America Online and entertainment content
player E! Online on Thursday forged a
wide-ranging three-year alliance, which puts E! content on AOL properties,
and calls for the promotion of AOL on E!’s online and offline advertising
channels.
The deal also calls for E! Online’s content to appear on AOL’s newly announced interactive television service, AOLTV. The two
companies already had a relationship, under which E! would provide content
to AOL and CompuServe members.
As part of the agreement, E! Entertainment Television will promote America
Online and AOL Keyword: E! in its print, radio and television
advertisements. AOL will also be promoted at E! Online.
E! Online will become an anchor tenant on AOL’s entertainment channel and
AOL’s celebrities area. The content provider will also distribute news and
celebrity gossip across Netscape
Netcenter, AOL Moviefone and ICQ.
In perhaps the most interesting part of this deal, E! Online and E!
Entertainment Television have agreed to provide content for AOLTV, the ISP
giant’s foray into interactive television. That service is expected to begin
reaching consumers later this summer. The service lets viewers watch TV
using their existing signal, but enhances it with interactive features and
content. AOLTV will come into the home through a set-top box, and users will
be able to interact through a wireless keyboard or a universal remote
control.
“Our members have come to rely on E! Online and E! Entertainment Television
for their entertainment news, and I am happy we can extend and expand our
agreement with them to provide E!’s original content to both AOL members and
visitors to our other brands,” said Barry Schuler, president of AOL
Interactive Services.
“I am especially pleased that E! Online and E! Entertainment Television will
be providing their industry-leading programming to AOLTV, enabling viewers
to get the latest news and gossip about their favorite shows directly from
their televisions right as they’re watching, enhancing their
television-viewing experience.”
