Women on the Web Unite Women's site iVillage is buying out its top competitor in a stock deal, Women.com. The transaction is due to close next quarter, according to
iVillage vice-president of communications Carl Fischer. Fisher says the deal will create the largest online destination for women, featuring editorial and communities on
everything from parenting to pets and health to home-decorating. "Each of these sites has about 10 million unique visitors each month," says Fischer. "And there's only about a 15%
overlap. So we could nearly double our audience." Fischer also cited ongoing softness in the advertising market as one reason iVillage is buying the San Mateo-based Women.com.
Both sites are ad-driven revenue models. (Fischer, 212/600-5602)
A Fool and His Money Are Soon on the Internet Lots of content-oriented sites are doing a smart thing in these days of dotcom-downsizings: they are hitching their wagons
to big brands to keep traffic up. Case in point: financial-site-for-dummies the Motley Fool struck up a content deal with news behemoth MSNBC.com last week. Fool co-founder David
Gardner said the agreement was part of the Alexandria-based company's plan to "reach and teach more individual investors than ever before." Motley Fool's original content presents
an irreverent, personalized advice on moneymanagement and investing, and will be featured daily on MSNBC.com's business page. In a similar agreement, the Motley Fool also provided
a special editorial report on personal finance appearing in last week's issue of Newsweek. A source from Newsweek says the site is a good match as the magazine
dedicates more space to investor advice. (Jamie Patten, 703/254-1773)
(Fear of a) Black Planet Partnership with Time In the case of another Web site partnering with a big media name (see above) BlackPlanet.com is striking up a content deal
with Time magazine. To commemorate Black History Month (which is February) the site will host classic Time magazine articles about African-American luminaries in
politics, business, and entertainment. BlackPlanet.com public relations manager Andrew Lokko said the deal fits Time's mission to devote more copy to multicultural issues.
He says Time will also push articles out to BlackPlanet's sister sites for Asians and Latinos, AsianAvenue.com and miGente.com. BlackPlanet.com is a free and community-
driven with 1.8 million registered members. (Lokko, 212/431-4477 ext 362)
Times Company Pitches Golf Titles The New York Times Company is getting rid of Golf Digest, Golf Digest Woman, Golf Woman, Golf World
Business and GolfDigest.com. Advance Publications, a communications company that owns Conde Nast Publications, is expected to buy the titles next quarter, pending
regulatory approval. Advance Publications chairman S. I. Newhouse said the acquired publications would become an independent unit of the magazine group. Times Company CEO Russel
T. Lewis cited continuing consolidation in the magazine industry and a need to focus on core competencies as reasons for the sale. (Catherine Mathis, 212/556-1981)