TikTok gets into subscription programming with Finding Jericho

Future. Pearpop debuted its new comedy series Finding Jericho last week on TikTok LIVE, making it the first pay-subscription show on the platform. If the show takes off, it could be a blueprint for aspiring writers, directors, or actors looking to harness short-form video to jumpstart their careers… in the way that YouTube and Vimeo did last decade.

Paywalled laughs
Can TikTok succeed where Quibi failed?

• THR reports that Pearpop, a social media collaboration marketplace, just launched Finding Jericho on the platform’s LIVE Events portal.
• Hosted by TikTok influencer Jericho Mencke, the series will consist of eight 30-minute episodes that will roll out on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 pm PT over the next few weeks on Mencke’s and Pearpop’s TikTok channels.
• But here’s the kicker: while the first two episodes are free (and already available to check out), the series will cost $4.99 to watch in its entirety.

Finding Jericho was created by Mencke and Pearpop development execs Zack Bernstein and Austin Sokol, and is reportedly in the vein of The Eric Andre Show and Nathan for You.

Viral residuals
The series is a big experiment for both TikTok and Pearpop.

• TikTok has just started rolling out creator tools to monetize live streams and exclusive content. A popular series could prove the platform’s potential as a home for more premium content.
• Pearpop recently launched a tool called Pearproof, which allows anybody to mint their social posts on the blockchain and sell tokens tied to the posts. As the post hits certain viewership numbers, token-holders are rewarded with exclusive content or access.

Could this create a world where fans pay a subscription for a show hosted on a platform like TikTok and buy NFT tokens to access exclusive content? And then, after the show has reached its peak on the platform, have the creator turn around and license the show to a more traditional streamer like Netflix for even more money?

That could mint a few new stars (and careers)… but it’s probably nothing.