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About.com Expands Video Initiative
NEW YORK (February 12, 2007)- About.com, one of the Web's leading producers of original content, has added 500 new videos to the site, significantly expanding its online video initiative. Consumers will now have more choices in, and greater access to, About.com's video content which spans several of the site's key channels including: Home, Autos, Computing & Gadgets, Food, Health and Parenting, in topics ranging from basic how-to's to more specialized themes. The expanded video offering has been created by About.com Guides and a team of carefully chosen experts."By drawing from individual area experts, and leveraging advancements in technology, we have created a scalable method for producing broadband programming that allows us to quickly and significantly increase the number of videos we can offer users," said Scott Meyer, president and CEO, About.com. "We are essentially extending our model, which has been so successful in text and image creation, into video."
The new in-page player will offer more opportunity for the user to interact with the full richness of the various types of About.com content, including text and images. Visitors can also now access About.com video via additional points of entry, including the About.com video homepage (http://video.about.com) and, most importantly, external search engines. The new design and multiple access points were developed to deepen the level of user engagement and offer better targeting for advertisers. The expanded programming, coupled with the in-page player, provides extensive advertising opportunities, such as pre-roll with persistent companion billboard advertisements, and the flexibility to accommodate interactive overlays. About.com uses Brightcove technology to power the player and to host and serve the videos.
"This approach responds to the changing demands of users who increasingly want new ways to interact with relevant content online while fulfilling the needs of advertisers who are seeking more creative ways to reach consumers through Web video," continued Mr. Meyer.
About.com is a top-ten content site. On average, 32 million monthly visitors (average; Nielsen//NetRatings) use About.com to help guide their decisions about Health, Food, Parenting, Technology, Entertainment, Finance, Autos and many other topics. GuideSites on About.com are created by a network of 588 Guides, who are passionate about their topic areas and have deep expertise and credentials in their fields. Guides make sure our visitors find answers and advice that are personally relevant, credible, and useful - all delivered in a human, accessible voice.
About About.com
Founded in 1996, About.com is one of the Web's leading producers of original content. The site's expert Guides provide users with accurate and unbiased information to help them live happier, healthier and more successful lives.
In March 2005, About.com was acquired by The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a media company with 2006 revenues of $3.3 billion. The New York Times Company includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 15 other daily newspapers, nine network-affiliated television stations, two New York City radio stations and 35 Web sites, including NYTimes.com and Boston.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.
Press Contacts:
Lisa Langsdorf, About.com, 212-204-1467, llangsdorf@about.com