Mingle Media TV Network to Air New Web TV Talk Show Series: In Bed With…Jeff and Melissa Debuts with Mark Gantt!

MMTVN is excited to be executive producing and broadcasting a New Web TV Series from New Media Correspondents Jeff Rago and Melissa Jun Rowley – taking an intimate look at the most interesting people making headlines today with their show “In Bed With…”

The “In Bed With…” web series is the brainchild of hosts Jeff Rago (entertainment reporter and producer) and Melissa Jun Rowley (TV and online journalist). Jeff and Melissa are the shows under-the-cover agents getting the latest scoop from some of the most interesting and influential celebrities, entrepreneurs, and activists making headlines today in both traditional and social media. The show is intelligent, fun and disarming, its pillow talk, as you’ve never seen before. The audience will be surprised what they uncover, as you never really know what’s going to come up in bed.

In the debut webisode of “In Bed With…” Jeff and Melissa interview actor, producer, writer, Mark Gantt, winner of the 2010 Best Actor Streamy Award in his starring role in the Sony Pictures Television hit series, The Bannen Way. Gantt has also written, directed, produced and edited over a dozen short films (including the award-winning Martine), as well as acted opposite Brad Pitt in Ocean’s Eleven, Burt Reynolds in The Hollywood Sign, as well as in many other films and TV shows.

About the show hosts:

Jeff Rago is a freelance entertainment reporter and producer who has contributed to both national (Extra) and international (CNN International) l news programs as well as entertainment websites (ComingSoon.net). From red carpets to one-on-one rooms to intimate sit-downs, Jeff has gotten up close and personal with some of the biggest names in Hollywood including Johnny Depp, Zach Braff, and Beyonce. Prior to his entertainment news life, Jeff spent 13 years working in the meetings and events industry sleeping in some of the most comfortable beds both nationally and internationally. Learn more about Jeff at www.jeffrago.com

Melissa Jun Rowley is a television and online journalist who has covered business news from the New York Stock Exchange for CNN Business News, red carpet glamour from the Oscars for CNN Entertainment and social action movements for Causecast. She has also produced and reported for Associated Press Television News, AMC, TV Guide Channel, E! , Entertainment and TechTV. She blogs about behind-the-scenes happenings at Hollywood events, activism, social entrepreneurship, family, love, and self-evolution. Melissa writes for the social media guide Mashable and for the LA Weekly. Melissa rarely sleeps, and she has moved around the country so much throughout her career that she has yet to invest in the kind of decadent bed she’s always dreamed of having. Perhaps, the time has come. Learn more about Melissa at www.melissajunrowley.com.

It’s the Streamy’s! HUH? Yeah, You Should Know!

Okay, I’ve been in the digital media space for a while… in the early 90’s (yeah, I’m that old) I was working in the newspaper industry developing technology that helped newspapers adopt WYSIWYG pagination systems output digitally in one page – which meant you needed digital images… and very expensive digital cameras. Fast forward to 18 months ago when I started working with Mom Bloggers handing out FLIP video cameras and then partnered with Creative Labs and handed out over 150 more VADO pocket video cameras while I was creating, launching and managing MomTV, a site where we streamed live web shows for Moms by Moms. It’s great to see the number of mom bloggers now using video for more than capturing memories but to do vlogs on.

On February 8th, I officially launched Mingle Media TV, a web TV network hosting a variety of shows with content providers who are experts in Parenting, Travel, Health, Fashion, Relationships, Lifestyle, and Fitness as well as popular Mom & Dad Bloggers. These live streaming webshows are marketed and syndicated across many sites including streaming on your smart phone with the ability to chat with the show host and the audience. Many of our show hosts capture a lot of video outside of their show and feature video segments during their live broadcasts. We’ve gone from a few hundred to several thousand live viewers during shows in a short time (love SEO and sphere’s of influence using Twitter!).

The Streamy Awards are important to us as they represent the emerging industry of “Web Television” and how we are all part of changing the entertainment industry. Plus, Mingle Media TV will be on the red carpet with Jeff Rago (new show host) as our correspondent so we are excited to see the event from our birds-eye viewpoint.

The Streamy’s will be held on April 11th so between now and then, we’re going to feature each of the Audience Choice Award finalists and their shows in a special post on our MMTVN blog so you can get to know them too and because they need your vote… we all need your vote. You will be supporting not only the amazing talent that are nominated but supporting the efforts of your digital peers as they follow their passion in creating video for more than capturing memories, but sharing opinions, ideas, interviews, and more.

Oh and if you want to host a live web TV show on Mingle Media TV – connect with @MingleMediaTV or email stephanie@minglemediatv.com with your idea.