DECA

TOP 100 WEBSITES FOR WOMEN
The best of the Web for working women

No one can succeed on her own. Even the savviest women need help along the way. To that end, with the help of the ForbesWoman community, we’ve searched the Web for the most dynamic, inspiring and helpful websites for women. We’re delighted to present this list of ForbesWoman’s Top 100 Websites for Women.

To determine which sites and blogs made the cut we looked for compelling and decidedly female-oriented content, outstanding design, an active community and frequent updates. In short, sheer clickyness.

coolmom.com: TV host and pop culture writer Daphne Brogdon blogs and posts videos to fuel the “momversation.”

Michael Wayne | DECA – Digital Power profile

Under CEO Michael Wayne’s direction, this premium-video provider has gotten in touch with its feminine side. That may come as a surprise, and not only because the conventional wisdom held that young males are easy pickings online. It’s also because the most recognizable faces on its programming slate may be dudes like Web-celeb dudes like Diggnation’s Alex Albrecht, who moonlights for DECA’s “Project Lore,” or the comedic duo behind YouTube-bred sensation “Smosh.”

But Wayne began steering the company toward female-friendly programming 18 months ago hot on the heels of DECA’s first breakout hit, “Momversation.” Now he’s lured over 25 branded entertainment deals to a slew of series targeting women covering parenting, food and there will be more launched later in 2010. ‘Momversation’ was a real paradigm shift for us,” said Wayne, a former Sony exec who launched DECA three years ago with venture-capital financing.“We had to capitalize on that hit.”

Wayne’s next strategic shift will be distributing its programming off its homegrown sites, including female-targeted portals, mobile and entirely offline product extensions. That’s a big change for Wayne, whose always flouted the hyperdistribution mode but the new plan nods to his TV roots at Sony. “We have a portfolio of O&O sites for women,” he said. “Now we’re going to expand into our affiliates network.”

Congratulations Aarti! We’ll be watching and rooting for you on ‘The Next Food Network Star’ this Sunday, June 6th.

Check out this article in today’s Los Angeles Times also featuring Aarti and other contestants on the show:

They All Want to be The Next Guy Fieri

She’s Indian, speaks with a lovely trill and has a kittenish sex appeal that will remind you of Nigella.

But Aarti Sequeira would really prefer that you describe her as the next Guy Fieri.

Sequeira is one of three L.A.-area contestants who have cooked and campaigned their way onto Season 6 of “The Next Food Network Star,” which premieres Sunday night on the cable channel with a celebrity-studded season set in Los Angeles. Among those scheduled to appear along with judge Bobby Flay and this season’s mentor, Giada De Laurentiis, will be actress and restaurateur Eva Longoria Parker.

Clockwise from left: Chris Kimbell, Michael Wayne, Angela Preston, Chris Preston, Marissa Cramer, Joe Cane, Denise Montero, Chris Sanz and our youngest team member, Diego Sanz

On Sunday, May 23rd  some of our team woke up bright and early to participate in the 11th Annual Bruin Run/Walk, a 5K benefiting the Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA. The event was hosted by Dakota Fanning and brought together UCLA students, faculty and members of the greater LA community. There were live performances, free food and giveaways as well as a silent auction and prizes. It was fun-filled morning despite the light rain that momentarily rolled in. Team DECA ran a great race!

Congratulations to Chris Kimbell (VP Programming) for finishing first in our team at 24:33!

Food Network has announced the lineup for this year’s installment of The Next Food Network Star and we are delighted to announced that Good Bite’s very own Aarti Sequeira was chosen as one of the 12 finalists! Make sure to catch the first episode on June 6. And the other finalists are…

Alexis Hernandez, Indiana

Aria Kagan, Florida

Brad Sorenson, Texas

Brianna Jenkins, Georgia

Darrell Smith, California

Doreen Fang, California

Dzintra Dzenis, Texas

Herb Mesa, Georgia

Paul Young, Chicago

Serena Palumbo, NYC

Tom Pizzica, California

Congratulations Parents Ask!

Parents Ask has been selected as an Official Honoree for the Family/Parenting category in The 14th Annual Webby Awards.

As a result of the exceptional quality of submissions this year, the Academy has recognized outstanding entries as Official Honorees alongside the Nominees. The Official Honoree distinction is awarded to the top 15% of all work entered that exhibits remarkable achievement. With nearly 10,000 entries received from all 50 states and over 60 countries, this is an outstanding accomplishment for the entire team of Parents Ask.

We, at DECA, love a good burger so when Good Bite’s Managing Editor, Kat Odell, mentioned that the Umami Burger Truck would be setting up shop outside nearby Fred Segal, we jumped at the chance to scarf down some of the savory specialties. We gobbled up uber-juicy burgers served alongside perfectly seasoned fries, hardly able to come up for air to rave about the sheer “delicousness” of each bite. Thank you Kat and Umami for full bellies and a wonderfully indulgent lunch!

PS - Stay tuned for the Umami Restaurant soon opening up inside Fred Segal…

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (Dec. 3, 2009) – Food For The Poor received $10,000 from Quaker Oats and Goodbite.com, thanks to a popular food blogger and all of the fans who turned up the heat and voted for her oatmeal recipe on You Tube.

Laura Levy, of laurasbestrecipes.com, says she now wants to stoke the fire and fan the flames. The popular food blogger was so excited about what $10,000 could do; she found that she wanted to do more. Because Food For The Poor can feed a child for $36 a year, at least 277 children will be fed with the money from the challenge. Levy wants to raise enough money to feed 500 hungry children.

The children who will be helped with the winnings live in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. Without this money, they wonder day-to-day how they will eat. Levy has become a “Champion” for the organization, and anyone can help her meet her latest goal by visiting www.foodforthepoor.org/lauralevy.

In October, Levy joined the “Awaken Your Senses Challenge” sponsored by Quaker Oats and Goodbite.com. Her scrumptious oatmeal-topping recipe - “Red, White & Berry” – tallied up the most votes among 12 bloggers. Levy won the competition and the grand prize has been granted to Food For The Poor, the largest international relief and development agency in the United States.

Levy chose the charity to receive the winnings, stating on her Facebook page that the organization “was very close to her heart.”

This is the first time Food For The Poor teamed up with a food blogger and participated in an Internet-based challenge.

“Truly, the winners of this challenge are those whom we serve. The children, the families, the elderly we help — we can claim victory for them,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “It is wonderful that Levy chose to represent us in this challenge. We are grateful our organization and the work we do resonated with her, and we feel blessed for that.”

Food For The Poor, the largest international relief and development organization in the United States, does much more than feed millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information please visit, http://www.foodforthepoor.org.

Contact:
Aimee Vignola
Public Relations Associate
954.427.2222, ext. 6079
aimeev@foodforthepoor.com

PARENTSASK.COM - NEW WEB SERIES FEATURES PANELS OF PARENTING EXPERTS ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT RAISING CHILDREN
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Weekly Online Show and Web Site Features Leaders in Medicine, Psychology and Child Development
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Santa Monica, CA/New York, NY (October 29, 2009) — DECA (www.deca.tv), the digital media and entertainment company known for creating premium Web series and high-quality communities, announced today the launch of its latest brand – Parents Ask (www.ParentsAsk.com). The new Web series and site brings together the country’s leading pediatricians, authors, and psychologists to answer parents’ questions and give expert advice on raising a healthy family.

“Our Web series format brings together the high production value of TV and the active engagement of online communities,” said Michael Wayne, CEO of DECA. “We know that parents are looking online for answers to the tough questions about raising their kids, so we set out to bring together a panel of the top experts in the country. We created Parents Ask to directly connect parents with the most knowledgeable authorities on every parenting topic.”

“Parents Ask gives me a wonderful way to share what I’ve learned with mothers and fathers who are looking for advice on the best way to raise their children,” said Elizabeth Pantley, bestselling author of The No-Cry Sleep Solution and Parents Ask Contributor. “It’s gratifying to be a part of such an amazing group of people who have spent their careers helping families, and to be part of such a helpful new resource for families.”

Parents Ask’s first episode takes on the hot topic of flu shots. The panel of experts included: Dr. Bob Sears, Dr. Tanya Altmann, and Dr. Scott Cohen who tackled the question: How effective are flu shots and are they safe for kids?

“I became a pediatrician to help kids and families,” said Parents Ask panelist Dr. Bob Sears. “Parents Ask provides an amazing platform for me; it gives me the opportunity to share my knowledge and expertise with moms and dads that I wouldn’t normally get to meet through my practice.”

Upcoming episodes include Circumcision Indecision: Making the Best Choice for Your Son, Three In A Bed: Co-Sleeping Pros & Cons, Colicky Baby: Comforting Your Fussy Infant, and Sex During Pregnancy: Enjoying Intimacy While Keeping Baby Safe.

