EXCLUSIVE: Mr. Moviefone Taking ‘6 Second Reviews’ to Radio

Here comes the shortest syndicated show in the history of radio.

Russ Leatherman, better known as Mr. Moviefone, has struck a deal with the Elvis Duran Group to turn his online “6 Second Reviews” into a radio segment.

The segment is exactly as advertised: movie reviews that last six seconds.

Never heard one before? Here’s his review of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

“The new Narnia is as long and convoluted as its title, so unless you’re a huge fan you’re better off with Tangled, Megamind or Potter. I’m out!”

“6 Second Reviews” will be syndicated by the Elvis Duran Group, a company founded by radio personality Elvis Duran and agent David Katz. The group began a radio syndication unit in June that is run by former ABC Radio Networks executive John McConnell.

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The plan initially is to deliver to radio stations one movie review and one DVD review each day, eventually adding reviews of TV shows, video games and music, which are already available online at sixsecondreviews.com.

The radio segment will be sold via barter, with the Elvis Duran Group asking for a “billboard” on each report (basically a “brought-to-you-by” ad), plus one minute of commercial inventory daily.

Leatherman also has a more traditional radio segment under the Mr. Moviefone brand, and the Elvis Duran Group has taken over the syndication of that product as well.

Leatherman said he’s also turning his “6 Second Reviews” into a 30-minute television pilot.

“We live in an A.D.D. world where people want to know quickly whether they should spend 10 bucks for a movie,” Leatherman said. “Seven seconds is too long, and five seconds isn’t long enough.”

Moviefone was co-founded by Leatherman as an interactive telephone service for movie showtimes in 1989, and AOL purchased it for $400 million in 1999. In 2001, MovieTickets.com acquired the Moviefone.com Internet site.

Neither MovieTickets.com nor AOL is directly involved in the “6 Second Reviews” syndicated radio product.