If you can't find anything good on TV these days now that the summer-programming doldrums are upon us, at least you have TV.com to check out. CNET Networks (NASDAQ:CNET) officially launched the site yesterday, just as the collection of popular Web properties was celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Ever since CNET acquired couch-potato haven TVTome.com back in January, it has been just a matter of time until the company fleshed out its own TV domain. Back in April, when I interviewed CEO Shelby Bonnie, TV.com was simply redirecting to television-set reviews on the flagship CNET site.
The new TV.com is far more inspiring. Yes, with all of the popular shows having wrapped up their seasons until fall, it seems like an odd time to launch a site geared toward televised content. But that's probably the point. TV.com can gradually build up a crowd over the next few months so it will be strong and ready come September.
The site looks sharp. It's richer in multimedia than the original TVTome.com, yet it borrows a lot of the viral magic that made the acquired site so popular.
If you want to draw a parallel, remember when Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) bought IMDB.com? It was a great move. If you want to sell DVDs, there's little better than owning a lively movie site. That doesn't mean CNET is about to start casting for a new reality series to sell to the networks, though. At least we can hope!
However, if CNET covets ardent, entertainment-hungry users, it will get them in bunches with TV.com. Just as Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) has hooked up with the edgy "Television Without Pity" site to cash in on TV-based communities, CNET's new TV.com will fit in nicely.
Along with MP3.com and Download.com, CNET will have yet another way to tap into the young audience that sponsors who are migrating online want to influence. There's a feast waiting to happen, and CNET's cooking up a TV.com dinner.
Other headlines to watch during rerun season:
- CNET has been building out its empire slowly -- not that there's anything wrong with that.
- Yes, the company has been consistently profitable -- not that there's anything wrong with that, either.
- Two months ago, the company launched BNET.com to show that the company means business.
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz always finds some time to watch television. Sometimes, he even turns it on. He does not own shares in any of the companies mentioned in this story. The Fool has a disclosure policy. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.
