RIOT Media Targets Tween Market

Posted on April 16, 2004

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.