Passion Distribution’s UpStream Media, a subsidiary business focused on digital rights management and digital growth opportunities, celebrates a hugely successful first year with four brand new channel launches.

UpStream Media was built upon a roster of successful YouTube and FAST channels, with content accumulating over 2.5 billion views. In its first year as an operating business, UpStream Media has seen an increase of over 250 million views, an additional 100 million hours of watch time, and over two thousand new videos published.

In the past year, UpStream has also launched a number of new channels, showcasing a wide breadth of popular content, including four brand new channels which launched in line with the company’s anniversary:

• Cold Trace: The home of bone-chilling true crime and cold-case documentaries.
• The Clinic: Featuring the best in medical ob-docs.
• Hoarders: Delving into extreme cleaning content.
• And popular format Worst Driver, now has its very own channel.

Passion’s Chief Operating Officer, Nick Rees, commented: “It’s been an incredibly busy year since launch, we’re working with several new content owners for the first time who are all very pleased with how value is being added to their programming. The future looks very exciting with additional channel launches planned, and a further scaling up of the team to maximize output and opportunities.”

This successful first year has been driven by UpStream Media’s continued growth on social platforms along with several new acquisition deals.

Head of UpStream Media, Joe Elliott, added: “We’re delighted with the results from the first year and are positioned well to continue this trajectory. As we continue to maximize returns for our partners, we plan to leverage our reach as we explore branded content opportunities across socials and original shortform”.

UpStream Media’s library of channels already includes acclaimed channels Naked Science, Origin, Filth and OMG Weddings. Existing channels also feature iconic brands and award-winning programming such as Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, Emma Willis Delivering Babies and Traffic Cops.