Thursday, May 15, 2008    Text size: 

CrushedPlanet.com first launched in 1999 as a video site but had to shut down two years later because most Internet users at the time lacked access to broadband.

The men behind the site are two brothers, Joe and Harry Gantz, and their mainstream credentials include HBO's edgy series "Taxi Cab Confessions" — which they said was a source of inspiration for their return to the Internet.

"We're taking our cue from the way HBO and Showtime started," Harry Gantz said. "People are willing to pay for high-end, high-quality content."

To that end, the Gantz brothers won't make their site solvent with advertising revenue. Instead they'll rely on money from subscriptions and pay-per-view fees. Surfers can join the site for $9.95 per month or $99.95 for a full year. Single videos cost anywhere from 99 cents to $3.99 to watch.

Artists who contribute video content to the site will also get in on the money. Contributors will receive 51 percent gross revenue from sales of their work if they agree to only show it on CrushedPlanet.com. Those who decline exclusivity will only receive one-third of gross revenue.

CrushedPlanet.com features 15 channels with videos about sexuality, relationships, the environment and other topics.