New York Times Joins With Monster to Co-Brand Career Web Sites

The New York Times Company and Monster Worldwide, the operator of the popular job-listing site, announced today that they plan to form an alliance to share brands on the newspaper companyís career sites.

The deal is the latest collaboration between newspaper companies and Web sites to form partnerships to battle other rivals. For newspapers, it means cutting deals with companies once seen as enemies who were undercutting print classified advertising revenue. For online companies, it offers a way to tap local job markets as well as linking with highly visible brand names.

Last November, Yahoo reached a deal with seven newspaper chains that integrates their job listings with the companyís HotJobs search technology. Three of the largest newspaper chains ó Tribune, the Gannett Company and the McClatchy Company ó own CareerBuilder, among the largest help-wanted sites. And Yahooís archrival, Google, has signed a deal under which it will sell advertising space in 50 newspapers, including The New York Times.

Beginning in March, 19 of the Times Companyís properties, including The Times, The Boston Globe and its various regional papers, will introduce Web sites featuring the Monster brand. Beyond sharing search technology and databases of rsums, the companies said they would introduce features like ìclick-to-print,î where employers can have their online job postings published as ads in Times Company newspapers.

ìThe combination of technology, reach and expertise created by this strategic alliance is extraordinary,î Janet L. Robinson, the chief executive of the Times Company, said in a statement.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Abbe Serphos, a Times Company spokeswoman, confirmed that it includes a revenue-sharing component.

In early trading on the New York Stock Exchange, shares of the Times Company had gained 55 cents, or about 2.2 percent, to $25.71, and Monster had risen $1.07, or about 2.1 percent, to $53.79 on the Nasdaq.

Douglas E. Klinger, president of Monster North America, said that his company first approached The Times last fall as part of its broader effort to form alliances with major media outlets. Since last summer, Monster has struck deals with more than 60 daily newspaper sites and 8 television properties, he said.

The deal allows Monster to tap into local markets that are still one of newspapersí strengths, while giving consumers better access to nationwide job opportunities, Mr. Klinger said.

ìWhen you combine the leader in media with the leader in Internet job sites, youíll get great results,î he said.

Both the Times Company and Monster have played down the threat of free job-posting sites like Craigslist, focusing instead on the extra offerings and relationships with employers that their sites bring.

ìThis alliance is about the strength of The New York Times Company brand and local market penetration combined with Monsterís expertise, recruitment tools and brand strength,î Ms. Serphos said. ìThis is part of our long-term strategy to build our online recruitment product offerings and revenue.î