Digital Entertainment Network (DEN.net) was a multimedia and web television

Web television

Web television, also commonly referred to as web TV, not to be confused with WebTV, Internet television or catch up TV, is an emerging genre of digital entertainment that is distinct from traditional broadcast television...

 dot-com company

Dot-com company

A dot-com company, or simply a dot-com , is a company that does most of its business on the Internet, usually through a website that uses the popular top-level domain, ".com" .While the term can refer to present-day companies, it is also used specifically to refer to companies with...

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Founding

Rector hired traditional media executives from Broadcast TV, Film, Commercials, Documentary and Cable to create a destination website featuring serialized "6 minute shows" on the internet.

Launched in 1996, it raised 72 million dollars from a combination of private investors and venture capital firms. The site launched in May 1999, and produced 26 original series aimed at teenage boy subcultures, including gay teens, Christian kids and extreme sports enthusiasts.

Website Development

After a substantial amount of hype, the site itself turned out to be rather conventional for the time. DEN developers wrote the ports for Windows Media Player, Quicktime and Real Player for the Linux OS, which helped enable sites like youtube and myspace. DEN Developers also obtained a patent for delivering video advertising over the internet. DEN.NET Streaming media content was delivered in three formats and three different download speeds. DEN signed record breaking advertising deals with sponsors such as Ford, Microsoft, Pepsi, Penzoil, Blockbuster Entertainment and DELL.

Collapse

Many industry observers noted that DEN was a quintessential example of the excesses and lack of control of the dot-com craze.

The company's troubles mounted after its three founders, including its chairman Marc Collins-Rector

Marc Collins-Rector

Marc John Collins-Rector is an American businessman best known for founding Digital Entertainment Network, an online streaming video broadcaster and a notable dot-com failure.- Early life :...

 (who settled a lawsuit alleging a sexual relationship with a child and registered in Florida as a sex offender.) resigned. A 75 million dollar IPO was cancelled in February 2000.

DEN later filed for bankruptcy. Subsequently, civil lawsuits from boys employed by DEN alleged sexual abuse and coercion using drugs and guns by Collins-Rector, co-founder Chad Shackley, and DEN Executive VP Brock Pierce

Brock Pierce

Brock Pierce , is an entrepreneur best known for pioneering the market for virtual goods in online games. He has founded or co-founded seven companies, acquired more than thirty companies, and closed a dozen corporate finance transactions securing more than $200 million of funding on behalf of his...

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Legacy

Many of the DEN alumni have gone on to create other internet sites including suicide girls, current.tv, Proxicom, Revver, Warner Reprise Records, the Aspen Comedy Festival, Dark Horse Comics, IXL, Static, Intuit, DEN - Desi Entertainment Network, Mooring Tech, Inc. DEN and its founders have been the subject of many subsequent media articles and parodies.

Resurrection

www.den.net is again active and seems to have a collection of the old content as well as some new content, but has recently become hacked.