Was it love at first sight? Maybe. But here were two operations with a lot to offer each other, so it proceeded apace. Meg Walsh, President Consumer Division, Medscape tells the story:

"CBS's strategy has been instead of just building a portal from scratch in an Internet industry that is still uncertain about what the right strategy is, to go into each vertical they feel is important and bring in the best of breed. Of all of the websites they've invested in, there are only two really that are placed under the news department - MarketWatch and HealthWatch. MartketWatch has done an outstanding job of setting the benchmark for us. They have done all the trial and error of how to integrate an Internet organization whose sole purpose is editorial as an extension of a huge broadcast company's editorial and news arm. They've done an excellent job, and we're following in the footsteps of that. The one differentiator is that health has broader reach, it's important to everybody."

How does the integration proceed with a multilayer news giant? Explains Ryan:

"The way the relationship works is that you do a ramp-up to the point where you're servicing all of their news departments, which includes their Newspath organization - all affiliate TV - their broadcast news (Early Show, Evening Mews, and the like) and then national radio and affiliate radio. They depend on us to do two things: first, to support them as they call up with the need for a network of health care professionals to either interview or put on the news, to get support for the stories they're already writing, and then in reverse for us - because our whole living is based on providing content daily for a 24-hour site - to suggest and enhance the coverage they have regarding health care. So we're a great arm for that, and our challenge is to make sure that we keep up with the demand by building our own newsroom here and having correspondents, reporters, cameramen, etc. who are Medscape employees to support this tremendous opportunity that we have."

And they were more than easy about it, effuses Ryan:

"I have been so impressed with CBS as a partner. Here we are, just an Internet site, and they have given us access to absolutely the highest level of executives. They're excited, they're supportive, we've met with all of shows' producers individually - 48 Hours, 60 Minutes, 60 Minutes II, The Early Show, news organizations, the radio - and every time we walk in the room and explain who we are and how we can help them, we are received with such support, such enthusiasm. Each and every department, including their own dot-coms have really been outstanding in embracing and expanding this."

So what is it Medscape offers that so enthuses the behemoth?