MGM offers Burnett and Downey’s inspirational content online

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios is known for releasing such Hollywood classics as “Ben Hur,” “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

Now the storied, nearly century-old MGM is taking a big step into the future of bite-size entertainment. MGM this week is launching a digital content business with 25 original online video series on a platform called LightWorkers.com, created by husband-and-wife team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey.

The Christian couple, who made the hit television miniseries “The Bible” and the movie “Son of God,” hope to attract viewers with 1- to 5-minute inspirational videos, appealing mainly to young-adult women who watch content on mobile devices. The free ad-supported service will include tutorials on thoughtful gift-giving, documentaries on people who’ve overcome tragedy, and shows for cooking and spiritual advice.

“We see this as such an underserved market,” Downey, president of MGM’s faith and family subsidiary LightWorkers Media, told The Times. “There’s a great hunger and need and a community for this … . We need to be a respite and be a reminder of what’s possible.”

It’s the latest attempt by Downey and Burnett to expand their faith-based brand under MGM. The company last year launched television network Light TV, which airs family-friendly material culled from MGM’s library. The executives also plan to launch a faith-based subscription streaming channel that was first announced in 2014.

LightWorkers aims to make money through advertising and sponsored content, betting that people will want to share their material with friends and family on social media. The site could also serve as a home for new material based on films and shows from MGM’s library, and be a testing ground for new ideas.

MGM, run by Chairman and Chief Executive Gary Barber, is making other digital moves. The studio recently announced a new series of mini-episodes for its “Stargate” franchise, which will air on a new subscription service that also hosts previous versions of the show.

“MGM as a company has come so far in really seeing and embracing the traditional media business and the new media business, and LightWorkers is a great example of the company’s commitment to embracing that start-up mentality,” said Kevin Conroy, MGM’s president of digital and new platforms.

LightWorkers has been working on the launch for about six months, assembling a staff of 25 who work out of an office in Culver City.

The new series include “Giftable,” a video how-to for thoughtful gifts such as a getwell basket with homemade ginger and lemon tea. Another series, “I Struggle. I Rise,” features mini documentaries on people who have overcome devastating personal challenges, such as professional boxer Heather Hardy, who is a survivor of sexual assault. Many of the videos have spiritual undertones but are not explicitly religious.

Downey said she came up with the idea for LightWorkers. com after being overwhelmed by negative stories while watching the news. The former “Touched by an Angel” star wanted to create a site to highlight people who were doing good in the world, she said.