Making good on its effort to build out its video programming, AOL has struck a Web programming deal with big TV network reality show producer Endemol USA.
The producer of "Big Brother,"
"Wipeout" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" will focus on grabbing AOL's women viewers, but will also target overall viewers. Terms were not disclosed.
The first two series include "Re-Dressed
By America," an interactive Web series where users make over subjects facing a life-changing event, such as high school reunions or first dates. The series will be featured on AOL areas: Stylelist.com
and MyDaily.com.
The second show is "Mamá's Recipe," in which families compete for the best family recipes and share their secrets with the AOL audience. This series will run on
KitchenDaily.com and AOL Latino (latino.aol.com).
AOL said the new shows will garner major promotion across all its sites, and added that the new series will feature "enhanced" online programming
-- user voting, extra video clips and blog content. All this to create more opportunities for sponsors.
David Eun, president of AOL Media & Studios, stated: "Endemol is the latest in a string of
partnerships that serve both the AOL consumers and our advertising partners." David Goldberg, chairman of Endemol North America, added: "This deal continues our growth as a leader in interactive
digital entertainment, and we look forward to creating many genre-defining series with AOL."
AOL said its recent series "You've Got..." generated nearly 8 million views in its first month for the
newly revamped AOL.com.
The company says overall video views on the new AOL.com rose more than three times in its first month versus previous periods.