production companies, content creators and other rights owners keen to not get left behind in this growing market.”

Dyson leads a team of 10, with Wildbrain’s highly respected Bo Yee Leung joining this month as Radar’s new Senior Digital Rights Lead. She will sit in the UK team alongside Head of Channels Hannah Hopes, also a former Wildbrain - and Endemol - employee, responsible for launching and growing the Mr Bean Facebook channel that has over 130 million subscribers, and Channel Manager Chiara Ronci. Ronci joined the team in 2022 from Warner Bros., where she managed successful YouTube channels such as Super Nanny and Harry Potter Wizarding World.

Radar MCN recently acquired the much sought-after YouTube Affiliate CMS status, which allows it to manage the rights and channels of third parties.

It has already partnered with several emerging and established content creators to support their drive for audience and commercial growth.

“Getting the YouTube Affiliate Status is a game-changer for us. There are less than 50 businesses worldwide with that tool, which combined with our production and traditional broadcast distribution capabilities, makes us pretty unique in the space,” Dyson said.

“Our proposition is simple. We make you money while you sleep by extracting previously untapped revenue from existing rights. We’ll also track down others pirating your content and get your money back there as well,” he added.

Amongst the new partners are YouTuber Creators such as Oceanliner Designs, which has quadrupled its audiences since partnering with Radar MCN.

“We’ve achieved almost exponential growth from that channel since we started. It was a fantastic channel before but with our strategic support and additional resourcing, its commercial performance is now off the charts,” Dyson said.

Other recently acquired projects for Radar MCN include Songs With Simon and Never Too Small, some of YouTube’s most successful kids and home lifestyle channels respectively.