Yahoo! & SoapCity Unveil New Co-Branded Feature On Yahoo! TV Dedicated to Daytime Drama
PRNewswire
SUNNYVALE, Calif. and CULVER CITY, Calif.
03/12/2002
SoapCity, The Soap Opera Capital of the World™, and Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO), a leading global Internet communications, commerce and media company, today unveiled a new co-branded feature on Yahoo! TV ( http://tv.yahoo.com ) dedicated to providing extensive coverage of the world of daytime drama. The agreement makes SoapCity the exclusive provider of soap opera content for Yahoo! TV, one of the Web's most visited television destinations, and is part of the ongoing alliance between Yahoo!, Sony Corporation of America and Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment (SPDE), the parent company of SoapCity.
"Soap opera stories are timeless, and the SoapCity audience is constantly looking for even more information on their favorite shows," explained Mary Coller, vice president and general manager of SoapCity. "As we continue to take this ever-popular genre to the next level by providing the latest news, creative features and engaging content for our dedicated audience, it's exciting to align with Yahoo! TV to further our reach to even more soap opera fans across the Web."
The co-branded feature on Yahoo! TV provides the kind of information that has made SoapCity one of the most popular destinations for soap opera coverage online -- including daily soap updates, news, behind-the-scenes reports, event coverage, and exclusive one-on-one interviews with soap stars.
"We are pleased to work with SoapCity to provide fans with a truly rich online soap opera experience," said Doug Hirsch, senior director, Yahoo! Entertainment. "The relationship with SoapCity provides Yahoo! TV with compelling daytime drama content, to meet consumer demand and further our commitment to provide consumers with access to a broad arena of quality entertainment."
Since its launch in 1997, SoapCity.com has become the leading source for daily information about all daytime dramas (Source: comScore Networks based on unique U.S. visitors, November 2001 - January 2002). Housing a main anchor site and the official sites for top rated daytime dramas The Young and the Restless, Days of our Lives, As the World Turns and Guiding Light, SoapCity's leadership is demonstrated by its large, loyal community and more than 1.4 million unique consumers per month (Source: Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment internal log file analysis, December 2001).
The launch of the new soap opera destination will be promoted via advertising and promotional units throughout Yahoo!. SPDE's advertising sales unit is responsible for advertising and promotional program sales on the co-branded site.
For information on advertising opportunities, contact John Henderson, VP, National Sales Director for Sony Picture Digital Entertainment at 212-833-8211 and johnhenderson@sonypictures.com.
About SoapCity:
SoapCity, The Soap Opera Capital of the World™, located at http://www.soapcity.com/ and AOL Keyword: "SoapCity" is Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment's premiere soap opera destination. The site provides extensive coverage updated daily, for all daytime dramas and hosts the official sites for, Days of our Lives, The Young and the Restless, Guiding Light and As the World Turns. SoapCity is driven by a fan-based community eager to connect with their favorite shows. With live Web casts, celebrity chats, fashion and style reviews, up-to-the-minute news and its e-commerce destination, The SoapCity Store, SoapCity has emerged as the number one soap opera entertainment hub.
About Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) is a leading global Internet communications, commerce and media company that offers a comprehensive branded network of services to more than 219 million individuals each month worldwide. As the first online navigational guide to the Web, www.yahoo.com is the leading guide in terms of traffic, advertising, household and business user reach. Yahoo! is the No. 1 Internet brand globally and reaches the largest audience worldwide. Through Yahoo! Enterprise Solutions, the company also provides online business and enterprise services designed to enhance the productivity and Web presence of Yahoo!'s clients. The company's global Web network includes 24 World properties. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Yahoo! has offices in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Australia, Canada and the United States.
About Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment
Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment (SPDE), an operating unit of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), oversees the activities of SPE's digital production and online assets including Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Online Entertainment, the Digital Networks Division which includes SoapCity and Screenblast, and SPIN, which represents the studio's online promotional presence. SPDE focuses on three areas: 1) producing and developing visual effects and computer-generated imaging (CGI), digital character animation, and original content for motion picture, television, online and PlayStation audiences; 2) developing new forms of online content, games and interactive programming; and 3) leading SPE's efforts to provide online, open-access video-on-demand, interactive television and wireless entertainment.
Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.
All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE: SoapCity; Yahoo! Inc.
Contact: Sal Cataldi, sal@cataldipr.com, or Carrie Nork, both of Cataldi
Public Relations, +1-212-244-9797; Sarah Ross of Yahoo! Entertainment,
+1-408-349-5172, sross@yahoo-inc.com; or Susan Wright of Sony Pictures Digital
Entertainment, +1-310-482-4827, swright@sonypictures.com
Website: http://www.spe.sony.com/
Website: http://tv.yahoo.com/