R. J. Williams
R. J. Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Jackson Williams July 19, 1978 |
| Years active | 1981–present |
R. J. Williams or Robert Jackson Williams (born: July 19, 1978) is an actor, television host, television producer and entrepreneur. He is also currently the Founder and CEO of Young Hollywood LLC.
Young Hollywood
Young Hollywood, started in 2007 by RJ Williams, was created from the ground up without any venture financing. Young Hollywood creates and distributes celebrity and lifestyle programming globally; owns several leading entertainment websites,licenses the Young Hollywood trademark internationally for a range of consumer products and services; and works closely with brands in the advertising world to help find innovative ways to touch consumers [1]
His company owns a library of over 2000 hours of content, a brand name that is universally recognized, and a distribution network that reaches hundreds of millions of viewers a month. [2] Young Hollywood has become one of the largest producers of original celebrity online programming in Hollywood; forming partnerships with companies such as Yahoo, Hulu, Google TV Guide, [3] Blinkx, [4] and Metacafe. [5] In 2010, they built a brand new million dollar hi-definition broadcast studio at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills.[6] [7] and grew to 24 employees. ABC News online called Young Hollywood "one of Hollywood's hottest websites"[8]
In addition, Williams has worked closely advising several brands including Coca-Cola, Samsung, AT&T and Electronic Arts.[9] and was named to The Hollywood Reporter Power 50 list joining the top execs from such places as Facebook, Twitter, Hulu, YouTube and Netflix. It was said that "Everything Young Hollywood Founder and CEO RJ Williams does is counterintuitive and effective" [10]
Notable projects include YouTube Live and The Young Hollywood Network:
September 13, 2010 marked the day YouTube confirmed their first ever live streaming project that had been in stealth mode for quite some time. They selected Young Hollywood to be their partner and kick things off with segments featuring pro skater Tony Hawk, comedian Dane Cook and "Jackass" star Steve-O.[11]
January 16th, 2012 Williams was behind the launch of a new network in partnership with Google (YHN), giving Young Hollywood a platform that reaches a global audience of over 800 million people.[12] YouTube spent 100 million dollars on launching this venture [13] In June of 2012, Williams was the subject of a cover story on BBC World News about the 100 Million dollar initiative and Young Hollywood's key role in it. [14] The Young Hollywood Network has become a “barker channel” for other new YouTube channels — like a Leno for the YouTube set introducing audiences to other YouTube stars. [15]
Acting and Hosting
R.J. Williams was a child actor on movies and television shows, one of his credits being the child character Rowdy for two seasons of General Hospital, for which he became a winner of the Young Artist Award for best Actor in a Daytime Series for his role in "General Hospital" at the 12th annual Youth In Film Awards.[16]
Additionally he was the voice of the title cartoon bear Kissyfur. He also guest starred on a few episodes of Full House and on "Episode 2.1-the Child" of Star Trek: the Next Generation. In the early 90s, Williams provided the voice of Kit Cloudkicker in the animated show TaleSpin, and for Calvin in the final season of Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears. He also played the boy whose friend was a robot on the 1990s syndicated children's TV show Wake, Rattle and Roll, a daily syndicated interview show that ran for 130 episodes. Once Williams Wake, Rattle and Roll stopped producing episodes, he decided to take a hiatus from show business to attend both Crossroads High School, and the film school at University of Southern California (USC).
Williams continued his work in front of the camera by hosting hundreds of celebrity interviews for Young Hollywood with such notables as Cameron Diaz, Taylor Lautner, Jessie Eisenberg, Zac Efron, Justin Timberlake, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Megan Fox, Sigourney Weaver, Nicolas Cage, and Selena Gomez. [17] [18]
Television Production
After graduation, Williams formed a production company, Arjay Entertainment which focused on celebrity and lifestyle programming. Between 2003-2006, his company went on to produce multiple specials and series that were distributed by Showtime Networks. RJ was the creator,host and executive producer of these shows.[19]
In 2004, Williams worked alongside NSYNC's Lance Bass and together they co-hosted a one-hour, primetime American Music Awards Pre-Show with Dick Clark Productions and ABC [20]
The company formed several distribution alliances and provided content for ABC, Showtime, TV Guide Channel, America Online and various Fox Cable channels and became known for creating Young Hollywood related content.[21]
References
- ^ "corporate site". yhworldwide.com. 2007-04-01.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Young Hollywood Network Talks New YouTube Channel". webpronews". 2012-02-14.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "TV Guide, Young Hollywood Sites Collaborate On Content". Mediapost.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "blinx partners with Young Hollywood to Bring users Beyond The Red Carpet". El economista. 2008-06-02.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "metacafe's 12 new video content providers". AD Operations. 2008-08-07.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Engelbrektson, Lisa (2010-04-16). "Young Hollywood builds studio". Variety.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Vincent, Roger (2010-06-16). "Hotel Bets on Studio To Attract Hollywood Crowd". Los Angeles Times.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Hollywood's Hottest Website". abcnews.com. March 2012.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Humphrey, Michael (2012-01-16). "YouTube Channels: RJ Williams On Young Hollywood's Gamechanger". Forbes Magazine.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "RJ Williams Digital Power Profile". The Hollywood Reporter. 2010-06-07.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "YouTube testing live streaming". CNN. 2010-09-13.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "R.J. Williams on Young Hollywood's gamechanger". Forbes. 2012-01-16.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Young Hollywood Network Launch January 16th, 2012=Fox". 2012-01-14.
- ^ "YouTube's assult on Old Media=BBC". 2012-06-19.
- ^ "How to Build "Entertainment Tonight" for YouTube: Young Hollywood Learns on the Job". All Things D. 2012-10-06.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "12th annual Young Artist Awards winners". youngartistawards.org. 1990-03-29.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Young Hollywood Debuts New YouTube Network Studded with Stars". tubefilter. 2012-01-16.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Young Hollywood Network on YouTube". tubefilter. 2012-01-16.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Credits". imdb.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, October 30, 2003". EONLINE.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Youtube lineup gets a boost from two entertainment channels". paidcontent.
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