In an unprecedented strategic alliance, the Internet's leading online real estate trade publication REALTOR Magazine Online and the largest independent real estate news service Realty Times have agreed to share content between the two sites. The purpose of the agreement is to give readers of each site immediate access to the top quality real estate news offered by both organizations.

Combining content offers each site a fresh and more comprehensive perspective, explained Christina Hoffmann, managing editor of Realtor Magazine Online. "It's about service, and rising above competitive motivations to the greater good of our readers," Hoffmann said.

"REALTOR Magazine Online has a wealth of content, including columns, industry trends and features, interactivity, NAR links, and national industry news," she added. "The more news and information we can provide, the more value we bring to our readership."

"This is a plan that makes perfect sense on the Internet," said Realty Times editor Blanche Evans. "Real estate practitioners are busy. They rarely have time to hop from one news service to another. This content partnership gives them one-stop news sourcing they'll appreciate."

Taking the alliance one step further, REALTOR Magazine Online and Realty Times have also agreed to co-brand the latter's Real Estate Update, a free monthly newsletter for real estate practitioners, which they can send to their buyers, sellers, and prospects. The two electronic publications are also co-branding a $200-a-year print version of the newsletter. A special sign-up for REALTOR Magazine Online readers is accessible from the REALTOR Magazine Online home and news pages, as well as the Agent News section of Realty Times.

The alliance also marks the first time that Agent News, a section of Realty Times geared specifically for real estate brokers, managers, and salespeople, will be featured as a separate content source from Realty Times on any content partner site.

"Agent News has grown to the point that it's now generates one-third of Realty Times' traffic," Evans said. "The topics we cover range from manager concerns to tips for new agents."

Each service offers a news digest, which can be e-mailed directly to subscribers' desktops. REALTOR Magazine Online offers daily and weekly e-mail digests of industry news culled from hundreds of independent sources, collected by providers Information Inc. and Screaming Media; Realty Times offers daily e-mailed headlines with links to full stories from the top real estate news writers and trainers in the nation. Each service is free to Realtors.

Published: February 22, 2000

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