ETHER

iVillage Turbocharges NBC Universal Online

Another historic online industry moment today with the announcement that NBC Universal is acquiring iVillage, a grassroots Internet brand, that grew out of AOL's Greenhouse project under Ted Leonsis.  The Wall Street Journal article notes the iVillage deal is another in a string of mainstream media acquiring successful online brands:

In the last few years, New York Times Co. bought hub About.com, News Corp. bought social-networking site MySpace and Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal Online as well as the print Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, purchased financial-news service MarketWatch site MySpace and Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal Online as well as the print Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, purchased financial-news service MarketWatch- WSJ

The press release and webcast are available under the corporate information section of the iVillage site.  The webcast lead by Beth Comstock, President of NBC Digital Media, is recommended listening as they describe the value of iVillage as "one of the nation's most successful online destinations for women", and their expectations for its contribution to NBC's digital strategy. In the words of the press release:

With this acquisition, NBC Universal will engage millions of loyal iVillage users, a community which mirrors a key demographic of the NBC Universal audience - women. Every part of NBC Universal, from television and film to home entertainment will support and drive iVillage forward. From this platform, NBC Universal will chart the next generation of digital content development and enhance user experience

For those who may have thought online "community" is dead, the value of a passionate, loyal, connected audience as iVillage has created is clearly alive and well at NBC Universal. In the webcast Beth Comstock's words include:

"..compelling content and finding engaging destinations.. marry community with content..  proprietary content and a way to engage users and advertisers.. turbocharges what we do.."

"programming and community.. experiences wherever technology can take it.. videos, community.. "

Cyberspace International

There is a universal geography of cyberspace. Men, women, children, of all religions, political persuasions and national origin--hundreds of millions of them—live here. They meet and marry, they shop here, they share deep friendships, the research their health issues, study and graduate from colleges, read and practice democracy.

Cyberspace is a "Brave New World" in more ways than one. I've seen recruitment for the Taliban in Muslim chat rooms on Microsoft and threats to blow up America by a chatter named Osama bin Laden years before
September 11.2001. I've watched in cyberspace as people change faiths, leave their spouses, raise their children, retire and pass on. I've seen raging battles over what clothes are important in a Barbie doll
collection and heard the pleas of desperate couples soliciting women for children to adopt.

But one thing I have yet to see much of are United States based companies who understand that any web site is a world-wide web site. The home of a website, and the brand on a web site, is no longer the land-based, bricks and mortar national location. A website lives in cyberspace and so does the brand. The url of a site is the mail address. The contact us or robotic chat for customer service is in cyberspace. The myopic view that some in nations outside the US claim is evidenced in foreign policy is also evidenced on some popular and important websites. Take at look at your site? And, see if it reflects the fact that cyberspace citizens live there--without regard to national boundaries.

Lynne Bundesen

Why ETHER? Why now?

The October 24 official closing of the Prodigy Communities is a turning point in online history. This date signifies the online industry’s evolution. As one of the team who built the Prodigy interest groups it is a particularly poignant moment. In the past 15 years the industry has moved from connection for social communities to harnessing the power of online collaboration to fuel knowledge growth and sharing as an integral part of doing business and promoting innovation. Lynne and I identified some of the leaders in our Workforce.com article of December 2002 (requires registration).

Through this K-log we look forward to a thoughtful exchange about effectively using online tools to share knowledge, create business value, and ensure rich experiences for participants. Our goal is to elevate the issues into the ETHER.

Your insights are invited and welcome. We especially want to hear from Prodigy Community members who were there until the last about why these groups were so appealing and what will be their new online homes. Please comment below.

Jenny Ambrozek