Lifetime Makes First Digital Purchase
Acquires ParentsClick Network, operator of MothersClick.com, other sites.
By John Eggerton & PJ Bednarski -- Broadcasting & Cable, 8/27/2008 5:16:00 AM MT
Lifetime has made its first digital play, buying the ParentsClick Network.
The online parenting sit runs MothersClick.com, a social networking site for moms to interact and share parenting tips. The company also runs MomBlogNetwork.com, which aggregates more than 2,500 blogs.
Lifetime is looking to boost the development of new communities on its existing www.myLifetime.com, www.LMN.tv and www.DressUpChallenge.com.
Earlier this year, ParentsClick announced plans to start several new parenting-related Web sites, and said it had a lock on an "extensive collection of relevant domains" that relate to parenting and child-rearing. That may have been a factor in Lifetime's interest in the company as Lifetime continues to upgrade its digital performance, under Dan Suratt, executive vice president of Lifetime's digital unit. Lifetime would not comment, but a source with knowledge of the deal says it paid in the range of $10 million for ParentsClick.
The co-founder and CEO of ParentsClick, Dietrich von Behren, will stay on as vice president of digital media and investments. Also, Andra Davidson the company's co-founder and editor in chief, and Ted Serbinski, director of technology, will join Lifetime from ParentsClick. They will continue to operate out of San Francisco.
Separately, Lifetime, which says its Web traffic has expanded 48% since last July, also named Jen Duddy as vice president, digital ad sales. Previously, Duddy served as national sales director for iVillage, the female-centric Web site now owned by NBC Universal.
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