Are Vertical Videos the Next Big Thing?

Short-form video has transformed from internet novelty to cultural cornerstone. What started as 15-seco

nd clips now looks more like a new form of television, one driven by creators, structured in episodes and optimized for phones, not prime time. The result?

A boom in what some are calling “Vertical TV.”

“There’s this trend we’ve seen explode: short-form episodic series that are basically social TV,” said Zach Blume, co-founder and managing partner at Portal A. “It’s not just sketches or vlogs anymore. These are creator-driven shows with format, with consistency, with voice. It's a new television, made for your phone.”

Premium short-form Verticals just needed the right platform. A few years ago, the collapse of Quibi and the quiet exit of YouTube and Snap Originals led many to declare that “premium short-form” was a dead-end. But the reality is, audiences didn’t reject the idea of high-quality short-form, they rejected platforms trying to impose Hollywood models on social-native ecosystems. Now, audiences are flocking to creator-led formats built for these platforms.

• YouTube Shorts sees over 200 billion daily views, according to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan.

• TikTok users spend over 50 minutes per day on the app in the U.S. alone.

• More than 50% of Gen Z viewers prefer short-form over traditional long-form TV programming, according to a Deloitte research study.

Blume connects the dots: “People are watching short-form content like they used to watch TV. But the platforms are different. The formats are different. The creators are different.”

What’s emerging is a new kind of entertainment, shows with recurring segments, arcs and characters, built specifically for social. We’re seeing the rise of creator-led franchises like Hot Ones, Keep the Meter Running, and Boy Room; proof that audiences will tune in and come back for originality.

Tel-Air Interests is about to jump into this arena. The joys of a 67-year-old startup company!