NBC Interactive Neighborhood and
The Mining Co., a network of
Web sites providing guidance on more than 500 topics, agreed to integrate The
Mining Co.’s guides into NBC Interactive Neighborhood (NBC-IN).
NBC Interactive Neighborhood operates Your Hometown Homepage, a locally
customized Internet content package of community information and services
offered to NBC-owned stations and affiliates.
As part of the pact, The Mining Co. will create new community-focused content
for every participating NBC-IN market in cities and towns nationwide. And NBC
will acquire a minority equity interest in General Internet Inc., the
parent of The Mining Co. Financial specifics of the deal were not disclosed.
NBC-IN, which launched in October 1997, offers localized content categories,
integrated into one service that is customized for the local community and the
local NBC station. Through local station homepages, NBC-IN offers shopping for
a of services ranging from local theater and restaurant listings provided by
Microsoft Sidewalk to Yellow Page directories from Big Yellow to buying a
car or a house.
Each Mining Co. GuideSite is dedicated to a single subject, and each is run by
a qualified individual, selected for his or her topical expertise and Internet
savvy. GuideSites offer original feature articles, hand-picked links to other
relevant Internet resources, newsletters, discussion areas, book
recommendations, and more.
Said Martin J. Yudkovitz, president, NBC Interactive, “The Mining Company’s
exhaustive topic guides will significantly help NBC-IN build on its success as
a destination service that helps users break through the Internet clutter.”
Scott Kurnit, founder and CEO of The Mining Company, said: “Decades ago, NBC
gathered scattered local stations across the country into a single network,
supporting and extending their value with powerful network resources and
support. This past year, The Mining Company did the exact same thing on the
Internet.”
“Both networks exist to extend the abilities of their affiliates
to create stronger bonds with their audiences. Together, they make a very
powerful combination,” continued Kurnit.
NBC-IN says it has commitments to promote the service on air to 86.3% of daily
viewers in the desirable 18 to 49 Internet demographic via more than 100
committed NBC stations.
Content partners include Microsoft’s Sidewalk, InfoSeek, BigYellow,
Realtor.com, Rent Net, Auto-By-Tel, Preview Travel, The Monster Board, HOT
Coupons, and GIST.
Advertisers include Cathay Pacific in the Airline category, Mazda in the Auto
Category, and K-mart in Retail.
