Network on the ‘Verge’

E-Retailer Karmaloop Taps Katie McEnroe for Youth-Culture Net

By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 3/15/2010 3:55:23 PM

Youth-targeted online retailer Karmaloop is looking to reach racially-diverse, tech-centric audiences on television via a new digital-cable network set to launch this fall.

 

Heading up the new channel is former AMC and Lionsgate programming executive Katie McEnroe, who said the network would provide operators with a chance to reach an audience that is abandoning cable to watch their favorite shows on the Web.

“These kids are color-blind that grew up with the Internet, but didn’t have a cable network that talked to them,” she said.

Initially the ad-supported network will predominately feature theatrical movies, cult film classics and rarely seen documentaries that targeted a young demographic, according to McEnroe.

Movie titles include Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, From Dusk Till Dawn, Enter the Dragon, Belly, Empire Records and Wildstyle.

The movies will be buttressed by original shows such as The Smash-Up With Clinton Sparks, a in-studio music and interview show; The Inside Track, a celebrity/musician profi le show; Tagged, about digital, graphic and street artists, and Courtside, about professional athletes.

Selkoe said the network already has a built-in audience based on the success of Karmaloop.com. Th e site averages 4 million unique visitors per month and generated $100 million in revenue last year through the online sale of more than 250 unique, limited-edition streetwear and verge culture brands like In4Mation and Hellz Bellz, Selkoe said.

“We own the demographic—these are alpha consumers and trendsetters who are willing to pay for the latest clothes and fashions,” Selkoe said. “We felt that this is natural extension of our brand to go into the cable business because there really isn’t an MTV for this generation that’s edgy and underground.

” A companion Web site, KarmaloopTV.com, features short specials and shows, including fashion and culture focused The Daily Loop, news show Globaloop and Buyer’s Wire. Selkoe said some of the series could migrate from the Web to television.

McEnroe said the network is in negotiations with several cable operators for distribution of the service on digital tiers, movie tiers or HD expanded basic tiers but no deals have been done to date.

While there won’t be home-shopping shows, McEnroe said there would be opportunities to connect Karmaloop TV on-air programming with commerce opportunities through the Web site via clickable ads and other interactive features.