AOL Purchases Tribune's Stake in Digital City Network

Posted on June 30, 2000

Tribune Company and America Online, Inc. have announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Tribune Company will be the premier provider of branded local news and sports content on Digital City affiliates in the local markets in which Tribune has newspaper properties. As part of the agreement, AOL will purchase Tribune's 20 percent equity ownership in Digital City, Inc., which was founded by AOL and Tribune in 1996.

Under the agreement, Tribune will provide branded local news for 14 Digital City markets. In addition, Digital City will feature Tribune's BlackVoices.com, an African-American website. Tribune will also promote Digital City through Tribune media properties in these markets, including television and print.

``Digital City's success has come from providing the most comprehensive and easiest-to-use local product to both residents and visitors who go online to find out what's going on and to get things done in their town,'' said Paul DeBenedictis, president of AOL's Digital City. ``Working with Tribune will enable us to provide our consumers with first-rate, trusted local news and sports content from the top newspapers and broadcast outlets in most of the top markets.''

AOL's Digital City recently expanded from 60 markets to more than 200 markets. The relationship between America Online, Inc. and Tribune Company dates back to 1991, when the two companies launched Chicago Online, the first local-market online venture on AOL. Subsequently, the companies joined in a number of other online initiatives, including the Digital City network in 1996.