The Silver Spring, Md., company has spent tens of millions of dollars to acquire websites during the last two years, including TreeHugger.com, HowStuffWorks.com and Petfinder.com. Discovery's minority investment in Uber, Campbell said, fits into this strategy.
"We want online components that are more than just a promotion for a show. They should be areas where viewers can explore their interests," Campbell said. "Scott has come up with a business model to build a community of people who are passionate about self-expression. It is a video-rich, photo-rich environment."
Tulsiani, however, cautioned that a stylized look and the ability to add media elements to a website might not be enough for success in such a competitive space. Many people are trying to create the next MySpace or Facebook to attract millions of users who will spend hours on their sites, leaving digital impressions that can be sold to advertisers.
"There are a lot of these sites in the works right now," Tulsiani said. "And the question is if you are a blogger, and you already have a MySpace page and a Facebook page, how many of these things do you need?"
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meg.james@latimes.com
