Q&A: Brown explains shake-up at Sumo

Sumo.tv launched in 2006 claiming to be the world's first channel dedicated to user generated content. Since then its roughly formatted stream of viewers' videos has been slowly gaining fans. Then in October the bosses brought in Loaded founder James Brown. He was to use his lads' media expertise to popularise the outfit and, four months on, it is about to introduce a dozen new programmes. For Sumo they are pretty conventional - with weekly slots and regular presenters. But, Brown tells Digital Spy, he has no intention of harming the anarchic, DIY spirit.

What is your role at Sumo?
"Andrew Wilson (chief executive of channel parent Cellcast) had started the channel as something different. But he'd never really given it a huge amount of attention. I suppose I've given it a sense of direction. We've been looking at new ways to use user-generated content."

How has it gone so far?
"It is a relatively new, flexible and small set up so we aren't restricted by the size of the business and expectations. Having made programmes for terrestrial channels, I know things can take a long time. Here we can have an idea and it's becoming a programme five weeks later."

What have you done?
"I brought in Alex Godfrey who was editor of Bizarre and understands how to make commercial success out of less mainstream content. We have developed lots of new shows around themed content. So far it has been short attention span TV. If you are coming in and having a spliff after the pub, it's great to stick on. You are getting short hits. Now we are giving appointments to view. Before, we have not really used presenters much. Now we are bringing in three or four presenters. I am also making them repeat the shows, which they've not done before.

You have created a show with Alex Sim-Wise. Who is she and what will it be?
"She is a glamour model, but a different type of glamour model, and she's funny. I noticed her magazine column where she had pictures of her messing around with mates and things. She's pretty filthy really, like the sort of thing you talk about with your mates, women or men. The show is rough. Only four or five people work on it and four are on screen. My brief to her was, 'Go and make a programme like Wayne's World - do what you want to do.' When I started my work I got a chance early on to be a writer on the NME. I always remember the tremendous buzz and energy. If you can help people like that you get a great return."

You tapped into a mass market with Loaded and the lads' genre. Is it impossible to find that again with the media more diverse and dispersed?
"I think so. But because the media is so diverse we can have a real point of difference. We don't have to be like the other channels. I get offered a lot of jobs but I came here because it's different. I never know what's going to be on next. It did feel different coming in here. You get people at work who are always on the internet finding the funny clips. We've got a load of them and put them in a room and said, 'Do it'. It feels like the early days of a band or something."

Sumo has been criticised by Ofcom for some unsuitable users' videos. What do you think of the regulator's role as broadcasting changes?
"You have got to self govern. When you've got the public providing content you are subject to all the people's standards. But everything here is done by young people, and I think things are generally better when there's a bit of reckless enthusiasm."

In Bed With Sim-Wise starts on March 7 at 11pm on Sumo.tv