Fox/NBCU Add 'Fuel' to New Web Venture

Mike Shields

MAY 30, 2007 -

News Corporation and NBC Universal continue to expand the programming
roster for their upcoming joint Web video venture. The companies
announced five new content partners on Wednesday, including the
auto-enthusiast-aimed Fuel TV and Speed, as well as Oxygen, Sundance
Channel and TV Guide Broadband.

Each new partner will distribute a selection of short- and long-form
video content both on the soon-to-launch video hub, which is meant to
serve as the networks' answer to YouTube. In addition, these networks'
clips will be syndicated across the joint venture's network of
affiliate sites, which will include AOL, MSN, Yahoo, MySpace and CNET.

Among the shows that will be made available to millions of Web users
are Oxygen's The Bad Girls Club, Sundance's The Green and Big Ideas
for a Small Planet and TV Guide Network's America's Next Producer,
along with its various interview shows from major Hollywood awards
presentations.

Previously, News Corp. and NBC Universal had written similar content
deals with AOL, MSN, MySpace, Yahoo, CNET and Comcast's cable
networks: E!, Style, G4, Versus and the Golf Channel.

Charter advertisers that have committed to the service include Cadbury
Schweppes, Cisco, Esurance, Intel and General Motors.

In addition to its third-party content providers, News Corp. and NBC
Uni will seed the new site with programming from their own broadcast
and cable networks, including popular prime-time fare like Fox's 24
and NBC's The Office.

The two networks said that the new stand-alone video site, along with
the corresponding network, will go live sometime in late summer. The
new venture will have offices in New York and Los Angeles. A name and
a permanent management team is expected to be unveiled shortly.

--additional reporting by Anthony Crupi