Rueben's Ramblings

Were you a fan of the TV series Roswell when it aired on the WB and then on UPN for 3 years over the late 1990s and early 2000’s? Do you watch The Vampire Diaries on the CW? Did you read the novel series The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares or see the film adaptations of this novel series when it was in the box office? Are you looking forward to the fall debut on the CW of the new drama The Secret Circle?

You might be wondering what all of these projects have to do with each other, right? Well, they are all owned by Alloy Entertainment, which according to their official website is a fully integrated entertainment company that develops and produces original books, television series and feature films. The company originates entertainment properties and then partners with leading publishers, television networks and movie studios to deliver those properties to the world.

According to an article in the July 1 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Alloy Entertainment is currently producing seven series on The CW, ABC Family and Nickelodeon – such as the aforementioned The Vampire Diaries and The Secret Circle as well as Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl and The Nine Lives of Chloe King. And Alloy Entertainment isn’t stopping there – they have more projects in development, such as the upcoming ABC Family drama The Lying Game that is to air starting August 15.

Alloy Entertainment specializes in young adult stories; they are the most successful producer of fiction in the world, publishing up to forty books every year in over thirty languages. Between 2005 and 2007, they had approximately fifty titles achieve New York Times best-seller status. And, considering how popular that genre has become over the last decade and a half – given the success of the Harry Potter franchise and the Twilight saga books – that is quite an impressive feat.

Walk into any bookstore in your neighborhood and take a good look around. What genre has the largest selection of titles? You might just be surprised to learn that it is actually young adult fiction. YA fiction may specialize in stories for readers between the ages of 14 to 21, but their appeal can far outreach that limited age group. Again, the titles from Alloy Entertainment as well as the other books mentioned above are perfect examples of the popularity of young adult fiction.

As you are watching TV over the summer and into the new fall TV season, be on the look-out for Alloy Entertainment’s logo at the end of the credits, and keep in mind you are watching one of the most influential entertainment companies at work.

Enjoy!