• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, January 17, 2006

Yahoo! and reality TV tycoon Mark Burnett are considering resurrecting ABC's scrapped reality TV series "The Runner" as an online show, a Yahoo! spokeswoman confirmed Monday. The possible venture, first reported Monday in Variety and The Wall Street Journal, has not yet been green-lighted, the spokeswoman said.

Created by LivePlanet--a production company founded in part by actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck--and backed in 2000 by Yahoo! Media Group head Lloyd Braun during his chairmanship at ABC, "The Runner" was conceived as a simulated manhunt across the United States. But the cost of insuring the real-life would-be contestants chasing the marked fugitive around the county, and other logistical uncertainties, sidelined the initial venture.

Now, LivePlanet, Yahoo!, and Burnett are considering giving "The Runner" a second chance as an original online series that ties closely with Yahoo!'s consumer services, including e-mail, maps, and search.

If it materializes, "The Runner" would mark the fourth major foray into original content since Braun joined Yahoo! Media Group in late 2004. "The Runner" would join "Kevin Sites in the Hot Zone," which launched in September and features war correspondent Sites as he travels to various centers of conflict around the globe, and travel show "Richard Bangs' Adventures."

And, as was first reported by OnlineMediaDaily last month, Yahoo! is planning to launch another Web reality show to accompany its technology hub, which is set to debut in March. Dubbed "Wow House," the program will follow two families as they renovate and upgrade their home electronics systems. Scott Moore, vice president of content operations for the Yahoo! Media Group, estimated the "Wow House" pilot would cost $100,000 to produce.