AOL Adds Variety To Online Publishing Model, Gives Premium Content Free To Users Who Watch Its Ads

In a new twist on the online content publishing model, Time Warner's America Online unit has struck a deal to provide premium content free to users who opt to watch its ads on a premium subscription site.

America Online's Moviefone has begun sponsoring content on Hollywood trade magazine Variety's Web site, enabling people without paid Variety subscriptions to read articles for free on Variety.com after first watching a Moviefone ad.

The move, the result of a Moviefone-Variety partnership, is part of a broader business-to-business advertising campaign by AOL's Moviefone. The company also started an ad campaign this month in entertainment-oriented magazines including Variety's print magazine, The Hollywood Reporter, and Entertainment Weekly.

In addition, Moviefone is presenting Variety's second annual screening of new movies, which started at the end of September.

Steven Yee, vice president and general manager for AOL Movies and Moviefone.com, said the initiatives are designed to "raise the visibility of Moviefone" among industry insiders. A Variety spokeswoman did not return a telephone call for this article.

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