Interactive One Studios Adds Russell Simmons' GlobalGrind.com to Its Roster

NEW YORK, April 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest urban digital media company in the world, Interactive One, announces a sales, content, technology, product and marketing partnership with GlobalGrind.com and its founder Russell Simmons.

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The partnership will be managed by Interactive One Studios, the company's business unit that packages Interactive One's cross-platform sales force, leading suite of products, unparalleled original content library, and award-winning marketing services, into an agency that other 3^rd party publishers can utilize to increase their revenue, gain more robust content, and/or increase their traffic and engagement.

Interactive One Studios has additionally partnered with NARRATIVE: The Culture Lab; a digital marketing, entertainment and technology company focused on developing unique brand experiences and solutions, recently founded by former GlobalGrind.com Co-President, Tricia Clarke-Stone and Russell Simmons.  NARRATIVE will continue to manage GlobalGrind.com's growing client base with marketing, revenue generation services, and sales media representation.

"GlobalGrind.com has been one of the most important urban crossover content platforms in the space," said Tom Newman, President of Interactive One. "Joining their brand, content, and offline presence together with the core digital competencies we've developed is incredibly exciting."

With work to begin immediately, the GlobalGrind.com website will migrate to Interactive One's proprietary platform, giving them the opportunity to expand their business with the benefit of increased scale, world-class advertising media management and support, guaranteed uptimes and tech support and a unique set of features and functions that have made the channels within the Interactive One network a leader in the space.

As part of the deal, GlobalGrind's content team, led by co-President Michael Skolnik, will work out of Interactive's One's NYC headquarters.

"True to his legacy, Russell has built an online platform loved by both audiences and advertisers alike," said Alfred C. Liggins III, CEO of Interactive One.  "I am honored to partner with him in this next phase of GlobalGrind and welcome it as an Interactive One Studios' signature client."

GlobalGrind is Hip-Pop!  Founded by legendary entrepreneur Russell Simmons, GlobalGrind.com is an all encompassing site that covers the "Hip" side of Pop culture across multiple verticals – Entertainment, Celebrity, Music, Style and Fashion, Culture, News and Politics.  GlobalGrind provides a platform for an active cross-cultural audience of influencers to consume and interact with compelling content and unique digital experiences.

"Having the strongest urban digital publishing partner in Alfred Liggins' Interactive One, while retaining GlobalGrind's unique content vision and sales representation, gives us the best of all worlds – a powerful partnership that gives us scale along with the independence and continuity to reach millions," said Russell Simmons, Founder and Chairman of GlobalGrind.com.

GlobalGrind.com is the latest addition to Interactive One Studios joining Reach Media, BlackAmericaWeb.com, BlackDoctor.org and others.

ABOUT INTERACTIVE ONE

Interactive One is one of the fastest growing digital companies reaching millions of Black and Latino Americans each month. With approximately 3 billion annual page views on its suite of sites, the company has become the definitive online resource for the urban community through its suite of social, local radio and content offerings such as HelloBeautiful (www.HelloBeautiful.com), the fastest growing lifestyle resource for today's Black woman; NewsOne (www.NewsOne.com), which provides up to the minute, comprehensive coverage of newsworthy events relevant to Black Americans across the country and the world; TheUrbanDaily (www.TheUrbanDaily.com), the eyes and ears for the urban community looking for what's hot online, on the airwaves, in theaters, and on the street; GIANTlife (www.GiantLife.com), the definitive urban lifestyle brand for Next Generation tastemakers and icons  Elev8 (www.Elev8.com) a site devoted to elevating the mind, body and spirit, ZONA de Sabor (www.Zonadesabor.com), the new online destination for today's urban Latino who wants to stay current on entertainment and celebrity news in the Latino community  and our social platform anchored by the iconic BlackPlanet (www.BlackPlanet.com), the newly launched BlackPlanetNEXT (www.BlackPlanetNEXT.com), and the new BlackPlanet RADIO (www.BlackPlanetRadio.com), the digital industry's first social radio website created for the African American community.

Interactive One was launched by Radio One, Inc. in 2008 to complement Radio One's existing portfolio of media companies targeting Black Americans. Since its launch, Interactive One has quickly become the #1 online platform for the African American and urban community. 

ABOUT GLOBAL GRIND

GlobalGrind is The New American Mainstream. Based on the vision of Russell Simmons, GlobalGrind.com is the only Hip Pop site that's all encompassing; bringing the broadest array of content across multiple verticals - entertainment, celebrity, music, style & fashion, culture, news and politics, to an active cross-cultural 18-34 year old audience; Today's most influential and active consumers growing from a niche segment to the center of American culture.

SOURCE Interactive One