KNOXVILLE, Tenn., June 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scripps Lifestyle Studios, the groundbreaking social and digital production division of Scripps Networks Interactive (Nasdaq:SNI), today announced the launch of a new global talent incubation unit designed to develop the next generation of lifestyle talent and influencers.
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The Scripps Lifestyle Experts group will enable the company – home to brands including HGTV, Food Network and Travel Channel – to further strengthen its digital business by enhancing its digital content, accelerating content creation, and offering additional integration opportunities to advertisers. Sourcing new and exciting talent from social and digital media including Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and YouTube, the Scripps Lifestyle Experts is designed to be an invaluable development roster for exciting new experts in the home, food and travel lifestyle categories.
“This new division within Scripps Lifestyle Studios will be the home of the brightest and best lifestyle experts from around the world, providing creative and commercial opportunities for the next generation of designers, chefs, travel enthusiasts and more,” said Vikki Neil, General Manager of Scripps Lifestyle Studios. “Discovering and creating stars is something brands like HGTV and Food Network have been doing for years, across all platforms, and this concentrated effort will further expand our digital offerings and make talent more accessible.”
The Scripps Lifestyle Experts unit will unearth talent with unique skills and expertise, in the United States as well as through the company’s key international hubs and broadcast partners. The lifestyle experts will be used throughout Scripps Lifestyle Studios’ extensive social and digital production work across platforms, including television, as well as working with advertisers to help brands reach new audiences through original and authentic voices.
Assembling the new roster underscores Scripps Networks’ strategic focus on reaching new audiences and monetizing content on emerging digital platforms. In December 2015, the company launched Scripps Lifestyle Studios to accelerate its short-form digital video production capabilities, with a particular focus on increasing social media and online engagement.
In May 2017 alone, Scripps Lifestyle Studios delivered more than 1.5 billion total video views and hosted more than 550 million visitors to its various digital platforms. Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel all ranked among the top 5 social media creators in their respective categories, according to Tubular Labs.
Many of the Scripps Lifestyle Experts are already frequent contributors to Food Network, HGTV, and Travel Channel Facebook Live broadcasts, the Food Network Snapchat Discover channel, the HGTV Handmade YouTube channel, the Travel Channel Instagram account, and more. A few examples include:
Lazarus Lynch – Lazarus is a young chef and culinary personality who was raised in New York City and discovered a passion for southern food through his relationship with his father. Through his video series “Son of a Southern Chef,” his personality and down-to-earth approach to cooking has earned him a loyal following of fans across the world. Lazarus has appeared on Food Network’s The Kitchen, Chopped Junior, and Beat Bobby Flay.
Maria Antoinette Loggins – Maria is a new contributor to HGTV’s Handmade social and YouTube channel, and is also the creator of MariaAntoinetteTV, a YouTube channel dedicated to hair, make-up, fashion and DIY. She's an artist in general and has a penchant for teaching herself how to create new things, from fabulous hairstyles to tiny baby moccasins. Maria is a wife, mother and creator with a dream of keeping life simple, fun and memorable.
Ryan Van Duzer – A travel journalist and bicycle enthusiast from Colorado, Ryan has a keen sense of adventure. In the past, he’s hosted Travel Channel’s Bike Tour of California Wineries web series, as well as Microbrew Madness and America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions. With a strong following on YouTube and Instagram, Ryan’s passion for exploring the great outdoors is contagious and refreshing.
About Scripps Lifestyle Studios
Launched in December 2015, Scripps Lifestyle Studios is a digital business division of Scripps Networks Interactive, created to drive digital content innovation and advertising solutions. In 2016, Scripps Lifestyle Studios delivered over 5 billion total video views across various digital platforms. Combining the digital content operations of HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, DIY Network, Great American Country, and Food.com, this full service editorial unit spearheads development of compelling lifestyle experiences across social media, apps, websites, third party offerings, and more. Scripps Lifestyle Studios operates physical locations through the Food Network Kitchen in New York and the HGTV Studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. For more information, visit scrippslifestylestudios.com.