• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, November 9, 2006

NBC Universal, which has announced a sweeping effort to maximize corporate synergies and trim costs, may offer a glimpse of its plans with the daily talk show "iVillage Live," launching Dec. 4.

Set before a studio audience at NBCU's Universal Orlando Resort, it will have simultaneous distribution on NBC's 10 owned-and-operated local stations, NBCU cable outlet Bravo and a part of NBCU's newly purchased Internet site iVillage (iVillageLive.com). The show will run daily at noon EST (with a West Coast rebroadcast at noon PST).

Sponsors include Bally Total Fitness, Estee Lauder, Healthy Choice and Unilever. NBC says the advertisers will have a role in on-air segments "when appropriate, to round out the show and offer value to viewers." In addition, sponsors' products will be integrated into the show and simultaneously available for purchase at iVillageLive.com. One of the charter sponsors looking to capitalize on the promotion-e-commerce opportunity, GE Profile Appliances, is part of NBCU parent General Electric.

"iVillage Live's" on-air content follows the template of other female-targeted daytime talk shows, examining topics such as parenting, health and beauty and lifestyle--all of which dovetail with the iVillage Web site.

In a potentially innovative maneuver, iVillageLive.com will host a live chat during the broadcast stream on its site. Some of the content will be shown on-screen, via a scroll on the bottom.

The show will extend beyond on-air and online to give consumers the opportunity to join the chat via mobile phones. The show will also be archived for on-demand viewing on iVillageLive.com.