Viacom Rides With Autobytel
Viacom Television Stations Digital Media Group, New York, said yesterday that it partnered with Autobytel to bring automotive information to its newly designed station Web sites as part of its "Always On" digital media initiative.Autobytel, Irvine, CA, a car buying and research destination, will provide comprehensive vehicle information, state-of-the-art research tools, video test drives, reviews, reports and more to each of the Viacom Television Station's Web sites. Visitors to each of the relaunched sites will have access to automotive information on the local station's home page.
In addition to reading articles and reviews, users can choose a vehicle, submit a request to buy a new or used vehicle and receive a no-haggle price quote from Autobytel member dealers in their local market. Autobytel's content, stories and updates will be supported by each station's broadcast and broadband video.
The group plans to relaunch Web sites for all of its CBS stations. The station sites in New York (wcbstv.com), Salt Lake City (kutv.com), Minneapolis (wcco.com), Denver (cbs4denver.com), San Francisco (cbs5.com), Chicago (cbs2chicago.com) and Baltimore (wjz.com) have launched. Kyw.com (Philadelphia) will relaunch Sept. 13 and wbz.com (Boston) on Sept. 19. In total, 17 CBS stations will relaunch their sites in 2005, followed by UPN stations in 2006.
This is Autobytel's third partnership in the past month. Last week, the company inked a deal with ESPN.com and launched a co-branded ESPN Cars Web site. Autobytel is now the exclusive provider of content and car buying tools on the site. Autobytel also recently announced another exclusive co-brand deal with Bankrate.com to power its new auto channel.
Melissa Campanelli covers postal news, CRM and database marketing for DM News and DMNews.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters
