Bell Media announced an investment in Toronto-based digital startup Hubub, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Bell Media has invested $5 million in cash and committed millions more to market Hubub.com and the Hubub mobile app, a new digital platform for exploring and discussing interests, across its leading media properties. In addition to acquiring an equity stake in the company, Bell Media has obtained the exclusive rights to monetize Hubub in Canada.
Bell Media is committing significant marketing resources to grow Hubub in Canada – creating hububs for its brands, leveraging its TV and radio talent, and integrating Hubub technology into its digital media properties. In an innovative partnership agreement, Bell Media will earn additional equity in the company based on the resulting scale of Hubub's Canadian audience.
"Hubub is a core part of our strategy to grow our digital reach in Canada," said Kevin Crull, President, Bell Media. "We see Hubub at the intersection of social and search, the two digital categories that continue to see significant growth. It's also the perfect social complement to our media properties and talent, leveraging the significant conversation around news, sports, and entertainment that originate with our brands."
"We are honoured to partner with Bell Media, Canada's gold standard in news, sports, and entertainment," said Peter L. Corsell, Hubub founder and CEO. "Our team has pioneered the concept of personal interest channels to provide a deeper level of engagement and collaboration around interests, and we are thrilled that Bell Media will greatly increase Hubub's exposure in Canada."
A "hubub" is a personal interest channel. Users can join existing hububs on subjects ranging from municipal politics and entertainment to the Toronto Maple Leafs, or start their own hububs on any topic. Hububs display a mosaic of videos, articles, blogs, and polls, as well as innovative features like one-on-one debates. Some hububs host conversations among thousands of people from all over the world, while others serve as a continuous, visual search feed for individual users.
Bell Media brands such as CTV, CTV News, TSN/RDS, The Movie Network/HBO Canada, Space, Super Écran, and Canal Vie, among others, will create and promote hububs, where consumers, content, and brands can come together around topics of mutual interest. Bell Media will also integrate proprietary Hubub technology into its digital properties to enhance search and engagement capabilities.
The desktop version, hubub.com, is currently in beta, and the Hubub mobile app will be released in October. A commercial launch, extensively supported by Bell Media, is scheduled for the fall. Inclusive of the Bell Media investment, Hubub has raised $14 million to date.
