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“The end result is that after each episode, you feel like you’ve gone to mini-bartending school, which makes the series a perfect fit for Hungry Nation, whose target demo is non-pro foodies who like to know their stuff.”

Next New Networks has launched FLDetours a spin-off of its long-running car-junkie-aimed series Fast Lane Daily. The new series focused on reviews.

The new show is meant to offer a lighter, entertainment driven look at the auto world versus Fast Lane Daily’s news focus. During weekly episodes of FLDetours, Fast Lane Daily’s staffers will present details on new car models—but will tap real drivers to take test drives and provide their honest opinions on vehicles such sa the Chevy Equinox or the Audi R8.

Next New Networks today launched Hungry Nation, a move that will see it take on another niche audience, albeit one slightly less niche than those of Indy Mogul or Fast Lane Daily. After all, everyone’s gotta eat. And the series comprising the new online channel — Working Class Foodies and recent acquisition Vendr TV, with Lush Life co-production 12 Second Cocktails to come in October — are out to provide a down-to-earth take on the culinary experience.

Next New Networks rolled out its latest online network today, Hungry Nation, finally giving hipster foodie web series a roof to call home. We’ve written before how Next New Networks loves to own strong verticals with its networks—Indy Mogul (filmmaking and movies), Threadbanger (DIY fashion), Barely Politcial (news/politics)—and the move into food is natural fit with the recent boom in nom-loving web shows.

(By Chris Morris)

You won’t see Rachel Ray or Paula Deen anywhere on Hungry Nation TV, but you may learn how to make a cocktail in just 12 seconds.

Next New Networks is launching the new online video network today, with a focus on food for the common man – and frugality.

“We are always trying to identify areas that are underserved by the media and see if there’s a way to serve that audience online through video,” says Lance Podell, CEO of Next New Networks. “Much of what [cable’s] Food Network focuses on is professional, but it’s over-aspirational. … What we thought about was how much food is a part of our lives and how we all enjoy talking about and sharing food stories, but in a more mundane and real way.”

Hungry Nation will launch with two shows - VendrTV and Working Class Foodies – and plans to add a third (12 Second Cocktails) next month. By December, it plans to increase that number to five.

Programs, which last 5-7 minutes, will initially offer new episodes weekly (Wednesdays for VendrTV and Mondays for Working Class Foodies). Podell says that may increase once the network is more mature.

The company has no sponsors lined up Hungry Nation at this time, but is keeping production costs low by tapping shows that are already in production on networks like YouTube.

“We help them with branding and packaging and distribution,” says Podell. “As a result, there really isn’t a production cost for us, per se.”

Next New Networks has captured roughly 600 million views in its 2.5-year history. The company, which manages 11 other focused online networks and has over 5,000 episodes of programs in its catalog, averages 30 million views per month and approximately 15 million unique users per month.

The numbers are comparable to a smaller cable network.

It’s best known for its Barely Political channel, which was home to the infamous “Obama Girl” video that hit the pop culture scene during the campaign.

The key to the company’s success has been its affiliation with multiple distribution channels, including YouTube, Hulu, Tivo and iTunes.

“Unlike [broadcast ] TV, we believe the advent of the Internet has allowed consumers to view their TV where they choose - not by having to find your channel,” says Podell. “In some cases, they find our brand and watch on our site, but we’re not offended if they watch on our YouTube channel.”

The provider of online TV networks is launching a new food network, called Hungry Nation, Thursday, saying it will be the first-ever indie online network dedicated entirely to food.

The concept behind Hungry Nation is to create an online community for the average person who is interested in the trend toward high-quality, unique food—but is not an expert cook. “We want to capture that movement online in a way that is about real people and real food, not star chefs,” said Kathleen Grace, who was recently installed as Next New’s programming director. “This is about food that is more accessible. And it’s aimed at a younger audience that isn’t being addressed by the Food Network.”

Innovators & Startups: “Next New Networks announced that it posted its biggest 3-month period of viewing ever during the summer months with an aggregate of 90 million+ views, thanks to best-ever showings from channels such as Fast Lane Daily, Indy Mogul, ThreadBanger, and Barely Political. The latter’s Obama Girl Dies! was the biggest NNN hit episode of the summer with over 1.5 million YouTube views.”

Next New Networks, a New York Web video shop funded by Goldman Sachs and Spark Capital, is producing a new series of entrepreneur profiles for American Express.

“Usually, if [you] sell a lot of something, you want to tell everybody.” -Steve Jobs, Apple

Next New Networks is doing something right and putting out word that they crossed the 600 million views mark in August is a smart move. What more impressive is thee online network cleared 90 million of those views in just the last three months. The 600 million number count views since its launch in January of 2007, and they are staking their claim as “the all-time most viewed original Internet television programmer on the web.”

We have to applaud this announcement. Some of the traditional studios have been notoriously shy to reveal viewing numbers, probably because they aren’t exactly holding their own with the online-only studios like NNN and Revision3.

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