iVillage

iVillage
Web address www.ivillage.com
Commercial? Yes
Available in English
Owner NBCUniversal
Created by Candice Carpenter, Nancy Evans, Robert Levitan, and Tina Sharkey
Launched 1995
Current status Defunct

iVillage, Inc. was a media company that is owned by NBCUniversal. The site focuses on categories targeted at women, including Entertainment, Beauty & Style, Family, Food, and Health. Additional businesses and brand extensions within iVillage Networks include iVillage UK, Astrology.com, GardenWeb, and NBC Digital Health Network. In addition, iVillage has a strategic partnership with BlogHer, a participatory news, entertainment and information network for women online. iVillage has approximately 34 million unique visitors per month (comScore, April 2010).

As of February 2015, the iVillage domain redirects to Today's website.

History

The company was established in New York City in 1995 by Candice Carpenter (who became Candice Carpenter Olson in 2002 when she married Random House Chairman and CEO Peter Olson), along with co-founders Nancy Evans, Robert Levitan, and Tina Sharkey.[1] [2] In 2008, it moved its headquarters to Englewood Cliffs, NJ and in 2009, headquarters were moved back to New York City.

The company's first content site was "Parent Soup", a community channel on America Online. The company soon opened up other communities such as "AboutWork", "Better Health & Medical", and "Life Soup". [2]

In 1999, the company underwent an initial public offering with the initial offering price on NASDAQ at was $23. Stock price climbed to nearly $100 in the first day of trading and reached over $130 per share within days, but soon began to decline. Most of the original management and staff left the company. Within two years, following the dot com crash, the stock price fell under $1 per share, the company was threatened with delisting, controversies had arisen over financing irregularities and company management, and the company had never had a profitable quarter and was near bankruptcy.[2][3][4] In 2001, under new management, the company merged with its main competitor, women.com.

In May, 2006 NBC Universal acquired iVillage. The merger of the site with Today.com was announced in 2013.[5]

Television show

iVillage Live was a TV show and webcast produced by NBC Universal. NBC commissioned a set at the Universal Orlando Resort in Florida.[6] In September 2007, production was moved to Chicago Illinois, and the show was retitled In the Loop with iVillage. The five original hosts were replaced by comedian Kim Coles; The Apprentice (US Season 1) winner Bill Rancic and The Apprentice (US Season 1) contestant Ereka Vetrini. After one final season, the show was officially canceled.

References

  1. ↑ Benton, Emilia. "Tina Sharkey, Founder of BabyCenter". March 25, 2010. Fast Company. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "iVillage". Free Encyclopedia of eCommerice.
  3. ↑ "iVillage prices IPO:Online network for women hopes to raise $87.6M in public offering". CNN. March 18, 1999. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  4. ↑ Julie Rawe and Eric Roston (October 15, 2000). "How Much Did They Lose?". Time. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  5. ↑ Ariens, Chris (2013-11-22). "iVillage to Be Shuttered as Standalone Site, Folded into Today.com". TVNewser. Retrieved 2015-02-21.
  6. ↑ iVillage Live > The Making of iVillage Live > iVillage Live: The Show

External links