Media giant Turner Broadcasting Systems owns classic brands, like CNN and Turner Sports, that dominate on television. Now, the company is betting on the future of entertainment by getting into the startup accelerator business. Media Camp, a Turner Broadcasting initiative, announced its inaugural class of six startups that are revolutionizing the digital consumption of sports, social video, and streaming media. The 12 week program connects the companies with media industry experts and emphasizes mentorship and a comprehensive curriculum of media-specific topics. The key benefit of Media Camp is the opportunity to user Turner’s extensive media brands as a springboard to launch their companies. Some of Turner’s more recognizable international brands include Cartoon Network, HTV, POGO, and CNN International. “Each Media Camp participant has compelling innovation to offer the media industry,” said Balaji Gopinath, VP of Emerging Technology for Turner Broadcasting. “Media Camp will help them lead the charge in making the next generation of social and interactive entertainment engaging and successful.” Here are the six startups that are taking part in Media Camp’s inaugural class this summer: Chute: A platform that enables publishers, brands, and app developers to seamlessly add any photo or video functionality to their apps or sites. Matcha: The easiest way to find the best Movies and follow your favorite TV Shows across digital video services such as Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, Amazon and more, in one place. Showbucks: Is developing fun and engaging apps that combine social video with social games. Socialize: A social platform that can predict user intent by mapping an interest graph across users and content. SocialSamba: The leading social storytelling platform, enabling fans to “friend” their favorite fictional characters, and experience personalized stories with them. Switchcam: Creates interactive video experiences that allow the viewers to direct the show. By syncing and combining fan footage with professional footage, fans can experience events, concerts and sporting games like never before. In addition to mentorship and access to Turner’s media properties, Media Camp has secured partnerships with companies like Amazon Web Services, LawPivot, and Microsoft BizSpark to provide low cost or no cost services to the startups in the inaugural class. Turner’s foray into the startup accelerator is significant because it demonstrates that the television company is committed to embracing the streaming video revolution instead of trying to block it. Other disruptors in the broadcast media space, like IAC’s Aereo, have been sued by traditional big cable providers that are struggling to hold onto the relationship between between their companies and broadcast media companies like Turner. The Media Camp startups will be presenting their companies at an investor demo day in mid-September. For event updates, sign up for the newsletter at www.mediacamp.com.
