Ad sales online may be down, but there not out. The key to success is targeting your ads and focusing your content, as allAfrica Global Media is finding out.

AllAfrica, a multi-media content service provider and the largest electronic distributor of African news and information worldwide, is mining revenue-building opportunities by turning to the wireless sector, among others.

The Washington, DC-based allAfrica is teaming up with WindWire, a provider of wireless advertising and marketing solutions, to become part of its WindCaster wireless advertising network. The network, which places advertisements on all types of wireless devices including cell phones, PDAs and two-way pagers, also includes a number of US companies including 555-1212.com, Boston.com, Excite@Home, go2 Systems, Salon.com and The Sporting News.

Through the wireless ad network, allAfrica marketing director Charles Powell said, the news and information service can generate new revenues through the delivery of specially targeted advertisement and sponsor-supported content. WindWire's media sales team will sell allAfrica's wireless advertising and sponsorship space, he said, and WindWire will serve these advertisements using WindWire's wireless ad serving technology.

"Our content offerings will serve advertisers well," Powell said, "as we create customized packages for our high-value wireless users to address their investment, travel and informational needs."

From its Washington, DC headquarters, and offices in Dakar and Johannesburg, allAfrica operates the leading Africa web site, located at http://www.allafrica.com, and disseminates coverage from over 80 African media organizations, as well as reporting and analysis produced by the allAfrica news team. AllAfrica.com reaches a large audience of Africa-interested institutions and individuals globally, with three-quarters of its users in North America.

The allAfrica family also includes two non-profit agencies, Africa News Service, which administers the Center for Africa and the Media at Duke University and the Charlayne Hunter-Gault Fellowship for African Women Journalists; and AfricaNet Trust, a broadcast production company whose programming will be Web cast by allAfrica.com.

WindWire's WireCaster network, based in Research Triangle Park, NC, includes advertisers, publishers and ad agencies, and serves relevant advertisements based on the type of content the consumer is pulling from the wireless Internet. The network delivers interactive ads, coupons and promotions to all major wireless devices, including PDAs, Internet-enabled phones and two-way pagers. While wireless may be its bread and butter, where the company can be reached at wap.windwire.com, it also has a Web site at http://www.windwire.com.

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