Complete CRASH COURSE Library to Be Accessible Through PBS Digital Studios and PBS LearningMedia Starting in January 2015
ARLINGTON, VA, November 6, 2014 –PBS Digital Studios announced today a new partnership with Hank Green and John Green, the YouTube pioneers behind the popular educational series CRASH COURSE. Under the agreement, PBS will support the development of two new CRASH COURSE series on the topics of U.S. government and astronomy. Through the partnership, the CRASH COURSE channel and its full library of videos will be distributed through the PBS Digital Studios YouTube network. Additionally, the entire CRASH COURSE library will be made available to educators through PBS LearningMedia, a media on-demand digital service available for free to preK-12 educators nationwide. The agreement will take effect in January 2015 with the new series slated to launch that month.
Created and developed in 2011 by John and Hank Green, CRASH COURSE features eight courses on world history, U.S. history, chemistry, psychology, literature and more. Since then, the videos have been viewed nearly 150 million times and shared by educators around the globe. With more than two million subscribers on YouTube, CRASH COURSE has proven to be popular and effective among students and lifelong learners through its engaging, witty and novel approach to science and humanities-based education.
PBS LearningMedia will feature a CRASH COURSE collection with the full library of videos for classrooms nationwide. These resources will boost the number of free digital tools and resources available to students and educators in PBS LearningMedia. CRASH COURSE will continue to be first-run on its YouTube channel in order to provide for the widest possible global distribution.
With the addition of CRASH COURSE, the PBS Digital Studios network will increase to 3.8 million subscribers. Other engaging and educational series under the PBS Digital Studios umbrella include multiple Webby Award-winning PBS Idea Channel, as well as popular series such as Blank on Blank, It’s Okay To Be Smart and The Art Assignment, created by John Green and wife Sarah Urist Green.
“PBS has become one of the most innovative and interesting media properties in online video, and we've long admired their work on YouTube presenting educational content in a fresh new way,” said Hank Green. “We're so thankful that PBS Digital Studios is helping create two new CRASH COURSE series, and for bringing CRASH COURSE directly into classrooms via PBS LearningMedia.”
Added Ira Rubenstein, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Digital, PBS, “The opportunity to partner with John and Hank, who are true leaders in the YouTube educational space, is incredibly exciting. We are thrilled to be involved in the next chapter of CRASH COURSE, which will bring smart educational content both to YouTube audiences worldwide and to classrooms across the country.”
Hosts of the new series were also announced today. The host of the U.S. government series will be YouTube personality Craig Benzine (a.k.a. WheezyWaiter). Hosting the astronomy series will be astronomer and author of Slate’s “Bad Astronomy” blog Phil Plait.
About Hank and John Green
Hank and John Green, The Vlogbrothers (youtube.com/vlogbrothers), are among the largest independent producers of online video content, with more than eight million subscribers on more than a dozen channels totaling in excess of 1 billion views.
Hank Green is executive producer of SciShow (youtube.com/scishow), CRASH COURSE (youtube.com/crashcourse) and several other YouTube channels. He is also CEO of VidCon, the world’s largest online video conference, as well as DFTBA Records and Subbable platforms that enable creators to build sustainable careers.
John Green is the New York Times best-selling author of The Fault in Our Stars, Paper Towns, Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines. He is executive producer of CRASH COURSE, (youtube.com/crashcourse) MentalFlossVideo (youtube.com/mentalflossvideo) and The Art Assignment (youtube.com/theartassignment) and other YouTube channels. He is also vice president of VidCon, Subbable and DFTBA Records, and president of the Foundation to Decrease World Suck.
About PBS Digital Studios
The PBS Digital Studios network on YouTube includes more than 30 online original series, including more than a dozen from PBS member stations across the country, designed to engage, enlighten and entertain online audiences. The PBS Digital Studios network has more than 1.4 million subscribers and has generated more than 100 million views. Series include the multiple Webby Award-winning PBS Idea Channel, as well as popular series such as Blank on Blank, It’s Okay To Be Smart, Everything But the News and more.
About PBS LearningMedia
As America’s largest classroom, teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS, for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS LearningMedia, a partnership of PBS and WGBH Educational Foundation, is a free media-on-demand service offering educators access to the best of public media and delivers research-based, classroom-ready digital learning experiences to engage students in exploring curriculum concepts that align with National and Common Core State Standards. Nationwide, more than 1.5 million teachers have registered access to more than 87,000 digital resources available through PBS LearningMedia. More information about PBS LearningMedia is available at www.pbslearningmedia.org or by following PBS LearningMedia on Twitter and Facebook.
About PBS
PBS, with its over 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 109 million people through television and over 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Contacts:
Jennifer Byrne, PBS, jrbyrne@pbs.org, 703-739-5487
Julie Walsh, Crash Course, julie@hankgreen.com
Maryellen Mooney, Goodman Media for PBS Digital Studios, mmooney@goodmanmedia.com, 212-576-2700
