• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, October 5, 2009

How-to video Web site 5min has struck a deal with Scripps Networks, which operates lifestyle cable TV channels such as HGTV and Food Network, to supply videos to 5min's home and food categories.

Under the agreement, Scripps will also directly sell advertising not only on its own inventory on 5min but all syndicated video in those two categories. The company syndicates its short, instructional videos to hundreds of sites that reach a potential audience of 250 million monthly visitors.

"We sell by category, and this is the first time we're allowing a media partner to sell any of our categories," said 5min co-founder and CEO Ran Harnevo. "Where 5min can be helpful is to leverage their distribution and scale so they're not selling only their own destination sites." He added that the company typically splits advertising between itself, content providers and sites in the network.

The partnership will start with Scripps providing hundreds of videos from its cable channels, which also include DIY Network, Fine Living Network and Great American Network. "The partnership with 5min gives us an innovative opportunity to vastly expand engagement with Scripps Networks brands by reaching additional targeted consumers across the Web," said Lisa Choi Owens, Scripps' senior vice president of online distribution and partnerships.

Because of Scripps' stature in the lifestyle and home categories, Harnevo said it made sense to allow the company to handle ad sales in those areas, rather than 5min. "They give us an opportunity to be repped by most respected brand in the space," he said. Other media companies or brands syndicating video through 5min include Hearst Corporation's UGO Entertainment, Elle, Car & Driver, The Doctors, Pet Side, Britannica, Ford Models, Kiplinger, Road & Track,Woman's Day.

With the startup just starting to monetize video this year, Harnevo said its inventory has been sold out for the last six months. He credits the company's VideoSeed syndication tool, which allows site owners to add contextually relevant videos from 5min's library to their properties to help boost revenue. Business, health, pets, sports, technology, and travel are among the other categories featured on 5min's platform.

The New York-based company has raised nearly $13 million in venture capital to date, most recently landing a $7.5 million second-round of funding led by Globespan Capital Partners and including Spark Capital. Harnevo said 5min revenue has gone from zero to "seven digits" during 2009.