, which serves readers of The Times and The Sunday Times, will launch on the Times Online on Tuesday May 27 and will offer online personal ads. The service has been produced in association with voice personals provider Tele-Publishing UK.
The launch signals further expansion of the Times Online, which last week announced the rollout of an "e-paper" edition of The Times. The e-paper is an exact daily copy of the daily print paper, which will be available globally outside of the UK for £49.99 a year from May 28.
The online Encounters dating service comes with free registration allowing users to place their own ad, search the database, find dating tips, and read advice on writing and responding to ads.
Potential partners can be contacted via email, SMS text message or by voice mail messages. It is through the voice mail and SMS that Times Online will generate revenue.
David German, Times Newspapers group classified advertisement manager, said: "Encounters is a natural progression for Times Newspaper's classified business. By developing our hugely successful offline dating service to new platforms, we can extend the services we provide to our readers. Online is the perfect medium for services such as this, and research has shown us that our readers are keen internet users."
The online service includes all of the active personal ads from The Times and The Sunday Times database, as well as extra ones from individuals who elect to appear exclusively on the website.
Peter Anglin, Tele-Publishing group client manager, said: "Our product has been designed as a totally modular package that can operate across all major media platforms at any time. This robustness and flexibility, therefore, allows us to maximise our clients' revenues at the same rate as they expand into new areas of operation, whether that be in print, online, SMS, radio or TV."
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