Highly targeted vertical ad networks made news on Thursday as
Matter Network launched as a content site and network for publishers serving the clean
technology and sustainability field. Meanwhile, the technology-focused NetShelter Branded Network (NSBN) was named exclusive rep for display ads on Sitepoint.com, which targets Web developers and
designers.
Matter Network, powered by Adify, was formed by longtime tech journalists John Gartner and Michael Penwarden. Gartner, a former editor at TechTV, Wired News and
Windows Magazine, has written about the social, political and economic impact of environmental technologies for such publications as the Environment News Service, MIT's Technology Review
and Alternet. Penwarden, former editor of Macworld and founder/executive editor of ComputerLife, has covered technology and environmental issues for media outlets like CNN, NBC, Time and
USA Today.
Matter Network publisher members include carbon offset supplier TerraPass.com.
On NSBN, SitePoint--which counts nearly 4 million monthly unique users--joins such other members as
The Developer Shed Network, DaniWeb.com, OSDir.com, HowtoForge.com, ProgrammersHeaven.com, OSWeekly and MadPenguin.
NSBN, launched in May 2006 with 12 sites, says it now includes more than 65
properties, and has become the Internet's second-largest technology news property behind CNET, according to comScore Media Metrics.