HOLLYWOOD, CA, Sept. 30, 2009 – BUZZMEDIA, the largest publisher of pop culture sites on the Internet, today announced the launch of BUZZMEDIA Talent Services. The new division will identify unique online programming opportunities for musicians and celebrities to work with major advertisers. BUZZMEDIA Talent Services will be headed by Craig Bland, who has been promoted to Vice President, Celebrity Programming and Development. Bland has been instrumental in developing strategic partnerships for BUZZMEDIA since joining the company in 2006. During this time, he has worked closely with talent and their management to create and implement online media strategies. In this new role, Bland will leverage his cutting edge work at BUZZMEDIA developing celebrity-driven programming to significantly expand that portion of BUZZMEDIA’s business. “Our initial forays indicate that we have only begun to scratch the surface of this opportunity,” said Doug Rohrer, BUZZMEDIA’s Chief Revenue Officer. “With both ...
HOLLYWOOD, CA, August 27, 2009 – Doug Rohrer, formerly MTV Networks’ Executive Vice President of Sales, has been named Chief Revenue Officer of BUZZMEDIA, the largest publisher of pop culture sites on the Internet.Rohrer will lead all revenue related efforts for BUZZMEDIA, whose portfolio of top entertainment sites and communities reach more than 40 million users every month, and include Buzznet, Celebuzz, TheSuperficial, Stereogum, WWTDD, Absolute Punk and Just Jared. As CRO, Rohrer is overseeing the significant expansion of BUZZMEDIA’s sales operations. The company has added key sales executives in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, opened a Manhattan office located at 276 5th Avenue, and upgraded its ad support staffing to service its growing stable of advertising clients. In addition, BUZZMEDIA announced today that Andi Poch has been named Senior Vice President of Ad Sales. Poch, who previously served as Vice President of Ad Sales for MTV and MTV.com, will work closely with Rohrer to devise and ...
HOLLYWOOD, CA, April 29, 2009 - Alan Citron has been named president of BUZZMEDIA, Inc. the world's largest community of pop culture web sites, with more than 40 million monthly users. In his new capacity, he will oversee programming, marketing, engineering and product development at the company, whose portfolio of more than 30 sites includes Buzznet, Celebuzz, the Superficial, Stereogum, WWTDD and Absolute Punk. Citron has served as a senior advisor to BUZZMEDIA (formerly Buzznet) since August 2008. Prior to that, he was the founding general manager of TMZ, one of the most successful editorial start-ups in the history of the Internet. Citron's appointment comes as part of an expansion of the BUZZMEDIA management team. Anthony Batt, the company's founder and former President, will move into the role of Chief Creative Officer, allowing him to focus on targeted strategic initiatives. The company also announced today the promotion of Karina Kogan to EVP, Marketing. Kogan, who joined the company in January 20...
HOLLYWOOD, CA/NEW YORK, NY, April 20, 2009 — OK! Magazine and BUZZMEDIA, Inc. have entered into a joint venture focused on digital content, marketing and advertising initiatives across the two brands. The announcement was made jointly today by Lori Burgess, Publisher of OK! Magazine and Tyler Goldman, CEO of BUZZMEDIA, Inc. Both leaders in entertainment, OK! Magazine is one of America's top ten newsstand sellers, bringing readers the inside scoop on celebrity news. Its website, OKmagazine.com currently attracts over 21 million monthly page views. BUZZMEDIA owns some of the largest pop culture brands on the web, with an audience of more than 40 million unique monthly users. As part of the venture, BUZZMEDIA will partner with OK!'s online advertising team on sales representation and operations, including development of new and customized sponsorship opportunities and highly programmed and engaging ad units. The two companies will also work together on the marketing side, leveraging their mutual strength...
HOLLYWOOD, CA, March 19, 2009 — Buzznet, which operates the web's largest community of pop culture web sites with an audience of 40 million unique monthly users, today announced that it has changed its name to BUZZMEDIA, Inc. The newly-named company will focus on the continued growth of its socially programmed web sites, including Celebuzz, Buzznet, the Superficial, SocialiteLife, What Would Tyler Durden Do, Stereogum, Idolator, Just Jared and Absolute Punk. In addition, BUZZMEDIA announced that it has secured a new round of financing totaling $12.5 million. Focus Ventures, a Palo Alto, California based venture firm with more than $830 million under management, joined the latest round. Existing investors, including Anthem Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Redpoint Ventures and Sutter Hill Ventures, also participated in the round. BUZZMEDIA's unique social programming platform enables its professional editorial teams to leverage the programming contributions from its audience of millions of passiona...
