Deca

Digital Power 2009

The Hollywood Reporter June 1, 2009

Content Captains: Developing new-media programming to remember

Michael Wayne
Co-founder, president and CEO, DECA

Wayne launched his first startup, an English-language magazine in Prague, right out of college in 1995. He then helped build music site Launch.com, which raised $80 million in 2001 and was later bought by Yahoo. And since 2007, he's raised $15 million for his digital entertainment startup that nurtures "organically grown Internet stars." So far, he's built seven properties, including Smosh, a teen site that's the third most-watched YouTube channel of all time; Momversation, videos and blogs by moms; and Project Lore, dedicated to the popular online game World of Warcraft. "There is this idea that talent is based in L.A," he says. "We feel that Internet talent is all over the world."

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Seven Video Content Pioneers to Watch

Christine Beardsell for ClickZ May 19, 2009

DECA is always surprising me. It really looks at the digital space as a blank canvas and constantly rethinks and reinvents what a content experience might look like. Some projects it's developed over the last year include the innovative vlogger aggregated show Momversation and expansion of the Smosh empire. And in addition to developing and expanding great shows, it also develops the brand utilities that surround shows and motivation strategies.

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Momversation - Interact with Mommy Bloggers. Become a Smarter Parent.

Sharon Hurley Hall for AppVita May 8, 2009

We were very impressed when we first got a look at Momversation. The site is attractive and it’s easy to find current and recent posts as well as links to the site’s other features. Getting into Momversation is as easy as clicking on the play button for the video. You will see a well produced video featuring some of the site’s nine panelists. Within each video, there are short snippets from each panelist, keeping the viewer’s interest levels high. Once an episode is over, there are opportunities to connect with the panelists and with other moms through the blog comments and the site’s own forum.

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Fighting in Front of the Kids

Lisa Belkin for The New York Times April 24, 2009

For decades, studies have shown that when parents fight, children are likely to become aggressive, anxious and withdrawn...

I like Asha Dornfest’s analysis, during a chat over on the Momversation a while back, about arguing in front of the children. Describing a “bickerfest” with her husband in front of their 4-year-old daughter, Dornfest, who is the founder of the Web site Parenthacks says:

“All three of us actually learned something from the resolution. She got to see us working it out and actually laughing about it later and realizing how silly it was. It’s not necessarily a good thing if all the kids ever see are Mommy and Daddy speaking very reasonably and always working things out like adults. It seems to me that conflict resolution is something you have to learn. It’s probably best learned at home, and if you never see anyone getting angry with each other, how are you going to deal with it when you grow up?”

In other words, if you fight fair, odds are you won’t mess up your kids. Which is a relief to those of us — I’d wager MOST of us — who fall short of the kind of hushed, serene household where my grandparents lived.

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