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AOL, CNET sign pact
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February 9, 1999: 10:16 a.m. ET
CNET becomes exclusive provider of AOL computer-related buying guides
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - America Online Inc. picked CNET Inc. to be the exclusive provider of computer hardware and software buying guides for the AOL service and AOL.com, AOL said Tuesday.
Dulles, Va.-based AOL (AOL) also said CNET (CNET), based in San Francisco, will be the primary provider of computing buying guides on CompuServe and AOL's Digital City.
The new AOL/CNET buying guides also will be available on certain AOL International services and CNET initially will be the exclusive provider of free-to-download software on AOL.com.
Under terms of the roughly two-and-a-half year deal, AOL will receive guaranteed payments of $14.5 million or more, once certain thresholds have been met.
CNET will create co-branded versions of its computer hardware and software buying guides. The buying guides will offer reviews and recommendations, comparison shopping features and real-time pricing on what is described as the Internet's largest directory of computing products.
The buying guides will be customized to meet the needs of first-time buyers, families, students, small office and home office users, Website and home page creators, mobile professionals, gamers and women.
The buying guides also will integrate AOL's Personal Logic decision guide technology, allowing CNET to create "question and answer" guides to help shoppers.
CNET also will create co-branded, computing oriented content areas on AOL-brands and CNET's technology news will be integrated throughout the AOL branded services.
The agreement includes cooperation across CNET's other media properties, including the development of AOL-related content on CNET television programming and other video-based projects.
AOL stock was down ¾ at 158-1/4 in early trading. CNET was up 2-1/14 at 126-1/2. 
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