Tom Tapp Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, California, United States

Edit, write and break news for the leading outlet covering the business of entertainment.

El Segundo, California

Shaped and curated content in verticals such as news, sports, entertainment, finance and lifestyle for a uniquely broad audience. Covered events such as The World Cup, The Oscars and elections. Created new features and new sections to engage and grow user base.

Developed social media strategy for established and emerging businesses with an eye to audience growth and brand development. Experience managing Yahoo's social media streams — which grew to reach millions of users — as well as those of startups. Great with Instagram curation. Used social media metrics/analytics to discover trends, opportunities and fresh ways to tell a story. Trained staff on social media best practices on various platforms (includes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest).

Santa Monica, Ca

Curated news and feature stories that attracted millions of clicks daily. Worked with 16 different content verticals - including Movies, TV, Music, Celebrity, Style, Travel, Health, Sports, Autos and Food - to optimize content for placement on Yahoo.com front page. Crafted social media messages that reached millions of users daily on multiple platforms. Guided story selection and crafting for The Yo Show, which became the most popular daily entertainment video online, averaging 2M views a day within 3 months of launch. Generated and managed daily story budget through a thicket of competing stakeholders and interests. Tracked, managed and exceeded monthly traffic goals to major properties. Generated smart, original story ideas using social signals and internal metrics. Coordinated and guided teams through planning and execution of big event story arcs. Honed story angles, headlines and copy.

Operation Amped is a grassroots organization dedicated to helping wounded and amputee servicemen and women to heal through surfing. It's grown from one event in 2006 to seven in 2009, from San Diego to Malibu. I conceived of the enterprise after surfing with an amputee and then hearing of people coming home from Iraq without limbs. I put the two together, called some friends and began giving back what I could.We've helped hundreds get off drugs, become comfortable with new social situations with respect to their injuries and resolve longstanding mental issues.Our sponsors have included Billabong, the William Morris Agency and Chipotle.

Created my own "Drudge Report for the entertainment industry," breaking stories which were picked up by The New York Times, Variety and Drudge. Sold WireTap to Hollywood Media Corp. in 2008, which eventually sold it to Studio System, where it has been rebranded as Studio System News.

Broke news as well as integrated print and online content while reimagining the print version of the Los Angeles Times' Oscar season play The Envelope. Introduced original content into the section as well as celebrity covers. Tripled ad sales.

Conceived of and launched Variety's photo heavy lifestyle publication. Duties included running the magazine, booking covers and managing its staff of 12, as well as writing 3000 word feature articles and penning the monthly editor's letter. V Life won Los Angeles Press Club awards two years running and was named one of Folio magazine's Top Launches of the year.

Ran $22 million Special Reports department. Managed a staff of 12 as we covered subjects as diverse as the Oscar race, licensing and The Cannes Film Festival.

Wrote news stories, reviews, top 10 lists as and daily pieces related to castings as well online promotional content related to E! Network content for shows such as "Talk Soup," "E! News Daily" and "Wild On."