XBiz learned Monday that Dennis Publishing has tapped Peter Jaysen, a partner at Creative Light Entertainment in Beverly Hills, Calif., to run the unit.
The New York-based publisher hopes to eventually spin off the division, which will be called Moving Pictures DPI, as an independent production company, according to sources.
Dennis magazines have taken off since the late-1990s and the company has become the fastest-growing men’s publisher. Its flagship magazine Maxim started out with a base of 175,000 subscribers and in seven years has catapulted to more than 2.5 million, reaching the coveted 18- to 34-year-old crowd.
With the decision to expand its empire, the company also plans to create a new relationship with New Line Cinema, part of Time Warner.
The company said it will launch Maxim Radio over Sirius Satellite Radio this fall.
In other news at the company, Dennis Publishing is planning an August test issue of K-Maxx!, a new magazine offshoot of Maxim – but for kids. Targeted at 10- to 13-year-old boys, the launch is being spearheaded by Bill Schultz, an editor at the company’s Stuff magazine.
