HQ Trivia Is a Hit. Now It Just Needs to Not Self-Destruct

The open-plan office of Intermedia Labs is a noisy place. About 30 employees are crammed into the small loft in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, working over the din of garbage trucks and car horns. The 98-year-old building’s elevator hums and clanks between floors, the heating system announces itself with a high-pitched whir, and the door to the bathroom seems to shake the whole place every time it’s slammed shut. None of this would pose trouble for most startups, but Intermedia’s office doubles as a soundstage. Most days, at 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., a skeleton crew shoots a live game show, HQ Trivia, that airs exclusively on smartphones and, at the moment, happens to be the hottest thing in media.

“We’re soft live,” the director of content shouts, sticking his head out of a closet that doubles as the HQ studio. “Please be mindful of slamming doors.” Then, appearing slightly panicked, he gestures at the operations manager and yells, “The fan is still running!” While they spend a few minutes switching off the HVAC system and pulling a partition across the length of the office to dampen sound, 33-year-old host Scott Rogowsky throws on the jacket he wears for most shows, slips on and tightens a pre-knotted skinny tie, and steps in front of a green screen. A few minutes after 3 p.m., the camera’s rolling. Rogowsky cracks a few jokes, announces that more than 200,000 viewers have logged in, and bellows, “Let’s get this show on the rooooooo-oad, baby!”