MANHATTAN NEW YORK CITY—October 10, 2012—GuavaWorld®, a network of channels dedicated to LGBT-based programming, has announced that it will launch on Monday, January 7, 2013 via its website, GuavaWorld.Com.

Envisioned as a cross between HBO, the BBC and the Oprah Winfrey Network, GuavaWorld will focus on creating innovative content for the LGBT community that covers everything from high-quality comedy and drama to news and factual-knowledge building shows.

“After Logo decided to focus on content that didn’t feature gay characters, we knew it was important for the community not to lose that voice.  So, essentially, we’re picking up where they left off,” says Founder and CEO Phoenix West.  “But, we’re a little bit crazier than they are, so we’ll be taking our programming much farther than they ever did.”

First Channel for Gay Men
A network of 5 channels that focuses on each section of the LGBT community, GuavaWorld’s first channel release will be geared towards gay men. “Although we are all a part of the same community, I think the sensibilities differ with each LGBT group.  So, it was important for us to respect that and create channels that reflect that,” says West. But, GuavaWorld insists that, from day one, there will be programming for all. “We’ve developed shows that are very specific to this first channel, but we also have shows that are geared towards the whole community and will eventually end up as programming on the other channels.” When discussing show specifics, other than briefly mentioning an LGBT-focused news program that he calls a “staple,” a sex education talk show and a show that has a “great spin” on the coming out story, West is pretty mum. “I want Guava to surprise the audience.  Shock them.  We’re reminaging what it means to make gay television and I want the audience to say, ‘This is the best damn thing I’ve ever seen.’ So, I don’t want to set it up too much.  If I had my way, we’d be in hiding until January.  No Facebook.  No website.  But, the realities make that difficult.”

Raising Funds
Those realities are that Guava has to raise money. “As an LGBT-based company, it’s a little difficult to get capital the traditional ways – VCs and Angel Investors.  But, those guys don’t seem to be as interested in gay startups and, if they are, they want to change the company in a very big way.  So, we have to bring our efforts to the people.  We just started our first fundraiser on Indiegogo.  We’re excited to start getting feedback from the community, but we’re also nervous because we’re launching on January 7th, no matter what.  And, that money will be important in determining if we start with a bunch of reality shows or if we can get some of our scripted shows produced.”

For more information on GuavaWorld, you can visit their beta-website at www.guavaworld.com.  And, for more information about GuavaWorld’s fundraiser on Indiegogo, you can visit www.indiegogo.com/GuavaWorld.

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