Kiss goodbye all archaic vestiges of former broadcasting glory days – this is the twenty-FIRST century, no need for TVs anymore. Television channels are being replaced by URLs, in an increasingly heated race to become the next web-celeb. For the host of Toronto based, TwentySomethingTV.com, forging a niche for themselves online has been their passion for close to a year and a half. An excruciating journey ruled by stats counters, long hours, no pay and the dream that it will be a reality – soon.

“Some people become instant celebrities because their baby kicks them in the crotch and it turns viral,” shares Jill Clark, creator and host of TwentySomethingTV.com, in between bites of her cheeseburger dressed like a Big Mac – admittedly her favorite food, “We are doing so much more, we are real women, talking the way that real women talk… It makes potential sponsors nervous, but our viewers love it.”

It’s 3pm on a Monday afternoon, I’m sitting in a downtown McDonald’s with Clark, a 5’9”, voluptuous, stunner of a woman who clearly was born with perfect bone structure and flawless skin. After a stint as Briefcase Model #14 on the Canadian leg of Deal or No Deal – verified by her image in the Wikipedia listing – she began to create the concept for a show; something she had no clue would be airing weekly online only a few months later.  The show was a series geared towards twenty-something women, something like The View crossed with Sex and the City, “Nothing like that existed and I couldn’t figure out why – I still think it’s a great idea!,” she beams, just after a relaxed sip of her Diet Coke.

The show got its start when Clark happened into a casting hosted by her now partner, Brett Heard of Fresh Baked Entertainment. Heard’s belief in the strength of Jill’s pitch, automatically suggested that it be aired throughout the web – something Jill had never considered.

“I thought after three months we would have thousands of hits a day and be instant web-celebs,” she laughs, “it doesn’t work that way, I found out!”

While Clark matter of factly laments over the trials of making her internet series, Twenty Something, a commercial success, it is clear, she doesn’t dwell on it. From members of their production team leaving for paying jobs, a rotating door of co-hosts, a website that fails to meet the grade and the rejection of sponsors to support the show, “They (sponsors) find the show too graphic. The Girls and I are really honest … That’s how we talk, nothing’s scripted… it makes advertisers nervous. They are often fans then they say, ‘no thanks’ until we tone it down a bit. It’s hard, the viewers love our style and we don’t want to lose that.”

The double edged sword of pleasing viewers or pleasing corporate is an ongoing battle, as the production team behind Twenty Something struggles to find a balance, Twenty Something has no signs of stopping production. Their viewership has peaked at 2 million unique hits in little over a year and industry experts are lining up to be guests, including Scotiabank Vice President, Jason Dehni offering investing tips for twentysomethings, Dr. Suneel Sharman demystifying non-invasive cosmetic surgery and even Ebay Celebrity Stylist, Sandy Graham, came on the show with the outfits she’s dressed celebrities, such as Anne Hathaway, in for the red carpet. With four shows airing weekly and an archive of over a hundred episodes, Twenty Something has an impressive body of work behind it.

Twenty Something also features a cast of Clark’s best friends or, “regulars”, that share screen time in each episode. Samantha Crowther (The Vixen), Stacey Prieur (The Comedienne), Katie Coristine (The Conservative) and Sabrina Taylor (The Ingenue), each come together with their own brand of advice and personalities. In each episode, 2-3 of the girls, debate with Clark and discuss topics from circumcision to healthy date-night meals, as effortlessly as explaining how to fold a shirt. They are a major part of the show and Clark’s life, being her actual best friends, they’ve put in long hours for no pay – a testament to their dedication to Clark and the show.

Each five minute episode of Twenty Something is engaging as it is voyeuristic.  As more and more webisodes pop up and major networks race to provide content online, Twenty Something is exclusively available online. While the past year and a half has brought with it its share of challenges and successes, the facts are clear – web entertainment is a lucrative but still unmarked territory. Corporate sponsors are confused on the impact of the media while viewers flock to access online entertainment, such as Twenty Something, as non-chalantly as flipping on the television.

Unlike traditional television shows, webisodes can be streamed to a computer, handheld or directly to a mobile device while on the go. We are at a junction where old media and new media are converging and the effects are powerful. In terms of Twenty Something, discussions that were reserved for private girl talk, are being broadcasted not online on their website (twentysomethingtv.com) but on YouTube, GirlsTeachGuys.com, Imeem, personal blogs, Facebook and now even a few episodes are popping up on MyItThings.com.

While the race to be the next web-celeb is fueled by the race for unique hits and page views, Twenty Something isn’t too worried. With over 2 million viewers worldwide and a shooting schedule that reaches well into December, it’s clear, Clark and her crew are not about to give up. “It’s about the viewers, not about the money. And, we produce a great show that our viewers watch. That makes us a success with twenty-somethings.” Goodbye TV hello Twenty Something TV dot com.

Update: Since writing this piece, I've been chosen as the newest regular host on TwentySomethingTV. Something I'm really excited about, after being a "satellite" or a non-regular friend, I was welcomed into the fold recently. You can tune in and watch Jill, Sam, Stace, Sabs, Kate and anytime you want on our website www.twentysomethingtv.com - which room will you go in?