A new 13-part series will be shown on Foodnetwork.com as they attempt to skew younger.
The Food Network’s audience averages in the mid-30s, a demographic that appeals as much to Madison Avenue types as lightly grilled squirrel on a bagel. Food Network’s parent, Scripps Networks, plans to debut a series online not long before Thanksgiving that they hope will appeal to a younger audience, according to AdAge.
Good Deal With Dave Lieberman plans to draw upon the usual spike in traffic Foodnetwork.com sees in late November. Two or three episodes of the series will greet visitors seeking advice on roasting, stuffing, and serving the traditional holiday bird. Scripps hopes that will be enough to build return visits for the remaining episodes, and to convert those visitors to Food Network viewers.
AdAge cites Beth Higbee, vp for online for Foodnetwork.com, as anticipating 8 million visitors during November. The 13 episodes will be short, two to five minutes in length (a handy snack size for the target market). “We asked people point blank in focus groups if they would watch 30-minute programming,” Ms. Higbee said in the report. “They said their screens and connections are not on a par they would need.”
The short-format videos offer a chance for visitors to enjoy a little entertainment with their food educational fare. Broadband penetration throughout the US has made the prospect of online videos a more realistic option. News sites like MSNBC and CBS, and entertainment portals like AOL and Yahoo, have shown how popular online video has become.
David Utter is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
