The marriage of the web and television is riddled with thorny issues, particularly at a time when old media companies are regarding online companies with a wary eye. When you're talking about convergence, I don't think anybody knows yet how to put it together. If the past is any indication, it is much easier to parlay a loyal television audience into web traffic than the other way around. People have their interest piqued on TV, and they seek more information online. How to make that process run in reverse direction remains a mystery.
Dishes are prepared and presented on television, and the recipes are all online.
Our context is informational, so we're aligned for that convergence. Something more interpretive or entertainment-oriented is a much harder play. And to be encyclopedic in your coverage is very hard. Indeed, trying to be all things to all people is proving too tough a task for most new media companies, WebMD included. That is not to say that a cable health network is not in the company's future, but perhaps not until the site finds its identity.