CNN.com Taps Inform For News Search

CNN.com has tapped Inform Technologies to provide an on-site search engine, which allows users to search other news sources without leaving the CNN site, OnlineMediaDaily has learned.

A spokeswoman for Inform confirmed that the company has a deal with CNN parent Turner Broadcasting System--Inform's biggest deal since launching in 2004--but declined to comment further.

Inform's publisher service, which launched in July 2006, allows news sites to add the Inform news search product to their own sites, giving their users the option of searching other news sources without leaving the site. The service offers comprehensive on-site news search, in the hopes of discouraging Web users from leaving sites to visit search engines like Google and Yahoo. The service also allows publishers to build special areas on their sites focusing on specific topics or keywords.

When the publisher service launched in July, initial clients onboard included WashingtonPost.com and NYSun.com, as well as NewsOK.com. According to comScore Media Metrix, CNN.com garnered 21.9 million unique visitors in November 2006. WashingtonPost.com claimed 5 million, NewsOK netted 323,000, and NYSun.com picked up 165,000.

CNN did not respond to requests for comment.

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