On Monday, November 29, 1999, Time Warner launched its new Internetentertainment network, Entertaindom. The new channel is the first on-lineentertainment network produced from a major media company. The channel willoffer a smorgasbord of on-line entertainment, news, and services from Warner'svast vault of branded material. Entertaindom will include entertainmentnews andinformation from "Entertainment Weekly," CNN, Reuters, "Variety" and othersources, including music and TV stories, movie reviews, hit lists and critics'polls. It will also provide on-line services, shopping opportunities andcommunity functions such as e-mail, chat groups and entertainment homepages helmed by AcmeCity, the joint venture between Warner Bros. On-lineand FortuneCity.com. Entertainment looks to be the main goal forEntertaindom. The network will provide new shows produced for the Web thathave the chance to cross over into other media like THE GOD AND DEVIL SHOWand the cult character DR. SCIENCE. Warner franchises like DC Comics' 3DSUPERMAN and Warner Bros.' classic MARVIN THE MARTIAN will have their own"webisodic" shows. In addition, Warner will tap into its classic LooneyToon library and broadcast full-length cartoons as exclusive on-linefeatures. "Entertaindom is an extension of our strategy to harness theconsolidated strength of Time Warner's brands in the on-line world," saidGerald Levin, Chairman and CEO of Time Warner Inc. "Entertaindom featuresshort programs which are as clever, creative and cutting-edge as manyfeature films and television shows," said Richard Bressler, Chairman andCEO of Time Warner Digital Media. SUPERMAN: THE MENACE OF METALLO will be anew, weekly 3D "Multipath Movie" series, with seven-minute episodes thatrecreate the thrill of cliff-hanging serials from the Golden Age ofHollywood. MARVIN THE MARTIAN will bring back to life the Warner Bros.character with new minute-long 3D animated shorts, utilizing the famousMarvin voice and the original Carl Stalling Looney Tunes musical cues. THEGOD AND DEVIL SHOW will be a weekly, animated talk show featuring celebs(parodied by voice impersonators) who are interviewed by God and the Devilthemselves. DR. SCIENCE will be a weekly 3D-animated program starring anover-confident know-it-all in a lab coat. On-line surfers may submit theirown questions each week and wait to see what crazy mis-information DR.SCIENCE comes up with. Major advertisers like CD Now, Doughnet, eBay,Intel, J.C. Penney, Kabang, Microsoft, Movietown, Procter & Gamble, RCA,Volkswagen and Web TV have joined the channel already for its initallaunch. With the combination of Warners' famous branded media, hefty nameslike CNN and "Entertainment Weekly," and big time advertisers, Entertaindomlooks like it has the potential to be a major powerhouse and trail blazerin the world of Internet broadcasting.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
