MSN's Online Entertainment Offers Risks, Rewards for Bennett.

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Author: Anderson, Diane

MSN is getting its entertainment groove on. To do so, it has created several new positions within the company to reflect its new focus on online video content, including its recent appointment of Rob Bennett to general manager of entertainment and video services.

"MSN is making concerted efforts to have a great video channel. We are a pioneer of ad-supported streaming video," said Bennett. "More TV dollars are going online. We've worked with marketers like Sprite, Volvo and P&G and we want to continue to show that Internet advertising is effective."

Bennett will handle the development and programming of MSN's digital media and entertainment-related properties. He joined Microsoft in 1991, originally working in engineering for Windows and then Explorer. He's led marketing, pr and strategy for several Microsoft businesses. His most recent post was project unit manager at MSN Video, Movies and TV.

Bennett recognizes that online entertainment at present is a realm of uncharted waters. It's a game of balancing risks with rewards, and he points to MSN's recent deal with JibJab as an example of the unit's willingness to take risks that can pay off with creative rewards.

"The Web is going from passive consumption to more engaged, participatory experience," said Bennett. "Consumers want much deeper engagement. Brands are struggling with how to embrace user-generated content. We'll help figure out how to monetize this."

Bennett thinks many advertisers are struggling with "where the guardrails are," when it comes to copyrighted material and adult content, but offers assurances that MSN will continue to create branded entertainment and "marry content directly with advertisers at point of origin of the deal, on MSNSpaces, Messenger and Video."

PHOTO (COLOR): ROB BENNETT general manager

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By Diane Anderson