Phase2Media to Rep Fox's Internet Properties to Agencies

Phase2Media will handle agency repping for News Corporation’s online properties, according to terms of a deal inked Monday between the Silicon Alley-based ad firm and News Corporation’s domestic interactive unit, News Digital Media.

NDM operates FOX.com, FOXSports.com, FOXNews.com and FOXMarketWire.com, and sees about seven million visitors monthly, according to September data from Jupiter Media Metrix.

Monday’s agreement between the two companies includes the formation of a joint, dedicated sales team to represent the sites to the domestic ad agency community. The team will be based out of Phase2Media’s New York City headquarters.

“Phase2Media’s experienced advertising sales executives and their strong relationships with the nation’s top agencies will be invaluable to News Digital Media,” said Greg McCastle, News Digital Media’s executive vice president for advertising sales & e-commerce.

Corporate sales will be handled by NDM, which said it would beef-up its own in-house sales division.

“These properties present tremendous across-the-board opportunities to marketers who seek the strength of a powerhouse brand coupled with the potential of the Internet,” said Phase2Media chairman and chief executive officer Richy Glassberg said of Monday’s deal.

The deal continues Phase2Media’s strategy of going after traditional clients with sizable, multi-site online presences. Earlier this year, Phase2Media landed an agreement to rep offline publisher Hachette Filipacchi Media’s online properties — including the Web versions of Elle, Car and Driver, and George.