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Bella Freud, the creator of the “Fashion Neurosis” video podcast. Photo courtesy of Vox Media
Hello!
Every episode of Bella Freud’s video podcast begins the same way: A doorbell rings, and she welcomes a guest—ranging from supermodel Kate Moss to designer Christian Louboutin—to lay down on a couch in her London home.
A camera attached to the couch captures a flattering angle of the person’s face from above. The setup is a tongue-and-cheek nod to Freud’s family history. The 64-year-old fashion designer is the great granddaughter of Sigmund Freud, often referred to as the father of modern psychology.
Bella Freud launched her “Fashion Neurosis” podcast in October as a way to tell stories about fashion and other topics. It quickly found an audience, amassing 125,000 subscribers on YouTube. Now, she is partnering with Vox Media to expand the reach of the show, ink more sponsorships with advertisers and explore live events and paid subscriptions. News of the deal hasn’t been previously reported.
The partnership with Freud adds to the 15 new shows and creators Vox Media has added over the past two years. Over that time, the media company’s podcast network has shifted from including mostly audio-only podcasts to video shows, reflecting how much video podcasts have exploded in popularity. It’s a sign of how established media companies are incorporating creators as they fight for audience attention.
At the same time, some creators want help and resources to grow their businesses, which is where Vox Media can step in, as CEO Jim Bankoff pointed out at The Information’s Future of Influence event in June.
At its New York office, Vox Media has expanded its podcasting studios from two to five, with an additional studio in the works. The company, which owns media outlets such as New York Magazine and The Verge, has also been upgrading its audio-only studios to support video and editing facilities. The company’s creators have also been taking their shows on the road. So far, Vox Media has produced about 25 live podcast events, with more planned this year, according to a company spokesperson.
Deals with podcast hosts vary depending on the show. For many of them, Vox Media handles all of the production. Others like Freud will have their own teams continue to produce the show on their own. In some cases the company will start a new show from scratch with a host. That’s what it’s doing with TikTok creator Tefi Pessoa, who is also a special contributor to Vox Media’s The Cut.
For all these podcast deals, Vox Media sells ads and handles marketing and distribution. The company takes a cut of revenue from ads, events and subscriptions, though the company wouldn’t specify how much.
Nishat Kurwa, senior vice president and executive producer of podcasts at Vox Media, said these efforts are a way to “deepen a business” the company has been in for a while. (The Verge, for example, has had a podcast since 2011).
“It is an interesting moment with the blurring of lines between television and streaming and podcasting,” Kurwa said.
For her part, Freud has ambitions to do a live show for Fashion Neurosis and record episodes in different countries. “I love the idea of connecting to people on a bigger scale,” she said.
Here’s what else is going on…
Character.AI In Talks to Sell or Raise More Funding
Character.AI, the chatbot maker whose founders Google hired as part of a $2.7 billion deal a year ago, have discussed a sale of the company with potential buyers, bankers and staff in recent weeks, The Information reported.
The startup could try to stick it out as an independent company instead. Executives have also recently spoken with investors about raising a few hundred million dollars at a valuation of more than $1 billion.
Character’s chatbots are created by the company and independent creators and are modeled after anime characters, TV personalities and historical figures.
Deals & Debuts
See The Information’s Creator Economy Database for an exclusive list of private companies and their investors.
Linktree, the link-in-bio service, has been unavailable in India for the past few days and the startup isn’t sure why, TechCrunch reported. A spokesperson for Linktree didn’t respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
Focus Friend, a new app from long-time YouTuber Hank Green, became the No. 1 free app in Apple’s App Store. The productivity app is designed to help people focus on a task by setting a timer on their phone and blocking access to certain apps, such as TikTok and Instagram. It puts a cutesy spin on similar apps or smartphone settings by featuring a virtual friend called a “bean,” that gives users points for finishing tasks that can be used to help decorate a virtual room during breaks.
TikTok has a new user: an official account from The White House, which published its first video on Tuesday. President Donald Trump already has an account on the short-form video app, but the new @WhiteHouse account comes ahead of a Sept. 17 deadline for a law to go into effect that will ban the video app in the U.S. unless it breaks off from its Chinese parent company. (Trump has punted this deadline several times already.)
Google’sMade By Google event on Wednesday featured cameos from top creators, including Alex Cooper,who gave a photo-taking demo. Earlier this week, she posted a selfie using an Android phone on her Instagram account and fans speculated in the comments whether it was an ad or whether she was an Android user. At the event, Google unveiled its new lineup of Pixel phones, watches and earbuds.
Thank you for reading the Creator Economy Newsletter! I’d love your feedback, ideas and tips: kaya@theinformation.com.
By Natasha Mascarenhas, Kalley Huang and Valida Pau
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