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Colin Petrie-Norris kickstarted a new model of free, ad-supported television through his company Xumo before its reported $100 million-plus sale to Comcast. Now, in the era of AI, he’s aiming to reclaim the model with
a FAST channel devoted to AI-generated content.
Fairground Entertainment, Petrie-Norris’ AI studio and distribution platform, is debuting a dedicated FAST channel to what he proclaims is the first to exclusively showcase AI shows and films. Dubbed “Fairground AI Creator TV,” the company plans to launch the channel across five TV and FAST platforms with a 24-hour slate supported by several AI creators, including Kelly Boesch, Kavan the Kid’s Phantom X Studio, filmmaker Ryan Phillips, Wonder Studios and Massive Studios, all of whom Petrie-Norris discovered on social media. (Petrie-Norris would not disclose which platforms are distributing the channel, but promised they’re “the biggest.”)
Petrie-Norris said in an interview that the channel, which will launch next month, merged his passions for television and AI, providing an avenue for creators to showcase the “gorgeous things” they’re creating through a “curated experience.”
“It’s got massive reach, it’s on a big screen TV,” he said. “It’s not the only thing that we’re doing, but it’s a very powerful way to get massive distribution for all of these creators that, up until now, have had gatekeepers and things get in the way.”
The channel’s lineup will be programmed by Petrie-Norris and his team in the vein of a traditional TV schedule, with programs slotted in primetime blocks and select specials saved for special events, such as Halloween or Valentine’s Day. He posits that the programs airing on Fairground’s FAST channel are far removed from the minuteslong AI clips proliferating social media platforms due to their attention to story details, with the channel giving them a “voice” to break through.
“These are new names to a lot of viewers,” he said. “It’s not Mr. Beast as our creator. These are the folks in one, two, three years’ time are going to be the Mr. Beasts of entertainment.”
The move marks a major expansion for Petrie-Norris’ Laguna Beach, California-based startup, which launched last year with five employees, a $4 million seed round from several investors and plans for original shows inspired by the tales of Robin Hood and Dracula. The startup has since grown to 13 employees, and Petrie-Norris hopes the channel marks a new wave of distribution — and, ideally, support — for AI-generated material.
“It’s fusing some of the very newest technology, right at the vanguard of AI of entertainment, together with a very traditional viewing pattern,” he said. “We’re bringing the best of both worlds together, and make it for a nice experience.”
