Little Dot Studios-owned content platform History Hit is launching three new stand-alone YouTube channels based around its podcasts After Dark, The Ancients and Dan Snow’s History Hit. History Hit said that the expansion marks a significant step in its evolution, allowing it to “bring content to new audiences in different ways”.
Each of the three podcasts selected for YouTube channels has built engaged communities of history lovers, said History Hit, “making them ideal for expansion onto YouTube, where they can be enhanced with visuals, archive, and expert analysis”.
After Dark delves into the fascinating and often scandalous history of the night, exploring topics from debauched royal parties to the murky world of Victorian crime. Stand-out episodes include Who Was Jack the Ripper?, Tutankhamun’s Curse and The Black Death: The Deadliest Plague. The Ancients takes audiences back to the world of antiquity, shedding light on legendary figures like Alexander the Great and exploring groundbreaking archaeological discoveries.
Dan Snow’s History Hit, meanwhile, sees Dan Snow engaging in in-depth conversations with leading historians discussing pivotal moments in history, from the D-Day landings to the fall of Rome. Some of the podcast’s most compelling episodes include The Story of England, How WW2 Started and Machu Picchu: The Lost City.
With nearly 10 million podcast listeners each month, History Hit said that the new YouTube channels aim to grow its brands by expanding onto a new platform and reaching wider audiences. History Hit’s production and channel management team will manage the channels in-house. Steve Lanham, head of podcasts at History Hit, added: “Expanding onto YouTube is a natural next step for History Hit as we continue to grow our podcast audience. YouTube provides an incredible platform to reach new viewers while offering our existing listeners another way to engage with our shows. With the expertise and insights from our successful YouTube channel, we’re uniquely positioned to translate our podcast production into compelling video content.”
The History Hit Podcast Network publishes eight podcast series and 16 weekly episodes for enthusiasts of all eras. The official After Dark YouTube channel will launch later this month, followed by Dan Snow’s History Hit and The Ancients.
Leveraging Little Dot Studios’ content management, acquisition and distribution expertise, History Hit has grown its social media platforms by more than 2.5 million followers, and launched a FAST channel across all major streaming platforms in 2022. Additionally, the History Hit YouTube Channel offers up to three new releases each week that feature prominent figures and significant topics from the history world.
History Hit also has a pre-existing SVOD service, which was launched in November 2017, focusing on original history programming aimed at an audience that loves real history. The channel covers history across the globe – notable recent expeditions have included Jordan, China and Peru as well as popular British subjects such as Anne Boleyn and Richard III. New stories are frequently broken on History Hit, from the discovery of Thomas Cromwell’s long-lost prayerbook, to an Anglo Saxon warriors’ cemetery and the forgotten skeletons of the Battle of Waterloo.
