Lindquist will help to spearhead the summer 2006 launch of the Penthouse Broadcast Network, reporting to fellow former Playboy executive Mark Rudolf, hired earlier this year. The company also had previously hired Jim English, a former president of Playboy TV Networks Worldwide.
In 2005, Penthouse announced it had secured $48 million in private financing, of which about $11.5 million will be used to launch a branded broadcast network to compete directly with Playboy’s Spice PPV networks as well as New Frontier’s TEN network.
“Penthouse is soon to be a viable component and competitor in both the national and international broadcast markets, and I feel honored that I’ll be playing a role in the rebirth of the Penthouse brand,” Lindquist said.
CEO Marc H. Bell said the company will try to present consumers with an alternative to the Spice network with “different types of movies … at a competitive price,” adding that the core of the company’s strategy is to hire experienced executives for the relaunch of the brand and its new ventures, including PPV TV.
Of Lindquist’s hiring, Bell said, “With almost 30 years of experience under his belt, Doug is an authority on pay television. Our multimedia platforms are continually expanding, and with Doug’s knowledge and proficiency, we will further position ourselves in the marketplace.”
Bell said that he believes the company can expand the market for adult PPV programming and attract new customers through strategic marketing initiatives, including driving traffic to its broadcast properties from its magazines and websites.
Penthouse anticipates its branded products will be available in the next several years to 100 percent of the U.S. market as well as internationally. The company plans launches in Latin America, Europe and Asia once it gains a foothold domestically.