Viral video distributor and YouTube multichannel network Jukin Media has named Jessica Samet its new head of TV production, the company announced Tuesday. Samet will oversee efforts to develop television projects around the company’s video assets.
Samet previously served as senior VP of reality programming for Lifetime and senior VP of development and original programming for MTV. While at MTV, she helped develop series such as Jackass, WildBoyz, and Viva La Bam.
“Jessica brings a tremendous wealth of experience in the TV space,” said Jukin Media founder and CEO Jonathan Skogmo. “She’ll come in and contribute immediately, and help take our TV and original content efforts to the next level.”
Jukin packages viral web videos, mostly bloopers, for use in television shows, and operates a YouTube network devoted to such videos that draws more than 450 million monthly views. In April, the company struck a deal with Dick Clark Productions to create a television series around its FailArmy brand and YouTube channel, and another deal with Maker Studios to coproduce shows and formats utilizing videos from Jukin’s library.
In May, Jukin completed its first round of independent financing.