“Through Parents Ask I am able to help and advise many more parents than I can reach in my daily practice, seminars, and parenting groups,” said Parents Ask Contributor Betsy Brown Braun. “I think it is particularly great for parents to be able to hear a variety opinions and approaches all in one sitting. After all, there is not one right way to parent. It has to work for you.”

The full list of Parents Ask contributors include:
• Dr. Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D
• Lisa Belkin
• Betsy Brown Braun
• Scott Cohen, M.D.
• Dr. Ann Corwin, Ph.D
• Foster Cline, M.D.
• Eli Davidson
• Keith Eddleman, M.D.
• Robert J. MacKenzie, Ph.D
• Ron Mathews
• Elizabeth Pantley
• Joan Rice
• Robert W. Sears M.D.
• Joanne Stern Ph.D
• Joanne Stone, M.D.
• Bonnie Zucker, Psy.D.
• Monica Vila

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ABOUT DECA

DECA (Digital Entertainment Corporation of America) was founded in 2007 to create a new model for the online entertainment experience. By identifying, funding, marketing and distributing next-generation digital content, DECA has become one of the leading players in shaping the future of entertainment. With its unique philosophy of recognizing and nurturing personalities and properties distinctive to the digital community, DECA stands alone in the industry by supporting content ‘of the web, by the web, and for the web.’ Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, the company was founded by Michael Wayne and Chris Kimbell, who previously held senior roles at Sony Pictures, ABC, and Yahoo! Music. DECA is funded by Mayfield, General Catalyst, Rustic Canyon, and Atomico.

Among its current properties are:

• Smosh , http://smosh.com

o Currently the third most subscribed YouTube channel of all time, Smosh is sketch comedy for teens and young adults by 20-year-olds Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox. With more than 230 million views, Smosh videos have become a pop culture phenomenon. Their site, Smosh.com, features video extras, robust forums, and a growing community of more than 400,000 registered members, who contribute to more than five million page views each month.

• Momversation, http://www.momversation.com

o Momversation is an online video series and website that brings together the web’s most outspoken moms to discuss the topics that matter to them. Momversation is hosted by a rotating cast of eight influential mom-bloggers including Heather Armstrong of dooce and Daphne Brogdon of Cool Mom. The community can also “join the momversation” by posting comments and participating in forums.

• Good Bite, http://goodbite.com

o Good Bite brings together America’s most popular food bloggers for online video discussions about cooking. Each episode of Good Bite makes delicious food easy, providing accessible recipes and solutions for home cooks. The Good Bite website is focused on finding the very best in food online and sharing it with users.

• Project Lore, http://projectlore.com

o Bringing together five dudes, four cameras, and the one and only World of Warcraft, Project Lore is all about putting the best multimedia MMORPG game guides in one place. The site also features a daily video show and a blog about all things WoW. Led by online video star Alex Albrecht, the show follows the progress of a group of level 70 players.

More information can be found at www.deca.tv.

For More Information about ParentsAsk or DECA, please contact:
Rubenstein Communications, Inc.
Adam Isserlis, (212) 843-8024 or aisserlis@rubenstein.com
Carolyn Nurnberg, (212) 843-9316 or cnurnberg@rubenstein.com

Dear Parents,

We’re pleased to announce the launch of Parents Ask, a new website that brings together leading experts and best-selling authors to share their knowledge and expertise to help families tackle the challenges of modern life.

What makes Parents Ask unique is our original video series featuring panels of experts discussing a wide range of child and parenting issues.  Whether you’re struggling with sleep issues, weighing the pros and cons of circumcision or dealing with a perplexing dilemma at any age or stage, you’ll be able to log on and have easy access to solutions from experts you can trust.  Think of the site as the parenting section of your local bookstore come to life!

Be sure to also check out our Parents Ask blog roll.  Here, our team of editors (all parents themselves!) will be creating original, informative posts and curating the best parenting content on the web.  We believe that our blog will help you navigate the vast online parenting world and discover, in one place, the best information, resources and tools the web has to offer. 

Our Parents Ask community presents you with field-tested expertise, bringing together seasoned parents with those at earlier stages on their parenting journey.  Whatever your child’s age, our community will provide  a safe place to ask your question, and the easiest way to find the answer you’re looking for anytime you’re looking for it.

As parents ourselves, we know that raising kids, raises questions.  We hope that we can become a regular stop for you (in between diaper changes, carpooling, juggling work and family, etc) to find a few much needed answers.

-The Parents Ask team