Dropout (media company)
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.
For the production company which runs Dropout, see CollegeHumor.
Type of site
Worldwide
Required
September 26, 2018
Active
History[edit]
CollegeHumor[edit]
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. 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.
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]
Independent ownership[edit]
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 July-November 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, Dropout series such as Dimension 20, Game Changer and Um, Actually were initially shut down.[6] Reich stated:
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][10]
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".[11] Dropout's overall subscriber count almost doubled during 2023.[10]
Dropout officially retired all CollegeHumor branding in September 2023.[12]
In 2023, Dropout shared its profit with its employees.[13][10]