TikTok Funds 'Viral' Public Health Series

TikTok Funds Publisher Series to Combat Pandemic Misinformation

TikTok is enhancing its support for quality content creation by providing financial backing to NowThis, a media publisher, for their new series, “VIRAL.” This series will feature interviews with leading public health professionals and incorporate a live question-and-answer segment addressing pandemic-related inquiries.

First Episodic Series Funding

This collaboration marks TikTok’s inaugural direct funding of an episodic series originating from a publisher. Previously, TikTok’s financial support was primarily directed towards individual content creators.

Instructive Accelerator Program

The initiative stems from TikTok’s Instructive Accelerator Program, previously known as the Creative Learning Fund. This program offers grants and practical assistance to publishers, enabling them to develop high-quality educational content for the #LearnOnTikTok campaign.

Currently, the program is organized into four eight-week cycles, requiring publishers to post videos four times weekly.

NowThis’ Involvement

NowThis participated in the Creative Learning Fund in the prior year and was subsequently chosen for the current cycle of the Instructive Accelerator Program. However, the “VIRAL” series represents a distinct undertaking.

NowThis independently presented the show’s concept to TikTok earlier this year, outside the accelerator framework, and received approval to proceed. TikTok then co-produced the series and contributed financially.

The specific amount of financial support remains undisclosed by both NowThis and TikTok.

“VIRAL” Series Details

The “VIRAL” series is hosted by Laurel Bristow, a clinical researcher specializing in infectious diseases, who dedicated the past year to COVID-19 treatments and research.

Each Thursday, Bristow will present COVID-19 facts in an accessible manner, covering topics such as vaccine efficacy, transmission timelines, and treatment options. The show will also debunk common myths and provide updates on ongoing public health concerns, alongside expert interviews.

Each episode will run for 45 minutes and include a live, interactive Q&A segment allowing the TikTok audience to engage directly with the content. A total of five episodes are planned, airing weekly from Thursday, April 15th at 6 PM ET through Thursday, May 13th on the @NowThis TikTok channel.

NowThis’ TikTok Presence

NowThis has rapidly established itself as a prominent news source on TikTok, amassing 4.6 million followers across its news and political channels since its launch just over a year ago.

Its video-centric approach aligns well with the platform’s format.

A Different Approach to Pandemic Information

TikTok’s strategy with “VIRAL” differs from other social media platforms’ handling of pandemic-related information.

While most platforms, including TikTok, focus on fact-checking, misinformation removal, and directing users to official health resources, TikTok is actively funding and promoting public health content created by scientists and researchers.

TikTok’s Rationale

Robbie Levin, Manager of Media Partnerships at TikTok, explained the company’s reasoning to TechCrunch.

“As the pandemic evolves, providing a platform for dispelling misinformation and facilitating real-time communication with public health experts is crucial,” Levin stated. “NowThis has consistently demonstrated its ability to produce engaging and informative content, making this series a valuable resource for our users to access credible information.”

Creator Funding Trends

While the pandemic has spurred this particular initiative, funding content creators is a growing trend.

Instagram and Snapchat are also investing in creator content for their short-form video platforms, Reels and Spotlight, respectively. Emerging social platforms like Clubhouse are similarly funding creator-led shows.

Future Plans

TikTok has not yet initiated discussions with other publishers regarding similar series production. However, the company remains open to expanding its creator funding and production efforts.

Alongside the ongoing accelerator program, TikTok indicated that if “VIRAL” proves successful and receives a positive response from the community, it will explore comparable opportunities in the future.