BuzzFeed Studios Taps Veteran Entertainment Executive Paul Ricci To Head Unscripted Television

LOS ANGELES, CA -- August 8, 2022 -- BuzzFeed, Inc. (NASDAQ: BZFD), a premier digital media company for the most diverse, most online, and most socially engaged generations the world has ever seen, today announced that Paul Ricci will join BuzzFeed, Inc. to lead Unscripted Television for BuzzFeed Studios. In this role, he will oversee all unscripted television programming for the company's Hollywood arm and entire portfolio of brands including; BuzzFeed, Complex, Tasty and HuffPost. Ricci will report directly to the Head of Studios, Richard Alan Reid.

Ricci brings over 20 years of television experience within the entertainment industry, most recently co-founding development company BoomTown Content Co. Today, BuzzFeed Studios also announced a strategic development partnership with BoomTown Content Co. to develop new unscripted television projects. Recent projects include "The Kids Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon" on Peacock; "Who Wants To Be An Astronaut?" on Discovery; and a slate of other development projects in varying stages. BoomTown Content Co. will continue to be helmed by co-founder Mark Efman.

At Viacom (now Paramount Global), Ricci served as Head of Alternative Series for MTV and VH1, shepherding hits including Rob Dyrdek's "Ridiculousness," "Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party," and "Hip Hop Squares." Previously, Paul served as Head of Development & Programming for MTV2, where he developed and launched "Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'n Out," "Guy Code" and "Girl Code," leading the channel to record growth and jumpstarting the careers of Awkwafina, Pete Davidson, Nicole Byer, Charlamagne Tha God, Andrew Schulz and many more.

"Paul brings a wealth of knowledge from his days in network television and hands-on experience producing hits. Paul's keen eye for innovative formats and a deep understanding of youth culture and trends, make him an incredible creative partner who will drive our unscripted portfolio - from BuzzFeed to Complex - to new heights," said Richard Alan Reid, EVP of Global Content and Head of Studio for BuzzFeed, Inc. "We're delighted to have him on the growing BuzzFeed Studios team."

"I was immediately impressed by the drive and ambition of Rich and the entire BuzzFeed Studios team," said Ricci. "I can't wait to tap into the treasure trove of IP within the world of BuzzFeed, Inc. to tell bold, new stories that will delight their diverse, global audience. And I'm thrilled for the opportunity to continue to grow BoomTown, the company Mark and I built."

Notable unscripted projects from BuzzFeed Studios include "Snoop & Martha's Very Tasty Halloween" for Peacock, "Hot Ones: The Game Show" for TruTv, Emmy-nominated docuseries "Follow This" for Netflix, "Once Upon a Time in Londongrad" with Sky and NBCU based on the explosive BuzzFeed News investigation, and "The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe" for Discovery+. BuzzFeed Studios scripted projects will continue to be overseen by Director of Scripted TV Development, Charlotte Sims.

Part of BuzzFeed, Inc.'s unrivaled global network, BuzzFeed Studios develops, acquires, and produces premium programming that spans subjects and genres for distribution across television, SVOD, and film. With scripted and unscripted projects both inspired by existing BuzzFeed, HuffPost, Complex and Tasty IP and designed to tap into BuzzFeed's highly engaged and established communities, BuzzFeed Studios works with award-winning creatives to elevate authentic stories to a global audience.

About BuzzFeed, Inc.

BuzzFeed, Inc. is home to the best of the Internet. Across pop culture, entertainment, shopping, food and news, our brands drive conversation and inspire what audiences watch, read, buy, and obsess over next. Born on the Internet in 2006, BuzzFeed is committed to making it better: providing trusted, quality, brand-safe news and entertainment to hundreds of millions of people; making content on the Internet more inclusive, empathetic, and creative; and inspiring our audience to live better lives.

About BoomTown Content Co.

BoomTown Content Co. is an innovative production company, designed specifically for today's rapidly evolving content landscape. Quick and nimble with a passion for creativity, BoomTown delivers premium, clutter-busting formats across all media platforms including linear, streaming and podcasts. With nearly 40 years of experience in content creation, founders Mark Efman and Paul Ricci bring passion and enthusiasm to everything they create. Between them, they've worked on both sides of the buyer / seller dynamic, creating hits with some of the biggest stars in entertainment and comedy, from Snoop and Martha to Shaquille O'Neal, Nick Cannon and Awkwafina, Andy Cohen, Drake and many others.

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