Multi-Year Deal Will Enable The New York Times Company to Build Broadband Video Channels and Syndicate Video to Web Affiliates with the Brightcove Internet TV Service
CAMBRIDGE, MASS-February 8, 2006 - The New York Times Company and Brightcove, an Internet TV pioneer, today announced a multi-year agreement that will enable the distribution of broadband video content across all of the Times Company's online properties, as well as the syndication of content to other sites, reaching an audience of millions with the Brightcove service.
"As a diversified media company, we are always looking for new ways to deliver high-quality news, information and entertainment to our readers and viewers," said Martin Nisenholtz, senior vice president of digital operations, The New York Times Company. "Brightcove gives us the ability to rapidly expand the amount of high-quality broadband video content we offer across our digital properties, and to easily syndicate selected content to Web affiliates, thereby making our consumer experience both richer and broader in reach, as well as financially attractive."
"The New York Times Company is one of the most well respected media organizations in the world, and they are creating exactly the kind of compelling content that is drawing consumers to Internet TV," said Jeremy Allaire, founder and chief executive officer of Brightcove. "The work we are doing with them to distribute that content through broadband channels and syndication networks shows how quickly leading media companies are innovating to take advantage of the new opportunities being created by Internet TV and in the process transforming the whole media landscape."
Brightcove is an on-demand Internet TV service that provides content owners, ranging from national cable networks to traditional print media to independent producers, with a cost-effective way to distribute video through the Internet and build broadband businesses. Currently, the commercial preview of the Brightcove service is in use by an exclusive group of video publishers that includes Reuters, National Lampoon, and The Oxygen Network.
The growth of Internet TV is playing a key role in the convergence of traditional print media with video and TV. The New York Time Company, with its print, online, and broadcast properties around the world, is uniquely positioned to translate their diverse media assets into successful broadband businesses.
The New York Times Company plans to use Brightcove to program and deliver broadband video content throughout its online properties. Brightcove will make it possible to syndicate video produced for About.com and other Times Company broadband channels to Web affiliates, thus extending the reach of The New York Times Company brands and driving additional traffic to their content.
The first New York Times Company business to take advantage of the Brightcove service is About.com, a top 10 Web property used by one out of every five people on the Internet. The highly successful Web site already offers more than 1.2 million pieces of original content, including their original Video Guide series which debuted in 2004 in their Style channel, rolling out over the past two years to Home & Garden and Gadgets channels. With Brightcove they plan to continue to add to the "how to" video content, extending their video library to include consumer-submitted expert video content beginning in the first half of 2006.
About recently launched new About Gadgets videos, which cover the latest electronic devices and technology products as explained by veteran tech reporter Brett Larson. Mr. Larson, who debuted as About's Video Guide to Gadgets in July 2005, offers practical advice on topics such as digital cameras features; choosing a cell phone; shopping for headphones; selecting between cable and DSL; and gaming consoles. In addition, they will launch in late February and early March new About Home segments hosted by veteran interior designer and home builder Anne-Marie Barton and a series of About Health segments hosted by Dr. Mona Khanna, MD, MPH, a quadruple board-certified practicing physician and Emmy award-winning medical correspondent. All of this video content will migrate to the Brightcove service.
About the New York Times Company
The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2005 revenues of $3.4 billion, 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, Boston.com and About.com. For the fifth consecutive year, the Company was ranked No. 1 in the publishing industry in Fortune's 2005 list of America's Most Admired Companies. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.
About Brightcove
Brightcove is an open Internet TV service that empowers video producers and programmers to build broadband businesses while giving viewers more choices and control over their use of video and television. Founded by Internet pioneer Jeremy Allaire in 2004 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Brightcove is a private company led by a management team that includes senior executives from Allaire, Macromedia, ATG, Comcast, Lycos, News Corp., MediaVest, and Discovery Networks.
