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Friday, April 16, 2004
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RIOT Media Targets Tween Market
RIOT Media, a new company that will develop,
produce and market multi-platform entertainment programming and media products
for tween boys, has launched with RIOT, its flagship branded property. The
company also announced the formation of RIOT Consulting, which will provide
strategy and expertise to other organizations seeking to reach the tween market.
The announcements were made by Jay Gissen, President and CEO, RIOT Media.
"With 15 million boys ages 8-13 spending $18 billion annually on their own and
influencing an additional $145 billion in spending, many companies have devoted
considerable time and resources marketing individual products to them," said Gissen.
"Yet no one has been able to successfully create an integrated brand that delivers
content for multiple platforms simultaneously. We will fill this market niche in a
way that our target audience will embrace and make their own."
RIOT content will include a comic book, a monthly magazine and books; live action
and animated television and home video programming; collectible game and trading cards;
toys, electronic games, action figures and other licensed products; and an interactive
website with an e-commerce element. The first products are expected to be available to
consumers in the Spring, 2005.
All creative RIOT content stems from a central, core story that draws on the
universal theme of the battle between good and evil, with powerful villains and underdog
heroes. The RIOT story is set in a fictional, small American city that is threatened
when an evil circus arrives. Determined to drive the locals insane and steal their mental
powers, the members of the circus -- nasty clowns, disgusting freaks, scary daredevils
and wild animal acts -- set up shop and begin implementing their diabolical plan. Faced
with this threat, the town's boys rally and fight back -- aided by a very special chimp
who escapes from the circus and helps the boys in their desperate fight. As the true
hero of the story, Riot the Chimp is the proud mascot of the entire RIOT brand and
will be featured prominently in all materials and products.
RIOT Consulting will provide strategic analysis, contribute content, develop branding
and serve in an advisory capacity to companies targeting the tween market.
RIOT Consulting has already been retained
by TV Guide. RIOT Consulting is working with TV Guide to help the publication reach
younger, wider audiences through advertising, advertorials, cable and satellite providers
and special interest publications.
The RIOT Media team includes:
- Jay Gissen, President and CEO: A senior executive at several high
profile consumer magazines, Gissen most recently served as Director of
Editorial Operations and Director of Editorial Development for TV
Guide. Prior to TV Guide, Gissen held a senior position at TVSM, Inc., where
he re-launched the monthly Cable Guide, launched the weekly Total TV
and the website Total TV Online. Gissen also re-launched US Magazine
for Jann Wenner and served as the magazine's Editor and Executive
Editor.
- Mike Hammer, Advisor: One of the founding editors of Stuff and Maxim
Magazines, Hammer is chief content advisor for RIOT. Hammer has also
been the entertainment editor for YM Magazine and was managing editor
during the re-launch of The Cable Guide as a full size monthly in 1990
and the launch of Total TV as a weekly competitor to TV Guide. He was
later hired as TV Guide's Senior Reporter on the television industry.
- Chad Tomlinson, Creative Director: Tomlinson comes to RIOT after
serving as art director at the influential Roger Black Consulting.
While at RBC, his most rewarding assignment was aiding in the revival
of National Geographic's 25 year-old kids' title World. He has also
held positions at Saveur, Details and Real Simple.
- Rob Edelstein, Editor-in-Chief, RIOT magazine and RIOT online:
Edelstein brings a diverse array of editorial and reporting skills to
RIOT, including an expertise in television, music and motor sports. As
the motor sports editor for TV Guide, he writes all of the cover
stories for that publication. He is also the author of two books on
NASCAR.
- Jeff Iorio, Webmaster: Iorio most recently served as an editor at
BN.com, where he wrote edited, reviews and helped manage the editorial
area of Barnes & Noble's website. Previously he worked under
the tutelage of Jay Gissen, first at TVSM and later at TV Guide. Iorio
was instrumental in the development of Total TV Online, the earliest
successful web-based TV site, where he regularly wrote and edited
stories.
- Cherie Cincilla, Photo Advisor: Cincella is currently photo editor for
Outdoor Life Magazine. Prior to that, she served in the same capacity
for Cable Guide and Total TV.
RIOT Media's lead investment bank is AdMedia Partners, one of the top financial advisory
firms in the industry. The AdMedia team is led by Mark Edmiston, a senior executive with
extensive experience in magazine publishing, including Time Inc., Newsweek Inc. and TVSM
Inc. RIOT Media is based in New York City.
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