The entertainment industry is constantly evolving. In the past twenty years alone, we’ve gone from hundreds of cable TV channels to having thousands of hours of content available on your smartphone at any given time. Lookhu, a new online streaming service, looks to be the next evolution in the world of modern entertainment. I spoke with CEO Byron Booker about the Lookhu platform, the importance of exclusive content, and the company’s future ambitions.
Innovation & Tech Today: Tell me a bit about the Lookhu platform.
Byron Booker: Lookhu is a cord-cutter’s dream! Streaming the highest-quality digital entertainment live, and on-demand, our menu offers niche, celebrity-created content across multiple devices. Unlike any entertainment platform on the market, Lookhu is app-based and highly focused on content within specific genres, including cooking, horror, LGBT, Spanish, live sports, comedy, DIY, and more. We offer both short- and long-form programming for subscribers in the U.S. and around the world. We stand out from the rest by offering our content at multiple price points, becoming the go-to platform for entertainment consumers who want more from their subscription services.
I&T Today: How do you believe it will fit in with today’s many entertainment avenues?
Byron Booker: We’ve set out to create content that would resonate with millennials and beyond, giving them premium, niche programming at package-based, affordable price points. Additionally, Lookhu has exclusive short form content created by well known influencers in genres including comedy, cooking, fitness, DIY, [and] offer live sport events, international programming, and live news. We enable artists and celebrity influencers such as Ray J, Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Kyle Massey, and others to create content for Lookhu as a way expand their reach into additional avenues, including TV shows and movies.
I&T Today: The platform looks to provide exclusive content from a variety of entertainers. Why is that exclusivity so important in the modern entertainment landscape?
Byron Booker: Content from celebrities can get lost in the shuffle on platforms such as YouTube that allow anyone to add content. Lookhu provides an exclusive place for fans to access celebrity and influencer content so it can be easily found and engaged with. We are working with such players in the industry as Maker Studios, Machinima, and executives from the traditional studio business. Right now there are just Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon coming up behind them. Lookhu is finally providing another platform offering a user experience that has custom content and also à la carte channels under one roof. It’s all about customization and flexibility.
I&T Today: What was the main focus in finding exclusive content for Lookhu?
Byron Booker: Lookhu has a rich library of exclusive content in the works, which includes interactive programs that both engage the viewer and encourage social interaction. Lookhu is licensing and creating exclusive content with top celebrity influencers including Ray J, Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Kyle Massey and more. We want subscribers to be able to select content based on the genres that interest them while having the ability to directly engage with their favorite celebrity influencers in meaningful ways they can’t through traditional media.
I&T Today: Is there anyone else whose content you believe would fit the Lookhu platform?
Byron Booker: Any celebrity or influencers who have a great following and are looking for an exclusive home for their content would be a fit for Lookhu. Whether it’s a director, writer, or talent, we look for people that see the value in being able to deliver something that’s different from the standard and understand how to market it. At the end of the day, artists want to be creative and they want to feed their audiences. We can cater to those needs and can help facilitate their goals.
I&T Today: Is there one channel on the platform that best shows what makes Lookhu unique?
Byron Booker: We’re creating a new genre by combining reality and drama through the visual album. We’re showcasing this trend because it is what artists want to participate and get involved in. Their fans also want to see this type of content and have the ability to engage with it.
I&T Today: Where do you see Lookhu expanding in the future?
Byron Booker: We really want to work with the next generation of content creators. We want to execute their vision and drive it. We’re not just about featuring celebrities; we want to make this accessible to any influencer with a great following who wants more out of the platform that features their content. It’s about bringing the vision of this programming to life and exploring what’s important to today’s generation. Our Lookhu rewards program is also a feature we will be expanding on in the future. Currently, Lookhu users can win custom-made electronic products from Raytroniks® including the famous Scoot-E-Bikes and Smart Fans.
Featured Image Courtesy of Pixabay
