CBS Interactive pacts with affiliates

TV unit adds websites to 'audience network'

By MICHAEL LEARMONTH

CBS is adding its network of local TV and radio station websites to its online "audience network," which distributes Eye primetime shows across the web.

CBS Interactive announced Monday it had inked deals with CBS' 29 owned TV affiliates and 144 CBS Radio websites, as well as a number of the 183 websites owned by CBS affiliates across the country.

The websites will both host network-produced video content and provide local news, sports and weather to the CBS Audience Network, which is distributed through sites reaching 90% of Web users.

CBS said "most" of its new local partners would be up and running with CBS content at the beginning of the network's fall season, a boost to their efforts to expand online advertising.

Announced last spring, the CBS Audience Network is the Eye's latest effort to distribute video on the Web, a departure from the previous "Innertube" strategy that focused content on CBS.com.

In addition to the newly signed sights, the audience network consists of AOL, MSN, CNET Networks, Comcast, Joost and Veoh.

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