Because the woman is unstoppable and apparently needs zero hours of sleep, TV powerhouse Shonda Rhimes—who recently moved from her longtime perch at ABC to take over Netflix—has launched Shondaland.com, a new lifestyle site.
Variety reports on the launch of the site, which went live Monday with a wide variety of pieces including an explainer on Trumpcare by Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, some guidance on vitamins, an article urging you to wear whatever you want, an interview with romance novelist Julia Quinn, and an interview between Rhimes herself and Rep. Maxine Waters. Considering Rhimes must have a rolodex the size of the Ritz—and even more people who would do anything to be added—it seems likely she can get pretty much anybody she wants for the site now that it’s up and running.
The site will use Hearst’s content platform and have the chance to syndicate across the media behemoth’s many, many other properties, which include Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, AND Harper’s Bazaar, which sounds a bit like their partnership with Lenny, or Condé Nast’s deal with Goop’s new magazine. (Though she has not teamed up with a major publishing company, Sophia Amoruso’s Girlboss, which is being run by a former Refinery29 SVP, could certainly be thrown into this mix as a comparable new women’s website launched by a famous name.) Troy Young, global president, Hearst Magazines Digital Media, spoke to AdWeek about the move:
He equated this new digital hub for Shondaland to the old days of zines, the often self-published and DIY versions of magazines that were created and distributed by hardcore fans of a specific piece of culture.
“That’s what modern media should be,” said Young. “Publishing should connect a passionate group of people, and we’re excited to see this birth of a new publishing brand based in a real point-of-view and a community.”
“As a storyteller, I am excited to have another platform to tell all kinds of stories,” said Rhimes. Bonus: She can’t kill any of your favorite characters this way!
