Welcome to issue 5 of Dialogue, our newsletter for CNET Networks UK commercial partners.

Online publishing may have many elements but really it’s all about the users when it comes down to it. We want to serve you guys in the advertising and marketing community to the best of our ability, but if we don’t have the deep and loyal engagement of a large audience, we can’t deliver against your expectations.

That’s why it's so exciting that we have some more market leading ABCE audits (CNET.co.uk and silicon.com) to report this month that show how healthy our brands are. This follows a January round up of the latest comScore data that shows that CNET Networks reaches almost 9 million UK users, a reach of 29% into the total UK audience, making us the leading online only publisher in the UK.

I hope you find this update on what's new around our business useful.

Many thanks for your ongoing support.

Tom Bureau, UK Managing Director

CNET Networks UK websites continue to go from strength to strength. Our latest ABCE audits of CNET.co.uk and silicon.com reveal record growth on both websites. The first ABCE audit for 18-month old CNET.co.uk, the online guide to personal technology and digital living, reveals 1,343,447* unique users generating 7,055,330 page impressions - affirming that it has quickly become the number one website in its space. The ABCE audit of silicon.com, our award-winning website for senior business decision makers, has more than three quarters of a million unique users following a 42% year on year increase to 752,838*. These users have sparked a 74% increase in page impressions to an all time high of 4,073,521 - demonstrating the website's high level of user engagement. How did we achieve such impressive results? Through ongoing investment in our media brands. Over the last year, we've launched a number of exciting new developments. On CNET.co.uk these include the launch of Crave TV and podcasts, a new Downloads section, and the upgrade of our highly popular Reviews section. silicon.com meanwhile has launched the CIO Vision Series, the Weekly Round-Up podcast, and a new vertical section focused on the Retail and Leisure industries. Online publishing and internet advertising are clearly experiencing strong growth and the trend looks set to continue. Marketing budgets during Q4 of 2006 saw the internet receive the strongest upward revision since Q1 of 2000**, and 90% of UK marketers are planning to increase their spend on online marketing in 2007***. As advertisers seek to exploit the opportunities online, it becomes increasingly important for websites to provide a stamp of trust. No one wants to risk increasing proportions of their budgets without having clarity and confidence in what they are buying. At CNET Networks UK we continue to invest in our websites and bring you innovative solutions to help you engage with your target audiences. And now, our latest audit data gives you the information, transparency and assurance you need to make valid media-buying decisions. *ABCE Audit, November 2006
**Q4 2006 Bellwether Report, IPA
***Alterian, 2006 research

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You've heard of Fairtrade food. Well, silicon.com's latest campaign picks a subject close to the heart of those of us whose lives revolve around business and tech. Following confirmation late last year that the UK is the worst offender for high wi-fi access prices, silicon.com has kicked off its Fair Wi-Fi push. The focus of the campaign will initially be on prices for wi-fi in hotels. Most travellers will know that wi-fi charging is haphazard, in some cases even across the same hotel chain, and often expensive. silicon.com journalists have recruited big names in IT, travel and even the hotels and service providers themselves to lend their support. The goal isn't free wi-fi everywhere. We realise that someone always has to pay. But as the branding iron Fair Wi-Fi pledge suggests, we'd like to see a definite change for the better. Some top hotel chains don't need telling. They are already winning business by providing wireless well and for the right price, which can mean free. But for all those who travel far and wide - a good part of the silicon.com audience, according to our business travel research - the team wants a better deal. This is a project that combines the publication's expertise in mobile and wireless technologies, business travel, top contacts and an ability to bring about change. We expect results by the middle of the year! Lend your support individually here or speak to your usual silicon.com sales contact to be associated with this exciting project commercially.

