INTERNET: AsiaContent.com in portal deal with NBCi - Asiacontent.com will team up with NBCi to launch Internet portal services, including community, content and online shopping services

<p>Asiacontent.com is beefing up its Web might, teaming up with </p><p>US-based media firm NBC Internet in the latest of a series of joint </p><p>ventures. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Under the new arrangement, Asiacontent.com will team up with NBCi to </p><p>launch Internet portal services, including community, content and online </p><p>shopping services, throughout the region. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>While the deal has facilitated NBCi buying a minority stake in </p><p>Asiacontent.com, the latter now holds a 65 per cent stake in the new </p><p>venture. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Fresh websites are expected to be churned out within the coming quarter, </p><p>relying on the breadth of content developed with NBCi portals and </p><p>technology in the US and Europe. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition, Tricast - the Singapore-based website developer - has </p><p>undergone a corporate brand rehaul to become "the media arm" of </p><p>AsiaContent.com. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>AsiaContent.com CEO Christopher Justice termed the change in Tricast's </p><p>nomenclature as "a corporate reorganisation", which was not "a de-facto </p><p>joint-venture". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It reflects the overall AsiaContent.com family - creating premium </p><p>branded, locally relevant content, delivering targeted advertising to </p><p>Asian audiences and connecting Asian buyers and sellers online," Mr </p><p>Justice told MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Tricast was and still is a developer of branded destination content </p><p>sites - it will continue to be where we do our content," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Tricast adds to a trio of AsiaContent.com corporate relationships </p><p>including a joint-venture with DoubleClick Asia - who manage the firm's </p><p>ad sales and branding - and NBC Internet. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In response to the shake-up, former Tricast COO Paul Meyers has moved to </p><p>AsiaContent.com's staff team, remaining in Tricast's Singapore office in </p><p>the new role of VP, business development. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>