Break.com
| Web address |
break |
|---|---|
| Owner | Defy Media |
| Launched | 1998 |
Alexa rank |
 4,330 (February 2016)[1] |
Break.com (formerly Big-boys.com) is an entertainment and humor website founded in 1998 that features comedy videos, flash games, and pictures among other material. The CEO of Break is Keith Richman. The website's target audience is men aged 18–35.[2]
History
Break.com was founded in 1998 as Big-boys.com, a humor website featuring comedy videos, flash games, and other material. Previously, visitors were able to rank site material on a scale of 1 to 5, but Break has since replaced this feature with a thumbs up or thumbs down system. Negative scores are not allowed on videos – a "thumb down" simply counteracts the vote of a "thumb up". Users can also comment on most of the individual entries.
In January 2006, Break.com introduced a new file hosting system for its users to share their files. Shared files can be promoted to the homepage to be featured. Users that host original files promoted to the homepage are paid and the user relinquishes all rights to their material under contract.[3]
In August 2006, Break.com and Showtime partnered to promote Weeds by encouraging Break.com users to upload original videos matching the themes of the show, with winners eligible for airing on the channel.[4] Since then, advertising from various television shows and movies has appeared around the site, with similar video competitions occurring occasionally.
In March 2007, Break.com signed a contract with NBCU Digital Studios to develop a streaming broadband series to be featured on Break.com, tentatively titled Breakers. The show will involve attractive women finding different ways to break objects.[5] Breaker's advertising revenue will come from businesses paying to have their product smashed on the show. Break.com's young-male demographic is expected to attract the advertisers. Break.com CEO Keith Richman stated, "We have a male audience that likes attractive women and demolition."[6]
In April 2007, Break.com announced a deal with Fear Factor and Big Brother producer Endemol USA to create a new show called Record Breakers. The show will center around contestants attempting to break obscure world records. Endemol chose Break.com for its ability to reach the young-male demographic. According to MediaWeek the show is likely to carry pre-roll video advertisements and banner ads.[5]
As of July 2008, Break was one of the 300 most viewed sites in the world.[7]
In July 2009, Break.com partnered up with G4's Web Soup for their "This Week In FAIL" segment.[8]
In February 2010, Break.com purchased the PC game mod hosting network FileFront.com, which was previously owned by Ziff Davis Media.[9]
The website is owned by TMFT Enterprises, LLC.
See also
References
- ↑ "Break.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2016-02-11.
- ↑ Paul R. La Monica (2007-02-09). "Big media beats up on YouTube". CNNMoney.com. Retrieved 2007-04-09.
- ↑ Break.com Terms Of Use, Retrieved April 9, 2007 Archived March 23, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Heather Green (2006-08-22). "Break.com's Innovative Marketing Deal With Showtime". BusinessWeek. Retrieved 2007-03-24.
- 1 2 Mike Shields (2007-04-09). "Break.com, Endemol to Launch Record Breakers". MediaWeek. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-09.
- ↑ Andrew Wallenstein (2007-03-14). "NBCU Digital Preps 'Breakers'". Adweek. Archived from the original on 2007-03-17. Retrieved 2007-04-09.
- ↑ Traffic Details: break.com, Alexa Internet, #248 retrieved July 15, 2008
- ↑ Break.com & Web Soup's "This Week In FAIL" - Break.com (accessed July 30, 2009)
- ↑ Schonfeld, Erick (11 February 2010). "Break Media Buys Gaming Site FileFront". TechCrunch. Retrieved 25 January 2015.