UGO Networks

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UGO Networks, Incorporated (pronounced /ˌjuːˌʤiːˈoʊ/, as the individual letters) is a website providing coverage of online media in entertainment targeting males age 18-34. The company is currently based in New York City, New York, USA.On July 24, 2007 it was announced that Hearst Corporation would acquire UGO Networks.

The company started in 1997 as Unified Gamers Online, billed in directories as a “hand-picked network of professionally managed gaming sites and services.”[1] In 1997, founder Chris Sherman sold UGO to Actionworld, Inc.,[2] a subsidiary of InterWorld, which incorporated the company in the state of Delaware in April, 1997.[3] That same year, InterWorld spun off the company “in order to permit UGO Networks to build a separate management team…and to position UGO Networks to seek private equity financing.”[4] In 1998, UGO—then described as “the largest independent gaming community on the Internet”[5]—created the prestigious UGO E3 Awards, now the Game Critics Awards, to recognize quality Video game entertainment.[6] In 1999, UGO changed its name to Underground Online as part of its efforts to expand its target audience. The company streams various forms of media entertainment on its website as well as offering articles on topics of interest to its target audience. Topics include comics, television, music, and film. Its main competitors include CNet Networks, IGN Entertainment, and Yahoo![7]

Contents

[edit] The network

UGO Networks includes GameBanshee, a provider of news, reviews, previews and editorials dealing with role-playing video games; the Banshee Network, a network of hosted sites dealing with specific titles in the genre; Gaming Target; Gameworld Network and Video Gamer Network.

[edit] Features

Hero Machine is a Flash-based website that allows you to create your own superhero and share it.
Studio UGO features exclusive live performances by artists like 30 Seconds to Mars, Three Days Grace, The Wreckers, and others.
Actress Archives is a UGO branded website focusing on actress and female entertainer related news, photo galleries, and videos.
Casters Realm is a UGO branded blog website that features news and information on MMORPG games such as Everquest, World of Warcraft, and Tabula Rasa.

[edit] Company profile

Management:

J Moses, Chief Executive Officer
Michael McCracken, President and Chief Operating Officer
Brian LaRock, Chief Financial Officer
Richard Kennedy, Vice President, Business Development
Vernon Church, Chief Content Officer

Board:

Steven Dietz, Principal, GRP
J Moses, Chief Executive Officer, UGO Networks, Inc.
Michael Raphael, Investment Manager, CMS Companies
Yves Sisteron, Principal, GRP
Strauss Zelnick, Founder, ZelnickMedia

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Kids & Games. Ultrabrowser.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
  2. ^ Sherman, Chris. Re: ONLINE-ADS Zapata is nuts.... online-ads.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
  3. ^ InterWorld Corps. Form :10-K. Filing Date:2/28/2000. sec.edgar-online.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
  4. ^ InterWorld Corps. S-1. On 2/7/0. sec.edgar-online.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
  5. ^ Thrill Kill Nominated for Best Fighting Game of E3 Show. Atari SIG Historical Archive. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
  6. ^ Sherman Ventures, LLC. Sherman Ventures. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.
  7. ^ UGO Networks, Inc.. Hoovers, Inc. Retrieved on 2007-04-20.