Hearst partners with MSN to boost Web offering.

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Author: Ives, Nat

Time Inc., by comparison, maintains its own companion sites for all its magazines, while Conde Nast Publications has emphasized the development of major destination sites like Epicurious.com as homes for Gourmet and Bon Appetit. Both control the ad inventory on those sites, which Hearst does not under its iVillage and MSN deals.

"Hearst Magazines is absolutely committed to growing and indeed flourishing in the digital medium," said Jay Bobowicz, VP-syndication, business development and partner relations, Hearst Digital Media. "This really involves meeting the audience where the audience is and perfecting new storytelling skills. There's a tremendous amount we can do today and, more important, there's a tremendous amount that we and MSN can learn together."

Not every partner has to be a mega-portal, and not every deal has to revolve around content. Hearst said April 27 that it had closed a deal to feature some Cosmopolitan advertisers on Glam.com, a fashion Web site that claims 1 million visitors a month.

The big publishing houses' strategies serve various constituents differently. "The Hearst approach is less interesting to me because it's simply using the Web as an electronic newsstand and to solicit sampling," said Michael Neiss, senior VP-managing director, Universal McCann. "The Conde Nast approach is more interesting because it builds out the essence of their magazines in a way that paper-and-ink magazines can't."

The Conde Nast approach also helps bring in Web surfers who aren't necessarily looking for a particular title but are merely looking for a great site about, say, style or food. If they stick around, they may even take an interest in the magazines that contribute to the bigger sites.

On the other hand, brand fanatics of the sort that Conde Nast pictures in its ad campaign-literally hugging their magazines-might expect to see dedicated companion sites for their favorite titles and feel adrift at a broader portal.

"I'm not sure our strategy is necessarily better, but we need a diversified approach," Mr. Bobowicz said. "We need to do both-invest in our core destinations and invest in reach, to push our content out and pull customers in."

The agreement with Hearst also highlights the important role that "old media" companies play in the new media world. "There's a reason that these brands are well-loved," said David Stansbury, senior channel manager, MSN Lifestyle. "In a programming space that's very much about how people are living their lives, having that connection is really important."

Under the deal with MSN, which also hosts content from Meredith Corp. magazines, Hearst will continually contribute editorial from each participating magazine in various forms, including articles from the print editions, slide shows, video interviews, special events coverage, blogs and quizzes. In addition to Esquire and Marie Claire, the deal encompasses Country Living, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful, Popular Mechanics, Redbook and Shop Etc. More titles may be added down the road.

And in some ways, the whole thing remains experimental, or as Mr. Bobowicz might say, a learning experience. The presentation of Hearst content on MSN Lifestyle, for example, is not yet totally established. "We're looking for the best ways to position this, but you will find that we are creating spaces that are about or from a particular Hearst title," Mr. Stansbury said.

GRAPH: Web Crawlers

GRAPH: House of Hearst

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By Nat Ives