AOL Focuses on Online Entertainment
Without subscriber revenue to depend on, AOL is looking for new avenues in which to generate cash. One of these is in entertainment, and the company announced deals on five new Web productions Tuesday.
AOL is hoping that these offerings help it generate more advertising impressions, which is now its primary source of revenue. Deals have been announced with Mark Burnett, Dreamworks, Endemol, Madison Road, Stone & Co., and Telepictures.
Mark Burnett and DreamWorks have partnered on "Ye Old Shrek the Third Royal Tournament," a six-week marathon of games coming in late April based on Shrek 3, and Burnett would also return to produce a sequel to last years "Gold Rush" online game, titled "Gold Rush Goes Hollywood." That will premiere in the third quarter
The Ellen DeGeneres Show will participate in an online tie-in to the show where viewers could share stories that will be featured in a special segment on the TV Show. That is expected to begin in the fourth quarter and is produced by Telepictures.
"Million Dollar Bill" is a game based on the serial numbers of US dollar bills in circulation. Launching in the first quarter of 2008, the top players will compete on television while AOL hosts an online component.
Finally, "iLand" pits contestants against each other in a contest where the reward is an actual tropical island. Online players will be able to shape the outcome of the program. That launches in the second quarter of 2008.
"This game is all about scale, and AOL is one of only four companies that has it," chairman and CEO Randy Falco said. ""We want to be a one-stop shop for advertisers in providing all of the tools, services, and creative support they need to reach their consumers online."