• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, November 2, 2004

In a move signalling Yahoo!'s intent to develop more original content for the Web, the company named former ABC exec Lloyd Braun as head of its media and entertainment division, effective Nov. 15.

Braun--formerly the chairman of Walt Disney Co.'s ABC Entertainment Television Group, where he oversaw the development of the current shows "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives"--will head up most of Yahoo!'s content sites, including movies, TV, music, games, entertainment, finance, news, weather, sports, health, and children's sites. Braun left ABC in April.

A spokeswoman for the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Yahoo! said the company intends to develop "unique and compelling content" for the Web--some of which will be free, and some paid-only.

Since 2001, when former Warner Bros. movie studio co-head Terry Semel joined Yahoo! as CEO, the company has been beefing up its entertainment offerings. In a recent move, Semel bought the online music service Musicmatch Inc. for $160 million. Yahoo! also recently became the official Web site for Mark Burnett's TV show "The Apprentice," airing on NBC.