The New York Times Co, which only charges for archive searches on its web site, is very close to profitability in its web business, according to Martin Nisenholtz, president of New York Times Electronic Media Co. Speaking at Jupiter’s Consumer Online Forum in New York yesterday, Nisenholtz says the NYToday.com local New York web site, which was launched last year, is further away from the black. Nisenholtz noted that the web site has increased the company’s national awareness and paper subscriptions to its national edition have thrived since the paper put its content on its web site. Another panel member, Mike Levy, the chairman, president and CEO of SportsLine USA Inc, said his venture will be cash-flow positive by 2000, having recorded revenues of $30m last year, of which $5m were subscriptions – it has just 60,000 paying members. Levy says Fort Lauderdale Florida-based SportsLine will hit 50% gross margins this quarter. He says content sites need to think like e-commerce sites and use similar methods for acquiring customers. He says that once you ask users to register you know how rarely they come back. Both CBS and America Online Inc have significant stakes in SportsLine and CBS recently extended its marketing agreement to 2006 and has warrants to buy up to 27% of SportsLine.
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