Dropout (media company)

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For the production company which runs Dropout, see CollegeHumor.
Dropout TV
250px
Web address www.dropout.tv
Registration Required
Owner Sam Reich
Current status Active

Dropout (stylized as Dropout.tv, DROPOUT, or :DROPOUT) is an American subscription streaming service run by the production company of the same name (formerly CollegeHumor), founded in September 2018. Dropout streams original programming, and does not run advertisements. Their content is mainly composed of live play and improv comedy, such as Dimension 20, hosted by Brennan Lee Mulligan, and Game Changer, hosted by Dropout owner Sam Reich.

History

In early September 2018, CollegeHumor began teasing the beginning of a new subscription service, putting hidden keyword clues on their website and in their videos.[citation needed] Entering these keywords into a website owned by CollegeHumor allowed users to see clips of videos, audio, and images that implied the beginning of a new CollegeHumor project.[citation needed]

On September 26, 2018, Dropout officially launched in the United States.[1][2] CollegeHumor's CEO, Rich Cusick, announced the service as a "TV-MA version of CollegeHumor", allowing fans to dive deeper into pre-established characters and shows from the primary CollegeHumor YouTube channel.[3] CollegeHumor's Chief Creative Officer, Sam Reich, also claims that the founding of Dropout was in response to difficulty in receiving advertising dollars on traditional media platforms for mature content.[4]

Dropout officially launched native iOS and Android apps for its service in December 2018, allowing users to watch shows and also cast to smart TVs. Comics, especially the chat stories, were integrated into the app.[5]

As of December 2018, visitors to the service spent on average 31 minutes per visit, and visited on average 3.5 times per week.[5] Throughout 2019, Dropout began to experiment with more live streaming versions of their shows, through using Twitch and podcast-like formats. After IAC sold CollegeHumor to Reich in 2020, Dropout ended production on scripted shows and focused on unscripted shows such as Um, Actually; Dimension 20; and Game Changer, briefly producing these series through online conference during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Dropout series such as Dimension 20, Game Changer and Um, Actually were impacted by the strike as they "fall under SAG's Electronic Media contract, and are thus shut down".[6] In July 2023, Reich stated that:

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Dropout production is right now on hold. Because we aren't associated with the AMPTP, it's possible we may be able to reach an interim agreement with SAG that allows us to continue to produce content during the strike. But we'll only do that, obviously, if we get the blessing of the union and the buy-in of our performers. If not, we have enough content in the can to last us a little past the end of the year. [...] As for me, I intend to honor my union's position that I not promote SAG productions as a performer – even if they are produced by me. That means that I won't personally be promoting any of our shows for the time being.[7]

In August 2023, Reich announced that all Dropout shows resumed production as it was determined that their "New Media Agreement for Non-Dramatic Programming" was actually a non-struck SAG-AFTRA contract.[8][9] Also in August 2023, NPR stated that "Dropout has not shared their official subscriber count, but Reich says it's in the mid-hundreds of thousands. He's very aware that doesn't come close to the hundreds of millions of subscribers that large media companies have, but, to him, that's not necessarily a problem. [...] Though they're not required to by unions, he said Dropout is working to become one of the first streamers to pay residuals to their writers, actors, and crew members".[10]

Availability

Subscription model

Dropout launched with a beta price of $3.99 per month, for the first three months of the service. After December 2018, the price rose to a three tiered option, with monthly memberships for $5.99/month, semi-annual memberships for $4.99/month, and annual memberships for $3.99/month.[11] As of 4 January 2022, new subscribers paid $5.99 monthly or $59.99 yearly, while those who already subscribed prior to that date were charged $4.99 monthly or $47.99 yearly.[12] Users are also able to access Dropout content through YouTube via the join function. The company has justified the pricing model as allowing them to create content without being dependent on, or beholden to, requests from advertisers.[13]

In August 2019, CollegeHumor also began to partner with Facebook to offer Dropout content via paid video subscriptions on Facebook's platform.[14]

Services

In addition to viewing exclusive original series, subscription to Dropout allows users to view all other videos produced by CollegeHumor 72 hours before they are released to the public. Previously, a subscriber-only Discord server was included as a service, but the server has since been opened to non-subscribers as well. Dropout also has a store which sells merchandise (such as shirts, stickers, and mugs) related to shows on the platform.[15][16]

Original shows

Dropout planned to release a new original title per month in 2019, according to Sam Reich.[17][18]

Title Genre Premiere Seasons Length Status
Troopers Comedy August 1, 2011 (pilot) 2 seasons, 20 episodes 10 mins Completed
Um, Actually Game show Jan 17, 2015 (pilot)[19] 9 seasons, 141 episodes 30 mins Releasing
Lonely and Horny Comedy April 8, 2016 (pilot) 2 seasons, 20 episodes 10 mins Completed
Breaking News: No Laugh Newsroom Comedy July 7, 2018 6 seasons, 92 episodes 10 mins Releasing
Dimension 20 Actual play September 12, 2018[20] 20 seasons, 226 episodes 120 mins Releasing
Cartoon Hell Animated series September 26, 2018[21] 2 seasons, 36 episodes 20 mins Completed
See Plum Run Comedy September 26, 2018[22] 1 season, 12 episodes 15 mins Completed
Erotic Book Club Comedy December 29, 2018[23] 1 season, 19 episodes[23][24] 60 mins Completed
WTF 101 Adult animation January 7, 2019[25] 1 season, 10 episodes 10 mins Completed
Total Forgiveness Reality television February 6, 2019[26] 1 season, 10 episodes 20 mins Completed
The Rank Room Talk show March 7, 2019[27] 1 season, 17 episodes 20 mins Completed
Paranoia Comedy April 20, 2019 2 seasons, 15 episodes 20 mins Completed
Kingpin Katie Crime Comedy June 10, 2019[28] 1 season, 8 episodes 15 mins Completed
Gods of Food Mockumentary August 8, 2019[29] 1 season, 6 episodes 20 mins Completed
Game Changer Game show September 20, 2019[30] 6 seasons, 55 episodes 30 mins Releasing
Ultramechatron Team Go! Comedy October 3, 2019[31] 1 season, 11 episodes 15 mins Completed
Where in the Eff is Sarah Cincinnati Game show December 18, 2019[32] 1 season, 6 episodes[33] 20 mins Completed
Erotic Clubhouse Comedy June 25, 2020 1 season, 10 episodes[34] 60 mins Completed
Dirty Laundry Game show April 11, 2022[35] 3 seasons, 31 episodes 40 mins Releasing
Make Some Noise Game show June 13, 2022[36][37] 2 seasons, 27 episodes 30 mins Releasing
Play It By Ear Musical improv[38] September 13, 2022[39][40] 2 seasons, 16 episodes 40 mins Releasing
Very Important People Comedy December 15, 2023[41][42] 1 season, 8 episodes 20 mins Releasing
Smartypants Comedy April 25, 2024[43] To be released

References

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External links

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