Financial Times signs content deal with MSNBC

by Claire Billings,, Brand Republic 03-Apr-03, 14:45

LONDON - UK financial broadsheet the Financial Times has become the latest news provider to supply content to a specialist business news page launched by the news website MSNBC.com.

The deal is part of MSNBC.com's aim to expand its business news section. MSNBC, a joint venture between Microsoft and US TV channel NBC, already has content deals with The Washington Post, Business Week Online, CNet and ZDNet.

"We're proud to offer a rich and comprehensive online experience for business and finance news consumers," Dean Wright, editor-in-chief of MSNBC.com, said. "The Financial Times brand is widely recognised as a leader in international, business and financial news and we are pleased to expand the breadth and depth of our coverage through this agreement."

Under the terms of the deal, the FT will provide 15 news stories a day from its international, global, equities and markets coverage.

The agreement will also help FT.com extend its reach, because users will be able to subscribe to FT.com, which became a paid-for site in April last year, through a link on the page.

"We are seeing an increased demand for our content and are delighted to be teaming up with MSNBC," Gordon Willoughby, FT global marketing and content sales director, said.

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