Benedict Townsend

You can listen to Vine's 6 Seconds That Changed the World on Global Player. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com. Vine, Six Seconds That Changed the World, is a Global Original podcast, created and hosted by me, Benedict Townsend, and produced by my co-creator, Mary Goodheart.

You can listen to Vine's 6 Seconds That Changed the World on Global Player. Download it from the App Store or go to globalplayer.com. Vine, Six Seconds That Changed the World, is a Global Original podcast, created and hosted by me, Benedict Townsend, and produced by my co-creator, Mary Goodheart.

Narrative and creative by producer Kevya Cardoso, score and sound design by Patrick Lee, and mix by Chris James. Sophie Snelling is the executive producer, Al Riddell is head of Factual Podcasts, and Vicky Etchells is director of podcasts at Global. This is a Global Player Original Podcast.

Narrative and creative by producer Kevya Cardoso, score and sound design by Patrick Lee, and mix by Chris James. Sophie Snelling is the executive producer, Al Riddell is head of Factual Podcasts, and Vicky Etchells is director of podcasts at Global. This is a Global Player Original Podcast.

This is a Global Player original podcast. Last time on Vine's Six Seconds That Changed the World, Karen's jubilant rescue party ended on an ominous note.

This is a Global Player original podcast. Last time on Vine's Six Seconds That Changed the World, Karen's jubilant rescue party ended on an ominous note.

It's a meeting that will shape the fate of Vine and the internet forever. It's a bright day in Los Angeles, California in autumn 2015, and in a building just a stone's throw from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a meeting is about to change the course of history. It's taking place in the conference room of an apartment block where a group of online creators live and make videos together. The address?

It's a meeting that will shape the fate of Vine and the internet forever. It's a bright day in Los Angeles, California in autumn 2015, and in a building just a stone's throw from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a meeting is about to change the course of history. It's taking place in the conference room of an apartment block where a group of online creators live and make videos together. The address?

1600 Vine Street.

1600 Vine Street.

Marcus Johns, a Florida-born Vine star. He'd made it into the top five most followed people on Vine, becoming a classic 1600 creator, churning out an impressive volume of collaborative comedy skits. He built a big profile with brands and even worked as a social media correspondent covering the 2014 Oscars red carpet.

Marcus Johns, a Florida-born Vine star. He'd made it into the top five most followed people on Vine, becoming a classic 1600 creator, churning out an impressive volume of collaborative comedy skits. He built a big profile with brands and even worked as a social media correspondent covering the 2014 Oscars red carpet.

These days, his vibe is a little different.

These days, his vibe is a little different.

Now he posts about his wholesome family life on a farm in Nashville with his wife and kids. His riding of tractors. He has also diligently ignored every single attempt we have made to talk to him about this podcast. But the main thing you need to know is that at this point in our story, Marcus is the head of the 1600 group.

Now he posts about his wholesome family life on a farm in Nashville with his wife and kids. His riding of tractors. He has also diligently ignored every single attempt we have made to talk to him about this podcast. But the main thing you need to know is that at this point in our story, Marcus is the head of the 1600 group.

Whether or not he would identify as such, he's basically become a union leader, and he shouldn't be underestimated. He's got the vision and the charisma to unite Vine's biggest creators into a negotiating unit. And this has never been done before. Of course, that also meant that it was all new to Karen and her team. Walking into the meeting room, they had very little idea what to expect.

Whether or not he would identify as such, he's basically become a union leader, and he shouldn't be underestimated. He's got the vision and the charisma to unite Vine's biggest creators into a negotiating unit. And this has never been done before. Of course, that also meant that it was all new to Karen and her team. Walking into the meeting room, they had very little idea what to expect.

You're in this sort of conference room, right? That's within the Vine Street complex, as you said.

You're in this sort of conference room, right? That's within the Vine Street complex, as you said.