TONY Bows Broadband Channel

Local information guide Time Out New York added a broadband site to its existing weekly print and on-demand offerings. The site is expected to attract national advertisers buying against the local content.

Timeoutnewyork.tv debuted this week with over 200 short videos and a commitment to add new clips each week. The magazine’s editors and contributors produce the video reviews and video blogs that populate the site. Content is divided into sections established in the magazine such as the week’s events; around town; chill out; eat out; gay and lesbian; kids; nightlife; shopping; theater, and visit NYC.

The broadband site, like an existing video-on-demand channel, TONY On-Demand, which launched on Time Warner Cable last fall, are both collaborations between TONY and City On Demand. Both entities will produce video reviews of New York City destinations.

Maven Networks powers the site. Ad units include :15 preroll with corresponding banner units. Ad sales will be handled in part by City On Demand, and also InStream.

The :15 second preroll format is expected to be the “norm” for the majority of inventory, but isn’t a firm template for the site, according to Eric Levin, president and co-founder of City On Demand. “We are working collaboratively with a series of sponsors and their agencies to develop provocative ways to incorporate them into the service,” he added.

Initial advertisers include Cars.com with the coordinated :15 preroll and banner ad unit.

The focus of the content is on destinations and activities within New York City,. The partners believe national advertisers are attracted to a local focus. “We’re experiencing great interest from national advertisers,” said Levin. “New York is an important market for many national products and we reach a very desirable young, affluent professional. We reach this audience as they are literally planning how to spend their time and money. This kind of pre-qualified audience is highly-valued and difficult to reach.”