Beme

Beme was a mobile application and social platform launched in 2015 that emphasized unedited short-form video sharing. Created by filmmaker Casey Neistat and entrepreneur Matt Hackett, the service sought to counter highly edited social media content by enabling immediate, moment-focused clips. It attracted attention from figures in YouTube communities, digital media startups, and traditional news organizations before being acquired and ultimately discontinued.

History

The concept emerged when Casey Neistat and Matt Hackett collaborated amid a surge in user-generated content on platforms like Vine, Instagram, and Snapchat. Early demonstrations took place within the creator ecosystems of YouTube and at events such as VidCon and tech conferences in New York City and San Francisco. After private beta testing with influencers from channels including CaseyNeistat and other creator networks, the app launched on iOS in 2015. The launch coincided with strategic interest from media corporations including CNN and investment conversations involving investors familiar with Andreessen Horowitz-adjacent networks and startup accelerators in Silicon Valley.

Features and Functionality

Beme’s core feature captured four-second, hands-free videos using the device’s proximity sensors, contrasting with frame-by-frame editing common on Instagram and Vine. Users created "beams" that forwarded content to subscribers without the opportunity for post-production, aligning with authenticity trends championed by creators on YouTube and vloggers associated with Fullscreen (company). The app integrated a follower system similar to Twitter and a discovery interface reminiscent of recommendations on YouTube and curated feeds on Tumblr. Notifications and social interactions echoed patterns from Facebook and Snapchat, while emphasis on raw footage attracted journalists from publications such as The New York Times and Wired evaluating new media formats.

Development and Technology

Development teams implemented native Objective-C and Swift codebases for the iOS client, leveraging iOS APIs for sensor input and media capture used by apps like Snapchat and Instagram. Backend services used typical stack components influenced by architectures from startups in Silicon Valley, with cloud hosting comparable to offerings from Amazon Web Services and database choices akin to solutions used at companies like Foursquare. The product roadmap included Android parity and potential integrations with content distribution platforms such as YouTube and partner-oriented programs run by multi-channel networks like Maker Studios. Engineering and design drew on mobile UX practices discussed at conferences like SXSW and TechCrunch Disrupt.

Reception and Impact

Initial reception was driven by coverage in outlets including The Verge, Mashable, and Forbes, and endorsements from digital creators tied to YouTube and lifestyle channels. Critics compared its approach to authenticity experiments by creators on Vine and proposed it as an answer to curated feeds on Instagram. Academics and commentators referencing media studies from institutions such as New York University considered it part of a broader shift toward raw, documentary-style vlogging popularized by figures like Casey Neistat and echoed in documentary practices at festivals like Sundance Film Festival. Despite buzz in creator communities and investor presentations often found at TechCrunch Disrupt panels, user growth metrics fell short of incumbent platforms, as analyzed in trade coverage by Adweek and Recode.

Acquisition and Closure

In 2016 CNN announced the acquisition of the startup, positioning it within the broadcaster’s digital innovation strategy and aligning with efforts similar to partnerships between BuzzFeed and legacy media. The acquisition aimed to leverage creator communities and experiments in short-form, mobile-first storytelling akin to initiatives from BBC Trending and digital teams at The New York Times. Following integration attempts, strategic shifts at CNN and executive changes led to the shuttering of the original app and the repurposing of staff toward other projects; the closure echoed industry consolidation patterns seen after acquisitions such as those involving Tumblr and other social platforms. The founders moved on to projects in filmmaking, startup advising, and content creation within the YouTube ecosystem.

Category:Mobile applications Category:Social networking services