In this interview from the StreamTV Live studio, Evan Shapiro talks with Ed October, managing director of Youngest Media, about his unique approach to building a global content business. October acquired the IP library of the now-defunct UK-based Youngest Media, which produced popular game and reality series like Game of Clones and Small Fortune. With over 175 hours of content—including international adaptations—he’s positioned to take these proven formats back to market in a big way.
October’s strategy is twofold: license and adapt. While production continues on three new series in Spain based on Youngest formats, he’s also eyeing the FAST and streaming space for broader distribution. With new YouTube channels—Shiny Floor for game shows and Hotbed TV for dating and comedy formats—he’s targeting fans of “munchable” content that’s easy to binge. By reviving IP with proven international appeal and pairing it with modern distribution models, October is blending legacy TV formats with today’s digital-first strategies.
Evan Shapiro:
This is Evan Shapiro, I'm in the StreamTV live studio here in Denver. I'm with the guy with the best name in show business, I think. Ed October.
Ed October:
I don't live up to it.
Evan Shapiro:
Great name. And you are the managing director of Youngest Media?
Ed October:
Correct.
Evan Shapiro:
Now, why are you in StreamTV? Actually, let's start with what does Youngest Media do?
Ed October:
So Youngest Media is a company that owns production IP. They were a company in the UK. It went into liquidation, unfortunately, but I bought the catalog out of liquidation a couple of years ago. It's basically a studio game and competition reality series that they produced. Fantastic, iconic.
Evan Shapiro:
What's it called?
Ed October:
Youngest Media and-
Evan Shapiro:
No, no the show.
Ed October:
The shows they had 15 series. So Small Fortune that was on in the UK and also on NBC.
Evan Shapiro:
How many total hours in the library?
Ed October:
About 175 when you take in all the adaptations. Game of Clones was a series that they created for Channel four in the UK. It made it to MTV in the US. It made it to Brazil. There's one them in Brazil now. Poland, adapted in France and Germany. So they were really great at creating sort of these very interesting high concept reality and game shows.
Evan Shapiro:
Shiny floor game shows as the saying goes. So you're a producer by trade. And so what made you decide to buy a library of content, of game shows, of reality shows?
Ed October:
Yeah, it's a great question. Every pitch as a producer, we go into these meetings and it's almost always, what's it based on? What are you pitching?
Evan Shapiro:
Right. Is it a PIP?
Ed October:
Are you a punk with a PowerPoint kind of going through your idea or have you based this on a game board, or have you base this on some kind of a board game or something? And so when this situation came up with the library, I was like, this is a fantastic base to build on. They have great shows, brands that have been produced already, just very, very fun games.
Evan Shapiro:
Proven series, proven IP.
Ed October:
Exactly.
Evan Shapiro:
Builds audience, and it's incredibly munchable content. You can watch many of them directly in a row and people typically do. So what's the strategy?
Ed October:
Strategy here is, so we are continuing our production business in LA, and we have great relationships and we've done deals with kind of ALS talent and production companies in LA to take new adaptations out in the market in the US and in other countries. We have a couple of series continuing now, three series actually in production in Spain that are based on our format. We're not producing them, they're based on our format. So we have a format fee with our distribution partners for those. And we're here at StreamTV really to talk about the other part of it, which the great thing about owning IP is that you can do something with it directly. And streaming, I mean, to be honest, I sort of dabbled in streaming 10 years ago before anyone was doing it, 15 years ago, and it really is perfect.
Evan Shapiro:
So you're here making deals with fast players, and you just launched new YouTube channels for all your IP as well, right?
Ed October:
Exactly. So we're here with two functions. One is to license our content anywhere that we can, non-exclusive. Rev share is great. We want to go, we want to do business.
Evan Shapiro:
I think the IP is great. I think your strategy is really smart. Check out their content on YouTube. They've got a new YouTube channel called Shiny Floor.
Ed October:
Shiny Floor.
Evan Shapiro:
And another one called Hotbed.
Ed October:
Hotbed TV.
Evan Shapiro:
Which is dating reality-
Ed October:
Dating and reality. Yep.
Evan Shapiro:
-And blunders and fun and comedy ensues. Ed October from Youngest Media, thanks so much for joining me here. This is Evan Shapiro in the StreamTV live studios here in Denver. Take it easy.