AOL, CBS MarketWatch Deal Full Of Content

America Online, further strengthening its ties with Internet properties backed by the CBS television network, today said it has struck a multiyear content distribution deal with financial information provider CBS MarketWatch.

CBS MarketWatch will pay AOL a minimum of $21 million in cash and promotion during the next three years in exchange for prime positioning as a key provider of business and finance news on a string of AOL-owned properties.

The new partnership extends the alliance between CBS and AOL. The television network already distributes content from its news division via AOL. Additionally, CBS partner SportsLine USA also is a longtime anchor tenant in AOL's sports content areas.

CBS MarketWatch will be featured on AOL's flagship online service along with the company's AOL.com and Netscape Netcenter portals. The deal extends an existing arrangement between CBS MarketWatch and AOL's CompuServe service.

The companies will partner to use the AOL service to conduct scientific online polls. The results of the surveys will be integrated into television and radio programming being developed under the CBS MarketWatch brand name.

CBS MarketWatch also will develop "slide show" news reports integrating audio and still photos to be distributed on the primary AOL service.