Rainbow Media and American Express Publishing Enter Alliance

Posted on March 21, 2002

Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and American Express Publishing, a publisher of luxury lifestyle magazines, have formed an editorial, marketing and advertising alliance to jointly develop and market new video-on-demand content for Rainbow's Mag Rack, a service designed specifically for SVOD and VOD. Mag Rack is available on Cablevision's iO digital service and is being marketed to cable operators around the country.

Under the agreement, the two companies will initially focus on bringing to life the editorial content and voice of American Express Publishing's Food & Wine and T&L Golf magazines. This alliance also sets the stage for future collaboration in the development of content with other American Express Publishing magazines such as Travel + Leisure. Editors from the magazines will be tapped to serve as hosts and advisors in the development of the new video-on-demand content. The content will be used with Mag Rack video magazines such as Better Golf Club, Wine World and a video magazine still in development that focuses on cooking.

"Our video magazines are designed to delve deeply into people's passions and bring them to life on television," said Matt Strauss, executive vice president and general manager of Rainbow's Mag Rack. "American Express Publishing's luxury lifestyle magazines have already established their credibility with readers and have a voice that resonates with millions of people. We are tapping that expertise as we build our own video magazine brands and attract viewer interest and following. As cable operators look for video-on-demand programming to demonstrate the power of new technology, they will find Mag Rack and its partners extremely attractive."

The two companies will also implement co-branding and cross-promotional initiatives,. For example, Mag Rack will promote the magazines through video spots at the end of its programming. Working together with cable operators, Mag Rack will offer magazine promotion and subscription incentive offers to its users. And, American Express Publishing's magazines will provide a schedule of advertising placements for Mag Rack in their publications.

"Video-on-demand is a logical progression as our magazine brands expand into greater multimedia opportunities," says Ed Kelly, president and CEO, American Express Publishing. "Mag Rack has created a tremendous opportunity for magazine brands to extend their reach to millions of American homes through television, so we are excited to provide the resources and talent of our recognizable brands such as the Food & Wine and T&L Golf titles."

Mag Rack is owned and managed by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation and NBC, Rainbow manages American Movie Classics, WE: Women's Entertainment, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow Sports Networks, News 12 Networks, and MetroChannels as well as the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications.