Salon.com (NASDAQ: SALN; www.salon.com), one of the Internets leading media companies, today launched a customized audio entertainment service through theDial, a leading provider of audio entertainment on the Web. Expanding on the success and popularity of online music, "Salon.com on theDial" features original and syndicated audio content. The partnership provides Salon.com with a potential additional revenue stream derived from broadcast advertising available on "Salon.com on the Dial."
Under the agreement, the companies will develop a talk-based channel on theDial, elevating Salon.com's smart and compelling content to a spoken format. The channel, targeted for the spring of 2000, will feature on-air essays, commentaries and interviews by some of Salon.com's renowned writers.
"By adding an online audio service to the Salon.com network, we are capitalizing on the increasing demand for music and talk radio on the Internet," said Michael ODonnell, CEO and president of Salon.com. "theDials unique and customizable player is a great showcase for Salon.coms superb and original content and allows our premier advertisers to showcase their products in a more compelling way."
Starting today, visitors to the Salon.com network can download the easy-to-use, Salon-branded player on theDial (www.salon.com/radio) and begin listening to a wide variety of music from jazz and classical to hip-hop, funk and rock and roll. In addition to quality, diverse music selections, theDial has interspersed its programming with POWerbytes, short, cutting-edge segments on the latest in entertainment, technology and culture. Some examples of POWerbytes on theDial are:
* Heard it in a Newsgroup -- quotes, stories and reports uncovered while eavesdropping on the 33,000+ Usenet newsgroups;
* Trash your TV -- reasons why you shouldn't be too upset if you missed a moment of current TV fare; and
* The Protoplasm Report -- a legitimate but skewed take on health.
The Salon.com player is highly interactive, enabling listeners to quickly change channels and program their favorite music. In addition, "Salon.com on theDial" offers the GO! button and the Buy CD button, which are prominently displayed on the player and let listeners act on what they are hearing whether it be an advertisement or a particular song or artist.
"We saw the potential in partnering with Salon.com early on," said Todd Herman, president and chief evangelizing officer for theDial. "theDial is a completely new way of enjoying audio on the Internet, and maps extremely well with Salon.com users people focused on intelligent content, wit, pop culture and politics. theDial offers the Web audience an entertaining and intelligent alternative to straight music on the Internet."
About Salon.com
Salon.com (NASDAQ: SALN; www.salon.com; AOL Keyword: Salon) is an Internet media company that produces a network of 10 original content sites and two communities -- Table Talk and The Well. Salon.com was founded by David Talbot, former arts editor of the San Francisco Examiner. Premier advertisers and sponsors of Salon.com include Visa, IBM, Lexus, Microsoft, Virgin.com, Intel, DrKoop.com, barnesandnoble.com and EDS. The network has relationships with 275 advertising sponsors. In September 1999, the site had 1.9 million unique visitors.
Salon recently announced an e-commerce ticketing arrangement with CultureFinder.com and distribution arrangements for its books, news and technology content via Rocket eBooks and AvantGo. . Salon.com also has distribution agreements with major online companies including America Online, Lycos, Go.com, Alta Vista, CNN.com and Cnet. Its content is syndicated to North American newspapers through United Features.
About theDial.com
Based in Seattle, theDial is made up of broadcast professionals who have been involved in successful radio enterprises for more than a decade. theDial was established in 1997 to meet the demand for original and creative audio programming over the Internet. theDial is a privately held company and is backed by Utah Ventures and Wasatch Ventures, part of the Draper, Fisher, Jurvetson Family of Venture Capital Funds. For more information, please visit the company's Web site at http://www.thedial.com.
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