Eager for content for its planned Microsoft Network, Microsoft Corp yesterday announced a broad-brush alliance with General Electric Co Inc’s NBC Television unit that will cover on-line, CD-ROM, interactive television and other digital products, as well as integration of these efforts into traditional broadcast and cable television. As part of the alliance, NBC will build new on-line services for the Microsoft Network, and the new services will encompass all NBC content areas including entertainment, general and financial news, NBC’s international ventures, and will even provide space for viewers to converse with their local NBC affiliates. NBC’s advertisers and 214 affiliate stations – local television stations it does not own but which carry most of the NBC television feed – will be invited and encouraged to participate in NBC’s service on Microsoft Network. The two will also work together on the development, marketing and production of multimedia, interactive television and new digital products.
