Les Luchter, writing in the Media Daily News, takes up the issue of new acquisitions, which further fuse TV and the web. This is Convergence, coming all the closer:
TV newtorks were busy with Web expansions yesterday. CNN bought an equity stake in Internet Broadcasting, CBS Interactive bought Wallstrip, and NBC Universal adopted a new ad format from Unicast.
CNN joined Hearst-Argyle Television, Post-Newsweek Stations, McGraw-Hill Broadcasting and Split Rock Partners as investors in Internet Broadcasting, which runs a network of more than 70 news and information sites for local TV stations nationwide. In addition to stations owned by the parent companies, the company also publishes sites for NBC, Cox, Meredith, Scripps and Morgan stations.
CNN and Internet Broadcasting said they will now allow advertisers to combine CNN.com's national reach with the regional reach of the local news sites. Internet Broadcasting will offer select CNN.com ad placements as part of its nationwide, regional or market-by-market ad packages. On the editorial side, the companies will share local, national and international news content.
Of particular interest is CBS's partnering with Wallstrip.com. Check out this amusing video, starring Lindsay Campbell, showing that wit and irreverence can make it, even into Black Rock.
