REAL MEDIA GETS INTO CONTENT DELIVERY WITH SCREAMINGMEDIA

By: Staff reports Real Media Syndicate Offers Content to Clients



In the media convergence game, two Media's with capital M's are getting together.



Online advertising server Real Media is partnering with Web syndicator ScreamingMedia to help newspapers
build their online content. Real Media's 650 domestic clients will have the option of joining Real Media
Syndicate, a new bundled ad-serving and content-delivery system.



The new syndicate will pull all news stories from participating Web sites using ScreamingMedia's SiteWare
technology. Those stories are then parsed and channeled into eight categories (automotive, business,
entertainment, health, news, sports, technology, and travel) which will be offered as ready-made content
to other Real Media clients.



'It represents an opportunity for Real Media partners to share content with each other and to maximize the
value of their editorial content,' says Chris Neimeth, president and CEO of Real Media. Participating sites
will receive branding on their content and a slice of revenues for new advertising spots that Real Media
will sell over the eight channels.



Real Media Syndicate members will also have the opportunity to sell their content to ScreamingMedia's 1,000
clients.



Many newspaper sites desperately need to flesh out their content, says Michele Pelino, senior analyst at The
Yankee Group, Boston. 'If you have breadth of content, especially in categories like travel and entertainment,
you will ultimately drive usage back to your site,' she says. But if you only have a few articles in your
travel section, there's not much incentive for readers to become repeat visitors.



In all probability, some clients of Real Media will balk at the notion of handing over their content to other
newspapers for free. Neimeth understands the resistance, but says publishers must recognize the 'significant
downward pressure' on the idea of charging for content. That's why it makes sense for newspapers to join
together to create strong editorial packages that will attract viewers and advertisers. 'These types of
marketplaces will become more prevalent,' Neimeth adds.



Indeed, the sharing of content is becoming more common, with many newspapers now providing several news stories
per day to Web sites like Yahoo! and CNN.com.


For ScreamingMedia, the deal gives it the opportunity to add to the list of 900 Web sites that currently provide
content for syndication. And the firm hopes to leverage Real Media's global connections to drum up more business.
CEO Kevin Clark says 'We are looking forward to working with Real Media wherever they're doing business,'
including Europe and Asia, where ScreamingMedia is expanding. For now, the Real Media Syndicate will only be
available to Real Media partners in the U.S.