Granada unveils £4m Net venture

Granada is understood to be looking for a media and creative agency for the launch of its new &£30m Internet venture G-Wizz.

Granada is launching the product in October and hopes to put an estimated &£4m above-the-line spend behind the project.

G-Wizz, which was announced in June, will give surfers free Internet access and e-mail as well as access to a range of entertainment content built around hit programmes such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

G-Wizz will also be in a position to capitalise on emerging e-commerce and is expected to create new channels which will act as platforms for transactions.

These channels have the potential to create significant revenue for the companies involved. Portal providers will be given a cut of revenue generated by products sold through the site. E-commerce in Europe is expected to be worth some &£64bn in 2001.

At the time of the launch, Granada Media Group chief executive Steve Morrison said: “Launching a new online interactive business is a natural and exciting development of Granada’s media strengths.”

Granada is developing e-commerce opportunities for its range of videos, CDs and Granada Learning CD-Rom. CD-Roms to access the service will be distributed through Granada’s 5,000 high street rental shops, restaurants, hotels, motorway service stations and catering outlets.