Metacafe, the world’s leading short-form video entertainment site, with more than 30 million unique viewers per month brings on 12 new partnerships with content creators who are making original short videos well suited to the interactive Internet medium and companies that are aggregating such content. This content licensing initiative advances Metacafe’s vision for developing short-form video as a new entertainment genre and lucrative global media business.

“It’s important for content creators that they not only have their work distributed as broadly as possible but also that they team with publishers who can help ensure their videos reach the right viewers at the right time,” said Scott Bushman, vice president of content for Metacafe. “Our people-powered approach to programming does just this, delivering an exceptional entertainment experience for our 30 million monthly viewers.”

New content partners, all of which are now distributing short videos on Metacafe and working with the company on a revenue-sharing basis, include:

1. 60 Frames, which finances and syndicates professionally produced short-form digital entertainment and creates unique, highly effective online advertising opportunities for national brands.
2. Aniboom, a leading animation virtual production studio that teams up with creators around the world to produce a wide range of original animated content.
3. CelebTV.com, which delivers up-to-the-minute entertainment news 24/7, offering the sophistication and credibility of a television news network, while providing the on-demand, real-time benefits of a premium online destination.
4. Collegiate Images, the centralized licensing and rights clearance agency that manages the distribution of copyrighted intellectual property content, focusing exclusively on college sports.
5. Comedy.com, a comedy entertainment site that combines user-generated content and original, professionally produced content from some of the funniest peeps in the business.
6. Comedy Time, the global market leader in original comedy content created for wireless handsets and broadband.
7. Diagonal View, an aggregator of original viral video entertainment.
8. GamePro Media, publishers of GamePro.com and GamePro Magazine, and a division of IDG
9. Howcast, which shows consumers the web’s most engaging, useful how-to videos wherever, whenever they need to learn how…
10. SXM, the production company behind “Easy to Assemble,” a scripted Web series written and created by and starring Illeana Douglas, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Arnold, Craig Bierko, Kevin Pollack, Justine Bateman and Ed Begley Jr., and sponsored by IKEA.
11. Wannahaves, an aggregator of videos on the latest gadgets, games and gear.
12. YoungHollywood.com, one of the largest producers of original celebrity programming in Hollywood.

“We expect short-form to take its place as the third pillar of the video entertainment industry, alongside television and movies,” said Erick Hachenburg, CEO of Metacafe. “By focusing exclusively on short-form content, we put our expertise to use in helping our partners reach new viewers, build their fan base and take full advantage of the social media opportunity.”

Metacafe is teaming with content creators ranging from emerging talents to Hollywood heavyweights to help develop short-form video as an entertainment genre.