HOLLYWOOD, CA, February 18, 2009 — Buzznet, Inc.'s, Celebuzz (www.celebuzz.com), today introduced a new feature which will allow users to zoom in on celebrity photos like never before. Members can now magnify celebrity photos by up to four times their original size to enjoy instant close-ups of glamorous jewels and designer handbags, and eye-catching details like tattoos and wardrobe malfunctions. This new capability provides the most detailed celebrity photo experience on the Web and arrives just in time for the most photographed event of the year, the Academy Awards®. Passionate fans can get up close — literally — with their favorite Best Actor or Actress, to see haute couture, hair and make-up at its best. "When our team first came up with the idea, we were surprised that no major celebrity outlet had developed the feature to date," said Karina Kogan, GM Celebrity, Buzznet, Inc. "Now that we've built the zoom feature, we're all addicted and I am sure that our users will be too. It's so satisfying...
HOLLYWOOD, CA/NEW YORK, NY, November 13, 2008 — Just Jared, one of the most popular celebrity bloggers online, has launched a spin-off site for the younger set called Just Jared Jr. (www.justjaredjr.com ). The site is a partnership between Just Jared and Buzznet Inc., the media company focused on building the Internet's largest and most dynamic pop culture community. Just Jared Jr. will provide tweens and teens with a safe and reliable source for the most up-to-date and highest quality pop culture and celebrity content. The site is the newest addition to Celebuzz.com, Buzznet Inc.'s entertainment community and the first social media website dedicated to all things celebrity. Just Jared has long been known for being the ‘nice guy' in the world of celebrity blogging. Just Jared Jr. will follow the same successful format that has made JustJared.com one of the most trusted and fastest growing entertainment sites. Just Jared Jr. will be the definitive site in Celebuzz for teen celebrity fans, with up-to-...
HOLLYWOOD, CA, October 15, 2008 — Buzznet Inc., the media company focused on building the web's largest pop culture community, today announced a partnership with The Superficial, one of most celebrated entertainment sites on the web. Since launching in 2004, The Superficial has built a large and loyal following of millions of young men and women who visit the site multiple times a day for its clever, frank and satirical take on the world of entertainment. The Superficial joins Celebuzz.com, Buzznet Inc.'s recently launched entertainment community and the first social media website dedicated to all things celebrity. Celebuzz provides passionate fans the most robust, diverse and all-encompassing celebrity and entertainment experience online, including the best news and editorial, opinion, rich media, celebrity access and user programming. The Superficial joins other leading opinion sites in the Celebuzz community, including Just Jared, What Would Tyler Durden Do, Go Fug Yourself, and Socialite Life, provid...
HOLLYWOOD, CA, October 1, 2008 — Buzznet, the Web's leading social media community for music, announced today that it is expanding its music editorial team with the hiring of Jeff Leeds, former New York Times music reporter, as its new Editor-in-Chief. In addition, former Alternative Press magazine Managing Editor Leslie Simon has joined the company as Senior Editor. In this newly created position, Leeds will spearhead an expansion of editorial offerings on Buzznet.com that will combine the best original news, commentary, photos and other contributions from staff writers and the site's millions of community members with additional programming, including exclusive MP3 releases, videos and in-studio performances. Leeds will direct editorial strategy at Buzznet.com, and manage editors at the company's partner sites, Stereogum, Absolute Punk, Idolator, Vampire Freaks, FOE, and The Gauntlet. Leeds will report to General Manager Scott Boyd. Simon, managing editor and star writer for leading pop-punk/emo m...
HOLLYWOOD, CA — August 19, 2008 — Buzznet Inc., the media company focused on building active, engaged online communities around pop culture, today announced that Alan Citron has joined the company to spearhead Special Projects. Mr. Citron previously served as general manager of Time Warner's TMZ. "Alan is a new media innovator who's had a tremendous track-record of translating ideas into successful web businesses," said Tyler Goldman, CEO, Buzznet Inc. "His profound understanding of consumer behavior and programming, together with his expertise in pop culture, including music and celebrity, will be an invaluable asset to Buzznet and our new ventures. A former colleague and long-time friend, I am thrilled to welcome him to the company." In this newly created position, Mr. Citron will advise on business and editorial strategies to drive greater usage and revenue from the company's offerings, which now reach over 30 million consumers a month. "Buzznet is one of the real trailblazers in new media pub...