• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, October 5, 2010

Buoyed by the success of Deadline.com as a trade Web site for entertainment, its parent company is set to debut a companion property focused more on the consumer side of TV.

MMC has pried Entertainment Weekly journalist Michael Ausiello away from the magazine to launch an unnamed site in January. It is sure to focus on breaking news on plot lines and casting changes, as well as boasting snarky commentary.

On his EW.com blog just Monday, Ausiello reported that "Mad Men" star John Slattery will be a guest star on "30 Rock," following fellow "Mad" man Jon Hamm's appearances on the NBC hit.

As Ausiello leaves EW, he will continue to maintain his Twitter presence as he works on the new site.

Ausiello previously worked at TV Guide as a columnist for more than eight years and joined EW in 2008. He will assume management roles as editor in chief of the new venture, which will involve early hiring and design decisions.

MMC is owned by Jay Penske and also includes HollywoodLife.com, headed by Bonnie Fuller, a consumer-focused movie site.

Also on his EW.com "Ausiello Files," Ausiello wrote that his decision to leave was purely based on a desire for a new opportunity for an "aging" writer. "The truth is, as I'm approaching my, uh, late -- cough' 20s -- it's simply time for me to do something that scares the you-know-what outta me," he said.