Reductress: satirical women’s news site will launch phase two website in March

Satirical women’s news site Reductress is working now on a new design due in March and all with fresh, new hosting. So forgive Crown Heights’ Beth Newell, one of the two cofounders and a comedy writer, if it’s a particularly hectic time.

Newell wants more video content on the site, one of the goals of the redesign. The other cofounder, Clinton Hill’s Sarah Pappalardo, told us via email,”It’s been great to raise some money and put phase two in the hands of a great designer and developer this time around … It’s looking pretty sexy so far.”

The current design was done in house with the help of friends.

The site pokes fun at the different ways that women are marketed to. So you’ve got the classic lists, stuff about weight and exercise and Oprah-esque “inspiring stories” about ridiculous achievements. You’ll recognize the genres.

“While the realm of women’s media often recycles the same type of content over and over again, they also somehow manage to find new ways of spewing the same gospel,” said Newell. “So there always seems to be something else out there for us to satirize.”

Technically Brooklyn thinks it is funny. Here are some of their posts that have rocked Reddit:

• This one is profoundly NSFW, including the headline
• Tips on perfecting your meet cute
• Daryville girl contracts salmonella, town rallies around bag of spinach
• Four cutest ways to photograph yourself hugging third world children

The site is a natural outgrowth of Newell and Pappalardo’s work in the comedy world of New York, though it has become the main project for both of the writer-performers. Right now, they are the only two permanent employees of the project: “We have up to 30 contributing writers at any given time, rotating in and out. We’re hoping to hire more editorial staff as soon as we can afford to,” Newell told us.

The team is looking for an office space in Brooklyn now. Their income so far is working from an ad revenue model.