• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, April 8, 2010

Reality TV producer Mark Burnett has partnered with youth-centric content publisher Video In My Backyard to help media companies and advertisers reach younger consumers.

"This is an important partnership for the branded content industry," said Burnett. "Local content with national relevance has never been produced before at this level."

Video In My Backyard seeks out and produces what it considers to be cutting-edge and "locally authentic" content inspired by the worlds of music, technology, fashion, pop culture and the arts. Founded by Dean Waters, VIMBY, so-called, will continue to exist as a brand label under the yet-to-be-named new partnership.

VIMBY is positioned as a solution for brands seeking "street-level access" to local stories, and emerging cultural trends, according to Waters. "We have invested heavily in a network of highly skilled filmmakers and every day are capturing local content and telling stories that are at the forefront of national trends and ideas," he said.

Sub-demographics of interest include new mothers, millennials, the green conscious, health/wellness aficionados, and the technologically savvy.

More than a mere user-generated content site, aspiring film producers must apply to become one of VIMBY's "preditors," and are asked to include both a sample of their work and the reasons they want to create content. Along with the lure of exclusivity and national exposure, VIMBY also pays "preditors" about $500 for full segments, but no royalties.

Founded in 2006, the company presently claims about 100 filmmakers in over 20 U.S. markets.

To date, the Los Angeles-based publisher has worked with brands including Puma, Toyota, and Nike.

Online video viewers remain predominately young, wealthy, and early adopters, according to research put out this week by TDG analyst Michael Greeson. More than a third of online video viewers surveyed were between the ages of 18 and 32, while those ages 33 to 44 accounted for 30% of viewers. The median age of online video viewers in the survey was 41 years.

What's more, online video viewers tend to be early adopters, and are more likely to own an HDTV, DVR or stand-alone Blu-Ray player and operate a home network than those who don't watch video online. About 14% of online video viewers make more than $100,000 or more, compared to 11% of non-online video watchers, according to the report, which surveyed a cross-section of 2,000 consumers.