Personnel changes, announced Thursday by Belinkie on a live broadcast, included the dismissal of on-air host, Program Director and KSEX co-owner Wayne C. Lewis ("Wankus"), the promotion of on-air host Lorraine Summers ("Lorrainiac") to Program Director, and the hiring of Joe Brandi as vice president and director of marketing. There are no further plans to dismiss any talent.
KSEX is moving from its current location in an office building on a suburban Burbank street to a new industrial location in Chatsworth by June 1. The new location is three times the size of the Burbank location, with multiple production studios, new tech equipment including hi-def cameras and dedicated servers "and much more creature comforts," Belinkie told XBIZ. "We're upgrading everything."
The new equipment will increase transmission quality on the Internet. "People who have seen the buffering issues and the blackout issues will no longer see that," Belinkie told XBIZ. "They'll get a much higher caliber experience."
KSEX has taken over Internet radio operation Heat Party Radio, previously owned by Brandi, and programming will go from the current six hours live, five days a week, to 24 hours of new programming, five days a week. The programming will no longer be exclusively sexually oriented: Heat Party performers include music disc jockeys and stand-up comedians who broadcast from studios around the country. Some shows will be pre-recorded.
Video of KSEX shows will also be available on a special KSEX channel on XTube.com.
The paid members of the current KSEX website — 2,800, according to Belinkie — will be migrated to the new KSEX website, which Brandi describes as "a MySpace community website. Customers will be able to go online and interact with porn stars from around the world. There will be different sections, with prizes and giveaways. We're looking to really expand the community. Subscribers are going to have access to KSEX Radio, KSEX Television, the whole community and everything that's inside of it. You can still listen to KSEX and join the chat for free, but you have to subscribe to view it."
Continuing members will be able to maintain their subscriptions at a "dramatically lower rate" than the current $24.95 per month. "If you're an existing member, you'll be rewarded for your loyalty. A fraction of your current rate," Belinkie said. Shows will be archived daily for instant access on the site.
Brandi plans to promote KSEX through banner exchanges, link exchanges and buying adult traffic. "KSEX is known in the adult industry, but there are a lot of other people who would like it if they knew it. We have to reach those people," Brandi said.
A new affiliate program with the membership site will give webmasters a 50 percent payout on subscriptions. Marketing tools and training will be available. "We're going to provide webmasters with everything they need to succeed online, with banners, link exchanges and a program that I'm going to set up that will show people how to actually make money online," Brandi said.
Programs of edited highlights from KSEX shows are expected to be available on pay-per-view this summer. "It'll go to 18 million homes and hotel rooms, with original content from a variety of shows," Belinkie said.
"I got involved with KSEX because I really believed in it as an entity," Belinkie told XBIZ. "I felt its potential was way, way underdeveloped, and it's taken a good year to get things where they need to be. We're poised now for some tremendous success."
