PopViewers

PopViewers Inc. operates as a community-centric platform in the entertainment software industry, designed to address the challenge of content discovery in a saturated streaming market. The company was established in 2018 by Chris Witherspoon, a seasoned entertainment journalist and producer, with the flagship iOS application launching in December 2020. Witherspoon's career, which includes roles at Fandango, CNN, and as an entertainment editor for NBC's theGrio.com, exposed him to a lack of diversity among professional critics. This experience fueled his mission to create a platform that amplifies the voices of diverse and marginalized audiences, providing them a space to influence Hollywood's content decisions.

The business offers a mobile application that aggregates TV shows and movies, allowing users to find what to watch next and review content across all streaming services. The platform functions as a social community where users can swipe right or left on content, write reviews, and share video reactions, thus creating a crowdsourced scoring system. This user-generated data provides insights into audience sentiment, aiming to show Hollywood the economic benefit of producing more inclusive content, which one report suggests could be a $10 billion annual opportunity. The app fosters engagement through features like watch lists, personalized recommendations, and community discussions. PopViewers' target clients are everyday consumers overwhelmed by streaming choices, with a particular focus on empowering BIPOC and underrepresented viewers.

Initially funded in 2019 by friends, family, and angel investors including MSNBC's Joy Reid, the company has raised approximately $4.62 million to date. The primary revenue stream for the company's website is advertising, and it maintains editorial independence by not using affiliate links. While the app was initially free, a premium subscription model with additional perks has been planned. PopViewers also operates a blog with entertainment news and analysis to attract and engage its target community. The long-term vision includes using its user data to provide analytics to production studios and content creators, highlighting the demand for diverse storytelling.

Keywords: content discovery, movie review app, TV show recommendations, social entertainment platform, community-based reviews, streaming guide, diverse voices in media, audience sentiment analysis, entertainment data, Chris Witherspoon, BIPOC creators, fan community, video reactions, content rating, inclusive content, entertainment tech, pop culture community, movie tracker, Hollywood insights, viewer engagement