New entertainment news and events website HitFix to launch

Another day, another new entertainment website clamoring for your attention.

HitFix, a planned online portal for entertainment news and events founded by former LATimes.com consulting editor Gregory Ellwood and former Reed Business Information executive Jennifer Wilhelmi Sargent, will launch before the end of the year.

Variety's Anne Thompson summed up its offerings:

"...the start-up boasts the calendar application Forecast, which enables consumers to track and customize their upcoming entertainment options based on their own zip code and taste. [...] HitFix also offers breaking movie news and blog content from Ellwood (whose blog will focus on awards coverage) and AICN reviewer Drew McWeeny (who retires his [Ain't It Cool News] “Moriarty” monicker after 12 years), TV reporting from Zap2It’s Daniel Fienberg, and music info from ex-Billboard music maven Melinda Newman. Sports will come online soon. HitFix editors will comment on newsfeeds supplied by A.P."

Thompson goes on to say that the site will be geared to both male and female 18- to 34-year-olds, and that the Forecast events will be downloadable to a variety of Web-based applications including Yahoo Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, iPhone and Google.

“There’s a gap between the insider trades and the TMZ gossip side,” Sargent told Thompson. “We’re catering to consumers, like Entertainment Weekly.”

In a statement, McWeeny said HitFix has the potential to become "an important tool in how [readers] plan and enjoy the entire world of entertainment."

Related:
Tina Brown's Daily Beast, the glitziest Web filter in town