Scripps Networks Archive

Scripps Networks has published some metrics from Nielsen Online today showing that they reach 25 percent of the Food & Cooking category meaning one in every four online users looking for food-related information came to one of the Scripps Networks sites. Most of the traffic goes to Food Network and the recently acquired RecipeZaar.

Scripps Networks set a new record for online audience numbers in the Nielsen Online Food & Cooking category with more than 12.6 million unique users visiting the site in Dec. 2007.

I believe that the success of Food Networks Web site lies in their ability to convert TV traffic into Web traffic. A person watches their favorite celebrity chef on TV make a fab meal and the person then hops onto the Web site to print out the recipe. Are there any other categories that can drive this direct TV-to-Web type of traffic?

Check out some of the other food Web sites we’ve covered: Yahoo Food, RecipeMatcher, Snacksby and Foodieview.

On a side note, I had the chance to spend a few days on the set of Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals. She’s an absolute talent. Not one retake, a funny person, very bright, can improvise anything and her success is due to her hard work. Here’s a photo from my time on the set :)

I remember when Hearst and Scripps fought for my business during my corporate America days. Now they are fighting with Internet acquisitions. Hearst acquired Kaboodle this morning, now Scripps has announced their acquisition of Incando who is known for its personal media sharing service Pickle.com and the user-generated content management platform Powered by Pickle. Scripps acquired Recipezaar last month.

A clip from the official release:

"We are committed to our strategy of owning the food, shelter and lifestyle categories online as well as on air,” said John Lansing, president of Scripps Networks. "With the acquisition of Incando, we now have the back-end tools to engage consumers, viewers, and marketers in a multi-branded, multimedia online universe with compelling, personalized experiences.”

If you are curious as to where Scripps is heading, here is some clues from their release.

Within the next few years, Scripps Networks expects as much as 50 percent of its online content to be co-created by its users.

I love this statement from the release – love the "Web 2.0 Technology" usage!

Based on proprietary software, Incando's Web2.0 technology enables speedy uploads of photos and videos from computers, mobile phones or digital cameras to any Web site and will enhance the user-centric, social media and personalization functionality around Scripps Networks' lifestyle content.

Om Malik has a great summary of big media's recent tech purchases. And check out Matt's views on Web 2.0 services being acquired by media companies.