• by Laurie Petersen , September 4, 2007

Slate's online video magazine, Slate V, is proving to be a sticky destination--delivering more than 2 million video downloads since its launch in late June, its creators report.

The site, which gets daily promotion from the Slate.com home page, launched with a 10-month advertising flight from Infiniti and a commitment to produce one original video each weekday as well as a "Did You See This" hand-picked editorial favorites compilation from around the Web.

Ads so far are standard pre-rolls and banners throughout the Slate V site.

Slate Editor Jacob Weisberg attributes the early success to the nature of the videos themselves--keeping with the site's counterintuitive, topical and irreverent style.

"We've created Web video that's really suited to the medium," Weisberg said, describing that as a light, quick spontaneous sensibility and good--but not perfect--production values.

In addition to the prime promotion space on Slate's home page, emails promote particularly compelling videos to encourage their viral pass-along.

Plans are to introduce a showcase of documentaries and non-fiction shorts from around the world, and to conduct user-generated contests inviting viewers to produce and submit their own videos on specific topics.

Video storytelling is just the latest format offered by Slate, which also features slide shows, podcasts, and text. Increasingly, the discussion is both what the story is and which format is the best to tell it in, he said.

Slate V has its own editor and production crew, but brings to life franchises such as "Dear Prudence" and "The Explainer."

Links on each video also tie back to "The Fray" reader feedback forum.