BarelyPolitical.com marks Next New Networks first foray into political content and joins its 14 other “micro-television” networks aimed at targeted niche communities with subjects including cars, comics, and fashion. While Obama Girl will certainly make appearances on the channel, BarelyPolitical.com will also have multiple regularly scheduled shows, including frequent reports from its videobloggers and correspondents.
In a statement, BarelyPolitical.com founder Ben Relles said, “With strategic guidance, funding, and operational support from Next New Networks, BarelyPolitical will take online viral satire to a new level, further validating the inherently democratic nature of the Internet."
Next New Networks launched in January under cofounder and CEO Herb Scannell, former vice chairman of MTV Networks and president of Nickelodeon Networks. On the company’s board: former AOL CEO Jonathan Miller. Next New Networks has landed coverage in The New York Times and BusinessWeek, among other outlets.
Relles' work has clearly shown that he knows what he's doing on the viral video front. It should be interesting to see what happens under a larger company with boosted support.