MMC Sets Jan. 2011 Launch Of TVLine.com

MMC, the media and publishing company founded by Chairman-CEO Jay Penske announced that TVLine is the name of its new consumer TV focused property launching in early January 2011. Michael Ausiello is editor-in-chief and founder of the new website, with Matt Webb Mitovich serving as editor-at-large. MMC also owns the entertainment properties Deadline.com led by Nikki Finke, HollywoodLife.com led by Bonnie Fuller, and Movieline.com led by Charles Runnette.

MMC also announced that HBO is on board as the exclusive advertiser for the first two weeks of TVLine’s much anticipated launch.

Prior to going live in January, at www.TVLine.com, TVLine will announce the hiring of additional reporters to complement Ausiello, Mitovich and Deadline’s Nellie Andreeva (who will contribute to the new site while continuing TV industry coverage at Deadline.com). The focus of the editorial team, MMC said, is to fulfill MMC’s goal of “creating a premiere news destination that offers exceptional and judicious coverage of television’s most popular and talked about scripted programs as well as reality-TV heavyweights such as American Idol and Dancing With The Stars.”