Extract from a blog post on the MIP blog.

Spirit looks to blend together the best skills from the TV and digital worlds.  Our philosophy is that a modern day TV producer who aspires to be able to produce across platforms needs a number of new skills, most of which can be learnt from the world of YouTube.

In the old days, TV producers could rely on their broadcast partners to perform a number of tasks: marketing/audience building, play-out,analytics and monetisation.  In these days of digital self-publishing and social media, producers need to understand these skills themselves to help distribute their content to an interested and engaged digital audience to make money and be ready for the future.

So what can TV producers learn from YouTube?

– Commercially

– Creatively

– Socially

As we have seen from FremantleMedia’s investment in multi-channel networks and Disney’s recent acquisition of Maker Studios, TV companies think they can learn a lot from YouTube. “If you can’t beat them, do what Disney is doing with Maker and buy them!”