B
Break Media
Digital media company that creates and distributes male-targeted content
About Break Media
Break Media was a digital media company established in June 1998 by Keith Richman, a serial entrepreneur who had previously co-founded companies like Billpoint, which was acquired by eBay. The company initially launched as Big-boys.com, a humor website, before rebranding and centering on its flagship property, Break.com.
Read full description
The business was strategically positioned to capture the attention of the male demographic, specifically individuals aged 18 to 34. Its portfolio of websites included humor and entertainment destinations such as Screen Junkies, CagePotato, HolyTaco, and MadeMan. The core of the platform was user-generated and original video content, featuring comedy sketches, flash games, and viral videos. To foster content creation, Break.com implemented a model where it paid users for original videos that were featured on its homepage.
The company's revenue was primarily generated through advertising. Break Media operated its own ad sales team and built a proprietary ad network that allowed advertisers to target the specific 18-34 male audience across its owned and operated properties. By 2010, its network of sites had made it one of the most popular video networks online. A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in October 2013, when Break Media executed a 50-50 merger with Alloy Digital. This transaction led to the formation of a new entity named Defy Media, with Break's CEO, Keith Richman, becoming the president of the newly formed company.
At a glance
- Status
- Acquired
- Founded
- 1998
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, United States
- Employees
- 9
- Open positions
- None listed
- Dealroom signal
- 36.6/100
- Industry
- Media
- Sub-industry
- Content production
- Sector
- Consumer Services, Entertainment, Video
- Client focus
- b2b
- Investment activity
- 1 company, latest Sep 2016
- Capital deployed
- $70M
- Preferred round
- SERIES B
Latest news
Press, funding announcements and product moves mentioning Break Media.
Funding history
Company financing events and reported valuations.
| Deal type | Date | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACQUISITION✓Exit | Oct 2013 | $0 | — | Defy Media | — |
| SERIES A✓Equity / VC | Jul 2007 | $21M | $86M | Lionsgate | — |
Growth signals
Latest recorded traffic for Break Media is 190 monthly website visits, down 29.6% over the last three months.
Similar companies
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Investments and acquisitions
Recent portfolio relationships for companies that also act as investors or acquirers.
Investors
From Dealroom's funding and investor records, grouped by the round each investor first entered.
Seed2 investors entered at this stage
Hadi Partovi
Ali Partovi
Series A1 investor entered at this stage
Lionsgate
Other known investors1 additional known investor
Defy Media
Source: Dealroom Talent Intelligence.
Global footprint
team presence
Market sentiment
An AI-synthesised read of the highest-engagement posts about Break Media on X, ranked by likes and reposts, corporate channels excluded.
Reading the room on X — pulling top posts and synthesizing themes…
Source: X recent search ranked by engagement (likes + retweets) · Synthesis by Claude · Cached for 1 hour
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