Lifetime Acquires Korean-Based

NEW YORK, November 11:
Lifetime Networks is ramping up its digital-media business with the acquisition
of Korea's Roiworld.com, a teen-targeted casual gaming site, with a U.S.
version of the popular destination slated to launch early next year.

The Korean version of
Roiworld.com had 2.8 million monthly unique visitors and 117 million monthly
page views during the month of September. It combines user-generated content,
social networking, casual virtual world experiences and fashion. The
acquisition comes on the heels of Lifetime's takeover of ParentsClick, as the
company bolsters its digital-media assets targeted at women. With
myLifetime.com already a top-25 gaming destination in the female casual-gaming
arena, Roiworld.com will bring more than 1,000 additional fashion and style
games to the Lifetime Games portfolio.

With the acquisition, the
company is creating a Lifetime Game Studios Korea division, headquartered in
Seoul. Kiseo Kim, the founder of Roiworld.com, will serve as the CEO of
Lifetime Games Studio Korea. The studio's U.S. operations, based in San
Francisco, will focus on business development, technology and sales. The studio
also has plans to develop integrated advertising packages, social-networking
features and micro-purchase technology for its games. Kris Soumas, the head of
Lifetime Games, will oversee Lifetime's casual-gaming initiative, including
this new acquisition.

"With this
acquisition, we see the potential to pioneer a new frontier in women's digital
entertainment," said Andrea Wong, the president and CEO of Lifetime
Networks. "Our audience looks to Lifetime to provide an escape—in
the digital space and on all platforms. With Roiworld.com, we're creating
another way to provide more women with more great entertainment."

"There's no doubt
that Korea produces some of the most vibrant and exciting games today,
especially in the growing fashion and style category of the game
industry," said Dan Suratt, the executive VP of digital media and business
development at Lifetime. "Lifetime is excited to push the limits of where
these games can go, especially with a team as talented as the one from
Roiworld."

—By Mansha Daswani