Ricky Van Veen


TBI Weekly: Facebook’s traditional values gnaw at NATPE crowd

This week, Facebook made a good fist of appearing far more like a broadcaster than it would hope. The social media giant’s head of global creative strategy (head of video to you and me), Ricky van Veen, rankled some delegates in the audience of his keynote presentation at NATPE and drew praise from others. While […]

Facebook: video to be big business driver

Video will be a much bigger driver of Facebook’s business in the next few years than Facebook Messenger, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Speaking on the company’s second quarter earnings call, Zuckerberg said that Messenger and WhatsApp are a huge opportunity and are services it will invest a lot in over a three-to-five year period. […]

Facebook greenlights more originals

Social media platform Facebook has ordered a pair of new original shows, as it pushed further into television programming. Returning the Favor features Mike Rowe (Somebody’s Gotta Do it), following the motorcycle mechanic travelling the US to find people who put their community over themselves. The second series, currently untitled, follows a family whose sons […]

Facebook nears scripted TV debut with MTV revival

Social media behemoth Facebook is reportedly close to reviving former MTV series Loosely Exactly Nicole. Bringing the single-cam comedy back would mark the first time Facebook has invested in scripted television. Netflix and Hulu have both revived linear TV shows, while Yahoo did the same with former NBC comedy Community. Loosely Exactly Nicole was one […]

CollegeHumor co-founder takes Facebook creative role

Ricky Van Veen, the co-founder of IAC/InterActiveCorp-owned comedy site CollegeHumor, is moving to Facebook to become head of global creative strategy. Announcing the move in a Facebook post, Van Veen said that he will work with creators and organisations to help them to post “engaging and meaningful content” to the world’s biggest social network. “In […]

Electus launches digital division with CollegeHumor

Ben Silverman’s prodco Electus has joined with an IAC stablemate, online comedy producer CollegeHumor Media, to launch Electus Digital. Electus COO Drew Buckley (left) will oversee the new venture, which will create content targeting the 18-34 demo. As part of the venture, Electus and CollegeHumor are launching Big Breakfast, a production company that will develop […]