Freeserve And ANM Sign Web Content Deal

Dixons’ successful free internet service, Freeserve, and Associated New Media (ANM), producers of the UK Plus sites, have signed a deal which will see UK Plus power the internet search and directory service for Freeserve’s million plus customers.

ANM’s Soccernet service will also provide programming for Freeserve’s new football channel. ANM, which is the new media division of the Daily Mail & General Trust, claims that Soccernet is the world’s most popular website, delivering 16 million page impressions per month. The site also recently won the ‘Best use of new media by a media owner’ award at the 1999 Revolution Awards.

Dixons’ Freeserve has been phenomenally successfully since its launch in November last year (see Dixons’ Freeserve Takes No. 2 Spot, According To BMRB Research) and now has well over a million customers. Managing director, Mark Danby, says: “Compelling content is crucial to our business. Having well known brands like UK Plus and Soccernet integrated into the site gives our users reason to come back again and again.”

Paul Zwillenberg, managing director of ANM, says: “The combination of Freeserve’s user base and ANM’s market-leading brands provide a number of marketing and promotional opportunities for advertisers and online retailers. This includes highly targeted advertisements and contextual, commercial propositions against a qualified audience.

“Massive reach among the desirable middle market online audience combined with ANM’s proven success for advertisers makes this a winner from day one. Broader reach and more traffic equals better results,” he enthuses.

Earlier in the month the UK telecommunications watchdog, OFTEL, announced that it would not be adjusting the telephone call revenue tariffs at present, effectively enabling free ISPs, such as Freeserve, to continue gaining revenue from their call charges (see OFTEL Decision Safeguards Free Net Access For 2˝ Years).

Associated New Media: 0171 938 6000 Dixons Group: 01442 888 588