Italian pay-TV broadcaster De Agostini Editore and telecommunications company Vodafone Italia have joined forces to launch AwesomenessTV in Italy.
Backed by Comcast, Verizon and Hearst, AwesomenessTV is a multiplatform media company creating original programming for a Gen Z audience. Bowing later this month, AwesomenessTV Italia will live exclusively on Vodafone’s pay-TV services, with several of the company’s tentpole scripted and reality shows localized in Italian.
The channel will also feature a wide range of original series as well as local productions featuring popular YouTube stars, including You’ve Been t@gged, LA Story, Guidance, Life Hacks with Lele Pons and Third Wheel (pictured). The latter is a dating-themed series that features two popular Italian YouTube creators–Michele Bravi and Alice Venturi–as the hosts. There is also an original production featuring Cami Hawke, another famous web star.
The news comes shortly after De Agostini teamed up with Viacom in a joint-venture, in which Viacom acquired a 50% stake in free-to-air kids TV channel Super! The broadcaster has also unveiled details surrounding New School, its first scripted live-action series for kids.