NBC to milk soccer moms with iVillage

American TV network NBC is trumpeting its grand designs for iVillage, the women's lifestyle site it splurged $600m on in March.

NBC chief executive Bob Wright told the Financial Times iVillage would be the linchpin of the network's online strategy, as MySpace is for News Corp. One thing NBC shares with the Murdoch operation is a lack of detail as to how it plans to squeeze the site's 15 million users for cash.

As well as the usual advertising revenue mumblings, BBC-style cross-promotion looks set to be a big part of the new iVillage blueprint. A new dedicated iVillage television show will be offered on the site, as well as through NBC local station partners.

iVillage targets women between 30 and 50. Burning topics of discussion currently include "How will Meredith Vieira change your mornings?", a dialectic on how Matt Lauer's new Today show co-host will redefine the morning magazine broadcasting paradigm.

In other news, AOL announced it would start streaming two new NBC shows a week before their TV debut in a bid to reconnect with young viewers. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip goes live today and Twenty Good Years on October 4. ®