(6 May 2009 11:00 pm)

MUMBAI: AOL has announced that Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) will launch Socialthing, a new online platform for socialising websites across WBTVG's digital destination businesses, such as CWTV.com, TheWB.com, KidsWB.com, DCHeroZone.com, Essence.com and Momlogic.com.

Socialthing leverages the power of AIM's social graph coupled with advanced community tools to enable social networking publishers to attract new users and keep them engaged on their site. The announcement was made by and WBTVG EVP business management Craig Hunegs.

Says AOL people networks president Joanna Shields, "AOL is enabling media brands such as WBTVG to tap into the power of the social graph by combining the strength and global reach of our messaging networks with our social networking tools. With Socialthing, fans can converse and connect around hit TV shows such as Gossip Girl and broadcast their passion and opinions to anyone across the Internet."

Hunegs adds, "Warner Bros. is excited to be working with Joanna and her team. Socialthing, combined with the stories and programmes on our sites, will create a powerful and engaging combination of content, community and conversation for our users."

The Socialthing pact will offer WBTVG and its digital entertainment destinations immediate access to AOL's global messaging network of 57 million monthly AIM and ICQ users. WBTVG will embed the Socialthing platform – free to users and requiring no installation or download – on its family of sites, creating a social experience that makes it easy for users to share content, connect with one another, and explore common passions.