Don't touch that browser - girls are taking over the Internet and Voxxy is their new headquarters.
Voxxy, whose name comes from vox (the Latin word for voice) combined with the symbol for the female chromosome, XX, is at the forefront of a revolution that may replace TV as the primary source of information dissemination and entertainment. Voxxy combines the entertainment value of television with the interactive community elements of the Internet - chatrooms, message boards, e-mail, and embedded e-commerce - and caters to the up-and-coming Internet market: young girls.
"Voxxy's mission is to give girls a voice through interactive programming that is edgy, fun and entertaining, as well as inspiring and empowering," says Voxxy Creative Executive Kelly Patterson, a 1999 University alumna. The number of girls aged 12 to 17 who use the Internet grew more than any other group in the United States during 1999, soaring 126 percent, while the number of boys online in the same age group rose only 45 percent (Source: Media Metrix) The modern, cyber-savvy teenaged girl is ready for entertainment made just for her.
Voxxy.com went live on Friday, Oct. 13, with six streaming media shows, 200 content pages, 45 message boards, five chat rooms, four satellite sites and first stage e-commerce capabilities. Voxxy hopes to evolve into a full digital cable channel that will deliver content to set-top boxes via high-speed data lines. Voxxy also plans to branch out into films, music, and publishing that will promote Voxxy's theme of female empowerment and creativity.
Streamed programming will make up the bulk of the site and text will be kept to a minimum. Voxxy's original streaming media programming will compete with television shows airing on networks like the WB and MTV. Unlike conventional television, Voxxy's shows will be interactive and invite audience participation through remote control.
The Voxxy site earns money from sponsorship, advertising and e-commerce, and attacking its targeted demographic through multiple channels. According to the Spring 1999 TRU Marketing and Lifestyle Survey, by 2002, e-commerce revenue from teens will hit $1.2 billion. Teens seem to have extra spending money and Voxxy wants to help them spend it.
Debra McGuire, the costume designer for "Friends," "Freaks and Geeks," "Jesse," and "Grosse Point," will track the latest fashion trends and sell them exclusively on Voxxy. Voxxy will get at the heart of girl culture by infiltrating the most time-honored bastion of them all: shopping malls. Interactive kiosks will peddle Voxxy's line of beauty products, branded cell phone service, and calling cards. There may even be a record label up Voxxy's color-coordinated sleeve.
About 20 original series are in the works and will air exclusively on Voxxy. All shows not only meet broadband and cable television quality standards, they meet the standards of Voxxy's 1,000 girl thinktank. Voxxy's philosophy is that men in suits should not make the creative decisions of a Web site designed for girls.
Content pushes the envelope of what Hollywood allows on television. The animated series "S*it Happens" parodies teen shows on Fox and the WB. You won't find girls who are strictly size two at Voxxy. You will find subversive, provocative entertainment.
Other shows coming to a computer near you include: an interactive documentary-style show from the creators of MTV's "Real World" and "Road Rules;" a dating show that interviews friends, family and ex-girlfriends of contestants; a Spanish-English teen oriented sitcom and live concerts.
Voxxy's access to the latest technology and its commitment to providing quality entertainment have attracted Hollywood heavyweights who are tired of stifling, big-media bureaucracy. Voxxy's renegade spirit and promise of greater artistic freedom piqued Jennifer Aniston's interest. The "Friends" star has agreed to be the network's three-year "spokesgoddess." She will also produce and star in an original series for Voxxy where she said she will speak honestly with teens about anything from self-image and social politics to family and friends.
"Interactive television is amazing and I think that Jen XX [Jennifer Aniston's show] is going to set a standard in that area," said Catherine Henley, assistant to two Voxxy co-founders/presidents.
Interactive television is the medium of the future and the profit potential of integrative media Web sites and their popularity with the teenage girl demographic has spawned similar sites, including Alloy, Teen.com, and Chickclick.
Voxxy isn't all fun and games. In its SOS section, the multimedia network also educates girls on serious topics like eating disorders, suicide prevention, teen pregnancy and sexual abuse. Singer Shirley Manson discussed her personal struggle with self-injury during an evening of live chats. Voxxy wants to provide "resources that are helpful and inspiring, letting girls know that change is possible. By talking to someone that they admire about the problem they will know that they are not alone," said Amy Rardin, Voxxy outreach producer.
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