Ad-Hungry Yahoo Hopes to Strike Gold With an Original Comedy Series Taking a page from Netflix, Amazon and Hulu, Yahoo is reportedly entering the content production arena.

By Geoff Weiss

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Yahoo's Marissa Mayer sees online video as an imperative component of her fledgling company's rehabilitation. In addition to reports that Yahoo is in the process of developing a competing service to Google-owned YouTube, the company is now allegedly entering the content production arena as well.

Like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu before it, Yahoo is ordering four original web series: 10-episode, half-hour comedies with multi-million dollar budgets. They have been helmed by veteran television writers and directors, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The hope is that video will help generate lucrative advertising revenues for Yahoo, which has lost considerable ad share to Google and Facebook in recent years, particularly in the mobile realm. Mayer notably fired Yahoo's COO, Henrique de Castro -- her second-in-command and the company's top ad executive -- earlier this year when he failed to gain traction with marketers.

Related: What Elon Musk Really Thinks of 'Silicon Valley'

The company might unveil its original series at its NewFront event on April 28 in New York -- the company's version of the television upfronts, which are intended to entice advertisers with upcoming programming initiatives and star-studded partnerships.

According to The Journal, Mayer and her chief marketing officer, Kathy Savitt, have scoured more than 100 projects over the past several months.

Other evidence that Mayer is making a major push into video? In addition to building a complete SNL video archive on its video sharing property, Yahoo Screen, the company also signed deals with famed anchor Katie Couric and the tech columnist and correspondent David Pogue.

It is also reportedly weighing a $300 to $400 million acquisition of News Distribution Network (NDN), the fourth largest online video property in America.

Related: Netflix Co-Founder Not a Fan of 'Binge-Watching'

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Editor's Pick

Related Topics

Science & Technology

5 Mistakes I Learned to Avoid When Working With ChatGPT

What I learned from using ChatGPT for business purposes day-to-day across my content websites.

Business News

Renowned Federal Judge, 96, Faces Yearlong Suspension For Refusing to Retire

Judge Pauline Newman, a highly respected figure in patent law, has been suspended for one year by her colleagues due to mounting concerns about her mental fitness.

Business News

Uber Eats to Roll Out New Payment Options in 2024, Aiming to Enhance Access to Fresh Groceries for Vulnerable Populations

Starting in 2024, Uber Eats will allow individuals with EBT cards to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to pay for grocery delivery orders.

Business Process

10 Ways to Reimagine Retail and Virtual Shopping Since COVID-19

In the post-COVID era, virtual shopping experiences are revolutionizing the retail landscape, merging the efficiency of technology with the personal touch of traditional shopping.

Cryptocurrency / Blockchain

Why the Next Crypto Bull Run Will Be Like Nothing We've Ever Experienced

We are on the precipice of what could be the greatest transfer of wealth that has ever happened in human history.