Since 2020, The Ed Sullivan Show has found an entirely new audience online where its collection of celebrated TV moments has amassed more than two and a half billion views across YouTube, Facebook, and Apple Music. Now, The Ed Sullivan Show has reached another milestone in its celebrated history: It’s surpassed one million subscribers on its popular YouTube channel.
The long-running variety show expanded its reach via a global digital rights agreement between UMe and SOFA Entertainment Inc., owner of the Sullivan archive, in June 2020. The library encompasses the show’s historic 23-year primetime run on CBS. A number of rarities have been made available digitally for the first time including renowned entertainers and influential figures from just about every category of cultural relevance, including music, sports, film, dance, opera and Broadway.
“Reaching one million subscribers is a powerful testament to the enduring legacy and timeless appeal of The Ed Sullivan Show,” said Bruce Resnikoff, President & CEO of UMe. “Ed Sullivan had a unique vision, to showcase talent in all its forms and give performers a national stage, many for the first time. That vision helped shape the foundation of modern entertainment and launched the careers of some of the most legendary artists in history. We’re incredibly proud to be able to continue to introduce Ed Sullivan to new generations with our partners SOFA Entertainment and share these remarkable performances with audiences around the world through a wide range of digital platforms. It’s an honor to keep this cultural treasure thriving in today’s media landscape.”
Added Andrew Solt, Founder of SOFA Entertainment: “If someone had told Ed, ‘In 50 years your show will be seen around the world by millions of people every day,’ he would have said, ‘you’re nuts.’” He might even have laughed at the thought, but he would have loved it. Ed enjoyed his fame, and he wasn’t just an unlikely TV host. His real talent was being one of the greatest Producers of all time.”
Check out the Ed Sullivan Show YouTube channel.
