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In the latest round of its transformation from a mere search engine to a multimedia portal, Yahoo has signed a deal that will make it the largest broadcaster of college sports on the internet. Working with Student Advantage and its FANSonly Network will add 3,500 college-level sports broadcasts to Yahoo's sports channel, which will bring its total to 13,000 free live-and-archived audio and video events for almost 200 schools. The new asset will also provide access to play-by-play statistics for college football games through its GameChannel program. Though the content is free for now, Yahoo might charge for access once it can bundle enough similar content to make it essential to a large enough audience. The transition is part of Yahoo’s strategy of becoming a destination for web users looking for content, rather than a pointer to content elsewhere.
Coming soon: Pay your taxes online
The Treasury Department has announced that it will allow taxpayers to file tax returns and pay taxes via the internet. It will be possible to withdraw estimated quarterly tax payments directly from one’s bank account. Additionally, taxpayers will be able to check the standing of their taxes online. This new service has become available starting this week, at the home page of the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System at www.eftps.com. The new system represents a significant upgrade from the old online taxpaying system, which required users to download special software and dial up the Treasury’s computer network. Just 12,500 people use the old system, along with two million corporate entities. The Internal Revenue Service, which is in charge of tax collection under the Treasury Department, is trying to become more user-friendly, like an online bank, and this online tax payment system is a significant step in that direction.
Madonna show pumps up HBO.com traffic
The Material Girl/Mom singlehandedly boosted traffic to HBO.com for the week ending Aug. 26, according to Nielsen//NetRatings. Traffic to the site increased by 39 percent to 247,000 unique visitors, in comparison to 177,000 visitors the week before. The extra visitors were flocking to the site to see a sneak preview of a live concert broadcast of her “Drowned World” tour, which aired on Aug. 26. The web site featured additional content, such as descriptions of costumes and sets, and streaming footage of the concert. The most-visited page at HBO.com, which offered outtakes from previous concerts and additional show information, drew almost 20 percent of the site's audience that week. More than 7 percent of HBO.com traffic went to the page showcasing streaming video feeds of the concert, and nearly 7 percent of site visitors clicked on a slide show of Madonna photos.
Dubya unveils new White House web site
The tour guides on the new official White House web site are two dogs, a cat and a longhorn, all modeled after the Bush family’s real-life pets. As part of an overall WhiteHouse.gov update, a new site called WhiteHouseKids.gov has come into being. The kids’ site, aimed at youth ages 5 to 12, teaches about the White House and the presidency through quizzes and trivia. For example, Ofelia the longhorn cow headlines a section about figures of historical significance; India the cat leads a quiz about the White House itself; and Spotty the springer spaniel takes visitors on a virtual tour of the presidential residence. The overall White House web site redesign incorporates a Spanish-language section, in addition to closed-captioned webcasts and audio versions of the site’s content to accommodate the disabled. Additionally, the revamped site links to presidential announcements, briefings, appointments and radio addresses.
Brazilian brothel puts its red light online
By next week, Rio de Janeiro’s oldest brothel, Vila Mimoza, will have hung its shingle online. The point of launching a web site is to attract new clients, especially tourists. Vila Mimoza, which loosely translates to “Pamper Village,” has traditionally catered to a low-end client base but hopes the web site will attract a more upscale breed of customer, the well-heeled traveler. To that end, Vila Mimoza has air-conditioned its rooms and upgraded some to “executive suite” status, in addition to installing an on-site hair salon and tanning booth for its employees. It doesn’t hurt that prostitution is more or less legal in Brazil. The prostitution cooperative employs some 1,500 sex workers, who ply their trade in the compound’s 70 cottages. Vila Mimoza has been around for more than 60 years, and is known for being the center of operations for the prostitutes’ labor movement of the 1970s.
September 5, 2001 © 2001 Media Life
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