The Romp.com, founded last year by toppers Eric Eisner and Bruce Forman, is aggressively trying to exploit its brand of raunchy Web content offline, but the dot-com may have stumbled with a recent attempt to venture onto newsstands.
After hearing buzz about the Web site's testosterone-heavy shows such as "Booty Call," Illinois-based publisher H&S Media approached the entertainment Netco last fall and offered to package a Romp mini-mag with its men's magazine To the Maxx, which hit newsstands Feb. 20.
But the Romp's first issue may be its last. Although the books are bagged, "The Romp's content was too edgy for a lot of retailers," said Bob Baker, publishing director of H&S Media.
H&S has decided to discontinue its current deal with the Netco, citing distribution reasons, although sources close to company claim the publishing house was dissatisfied with the product the Romp delivered. Nevertheless, Baker said H&S still is considering a Romp stand-alone publication, depending on auds' reactions to the mini-mag's premiere issue.
"It's really up to the market to decide," Baker said.
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