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On February 15th CNET Networks UK conducted a Media Morning for new starters from media agencies. The aim of the session was to break the often mysterious-seeming machinations of the media owner down into bite-size chunks, thus educating new planner buyers about what we do, who we do it for and how they can use our services to make their lives easier. Questions covered included - How does the brief you give to the salesperson affect the proposal you get in return? What's it like to be an editor? How are the latest developments in technology changing what we do as publishers? What is the relationship between editorial and sales and what services can you expect from an Ad-ops department? 13 attendees from 8 different agencies were given the opportunity to mix with their peers and meet CNET-ers from MD to graduate level, in a fun and interactive environment. The feedback at the end of the session was extremely positive and we hope to run a similar morning in a few months time. To register your interest in future events please email Beth Garner at beth.garner@cnet.com

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silicon.com has launched a podcast that takes one of the publication's best-loved brands onto another level. The Weekly Round-Up Podcast went live this January and has been greeted warmly. The Weekly Round-Up, a newsletter on Friday afternoons (also an online version complete with popular caption competition) has been a staple of silicon.com's coverage for eight years. It has a great reputation, with around 80,000 subscribers and an incredible open rate of around 30%. But how to improve upon a thousand words of quality satire? We've heard enough poor quality podcasts to know there are pitfalls and nobody has a right to assume they will be a success but it soon became clear that as silicon.com returns to delivering news, analysis and more - in this case, a large slice of humour - using channels other than online text, podcasting and the Round-Up are a match made in heaven. The format: two or three of the editorial team, who will often be joined by a guest, decamp to our studio to go over several of the past seven days' big or controversial stories, meandering in and out of all sorts of subjects besides. And we're pleased to report the tone is 100 per cent Round-Up. And the package of weekly email, online version with competition, and podcast available via iTunes and other places besides silicon.com, is a strong one. Click on the links below to listen to our recent episodes.... Episode One
Episode Two
Episode Three It's easy to get your client's message onto the silicon.com podcast. Simply send us 10 seconds of text and we will record it for you. Your message will be heard both pre and post stream by today's business leaders. For effective brand awareness using an audio and visual message then please email mark.brown@silicon.com or call 020 7903 6766.

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The proliferation of Broadband and today’s always-on world of instant access to information and social connections enabled by the Internet has been the biggest change catalyst the media world has ever known. In the past, the role of the media was to tell their readership what they should care about. The editor controlled the content; the depth of that content was restricted by pagination; and the content itself moved slowly – entirely dependent on scheduling and distribution. In short, consumers of media got what they were given. We truly are in the midst of a revolution. Today, the most forward-thinking media organisations are figuring out how to best engage their audiences in 3-way dialogues - with the media, each other and the products or vendors they buy, use or do business with. And the most forward-thinking editors, far from being the silent filters of old, are transforming into facilitators as well as content creators - communicating authentically, openly and transparently with their readers. They are creating and participating in environments where users can initiate conversations, create their own content, meet like-minded people and have a voice that is listened to and valued. Why? Because that is what today’s readers are demanding. Only this kind of approach can ultimately develop understanding, build relationships, engender trust, and solicit actions. And only media organisations who are prepared to embrace and drive this change will thrive.

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Recognising innovation, application and excellence in technology and business, the CNET Networks UK Technology Awards have fast become the most sought-after industry accolade. The awards attract entries from the companies and individuals who have achieved outstanding results or raised the bar for the entire sector - whether they are a start-up, vertical player or technology giant. The winners are the best of the best in technology. The CNET Networks UK Business Technology Awards are growing year on year - in terms of entries and audience - and this year we'll be launching new categories including Green IT Initiative of the Year and IT Outsourcing Technology Project of the Year. The Awards offer an excellent opportunity for thought-leading companies to build relationships with the UK's most valuable and influential technology and business decision-makers in a high-profile, cost-effective manner. We still have some sponsorship opportunities available. To find out more contact Neville James at neville@euro-techforum.com. We'll be accepting entries to the awards from early April. Email awards@cnet.com if you'd like us to send you further information on entry requirements and deadlines. Click here to check out the video from last year's event. We hope you'll be a part of this year's success!

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