To: LastShadow who wrote (15064 ) 6/2/1999 9:50:00 AM From: John J H Kim Respond to of 43080
BNYN-possible gap play: CBS buying stake in Banyan Internet unit NEW YORK, June 2 (Reuters) -- Media company CBS Corp. (NYSE:CBS - news), expanding its Internet reach, on Wednesday said it would take a 35 percent stake in Banyan Systems Inc.'s (Nasdaq:BNYN - news) Switchboard Web site. The site contains more than 117 million listings of U.S. business and residential names, addresses and telephone numbers and provides maps and driving instructions. CBS said in a statement that it had reached a definitive agreement to buy the stake. In exchange, Switchboard would get $135 million of promotion and branding for seven and 10 years, respectively, across the range of CBS media properties and those of CBS's radio and outdoor ad affiliate, Infinity Broadcasting Corp. (NYSE:INF - news). CBS would also get warrants to acquire another 5 percent of Switchboard Inc. and warrants to purchase 250,000 shares of Banyan stock. Representatives of CBS would join Switchboard's board. ''This agreement with Banyan is another significant step in providing our online consumers and advertisers with meaningful Web destinations that provide real service,'' said Mel Karmazin, CBS president and chief executive. Switchboard would rename its Web site CBS Switchboard. It could be accessed at www.cbs.switchboard.com or at www.switchboard.com. CBS has more than $500 million in investments in Internet sports media company SportsLine USA Inc. (Nasdaq:SPLN - news) and financial news Web site MarketWatch.com Inc. (Nasdaq:MKTW - news). CBS also said recently it had signed letters of intent to exchange promotion and advertising for equity in online services hollywood.com, storerunner.com and office.com.