Celebstreet.com Signs 'Downtown' Julie Brown and Riki Rachtman as Hosts
LOS ANGELES, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebstreet.com, the new entertainment web portal and Entertainment Content Provider created by the founder of E! Entertainment Television has signed Riki Rachtman and "Downtown" Julie Brown as hosts for the website's content, it was announced today by Alan Mruvka, Chairman and CEO of Celebstreet.com.
Brown will cover entertainment events such as film premieres and award shows, as well as conduct interviews with film and television stars. Rachtman will provide the site's music coverage, interviewing the industry's biggest names, attending record launch parties and introducing new music and bands.
"Julie and Riki are two dynamic personalities who bring experience and attitude to their coverage that you won't find anywhere else," said Mruvka. "Their enthusiasm for the entertainment they cover carries over to the fun, high-energy coverage they deliver. Their experience guarantees that Celebstreet.com visitors will get the whole story."
Celebstreet.com divides its content into eight main sections: Moviestreet, Musicstreet, Televisionstreet, Fashionstreet, Auctionstreet, Celebritystreet, Camstreet and Shoppingstreet. These sections will be filled with original video and text content, as well as area-specific content from strategic partners such as TV Guide (Televisionstreet), The Weather Channel, Global Fulfillment (Shoppingstreet) and EarthCam.com (Camstreet).
The site will also offer a mix of original, full motion, full screen streaming digital video, in partnership with On2.com (Amex: ONT), to broadband Internet users. Through its strategic partnership with GlobalFulfillment, Celebstreet.com's e-commerce initiative (shopping.celebstreet.com) features the world's largest collection of more than 1.8 million entertainment titles.
"Downtown" Julie Brown is a versatile interviewer and actress, best known for her roles as an MTV VJ and host of E! Entertainment Television's "The Gossip Show."
A native of Bedfordshire, England, she hosted several television programs in the U.K., including "Music Box," before being "discovered" by MTV. After many successful years as a VJ and host of "Club MTV," Julie left MTV to pursue another of her passions -- sports -- as an interviewer for ESPN.
There she interviewed such notables as Mickey Mantle, Michael Jordan and Jerry Rice. Next, she served as a special reporter for the syndicated "Inside Edition," before landing the coveted role as host of E!'s "The Gossip Show." At E!, she also hosted the network's coverage of award programs such as the Grammys. Most recently she has been involved in numerous TV and film projects, including her series on DirecTV, "In Tune." Beginning June 1, she will also host her own live, three-hour radio program that will be nationally syndicated by PTN Media.
In his varied career, Riki Rachtman has proven that he can do anything he sets his mind to from music impresario, to TV and radio personality. In the mid 1980s, Riki was working as a DJ at discos throughout Hollywood, when he decided to open his own rock club (one of the first in LA). His eye for talent led Riki to book then up-and-coming bands like Guns 'n' Roses and Faster Pussycat for his 500-capacity club. As the club's reputation grew, Riki booked more established bands including Pearl Jam, White Zombie and Black Crowes, among many others. It was Riki's friend Axl Rose who suggested that Riki audition for a job as a VJ at MTV, and with no prior TV experience, Riki became host of "Headbanger's Ball," a job he kept for the next five years. Having become a celebrity in his own right, after Riki appeared as a guest on the popular syndicated radio program "Loveline," he was invited back as one of the show's hosts and for the next 2 1/2 years, guided the show to number one ratings in many of its syndicated markets. In 1996, Riki struck out on his own once again to host his own radio talk show in LA. For two straight years, his "Riki Rachtman Radio," on 97.1 KLSX-FM was the number one rated show in evening drive time.
Founded by Alan Mruvka, Filmtown Entertainment CEO and founder of E! Entertainment Television, Celebstreet.com features gossip and news from the world of movies, television, music, as well as fashion and celebrities. Visitors to Celebst.com will be able to view and download in-the-spotlight and behind-the-scenes footage, video clips and music files; read the site's original editorial content; participate in online chats and entertainment memorabilia auctions; and buy videos, DVDs, CDs books, video games and entertainment collectibles at the site's online store. The site also plans to offer streaming original video content specifically targeted to web users with broadband connections to the Internet.
SOURCE Celebstreet.com
CO: Celebstreet.com; E! Entertainment Television; On2.com
ST: California
IN: MLM ENT
SU: PER
05/15/2000 08:04 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com