A consortium of online news publishers has formed an alliance to share data on reader behaviour. Guardian Unlimited, News International, Telegraph.co.uk, Associated Northcliffe, Emap, FT.com and Future Publishing (LSE: FUTR) want to set up a closed network with behavioural targeting outfit Revenue Science that would see them “sharing previously sensitive commercial data in an aggregated form to target users with relevant advertising”, says NMA, which quotes Emap (LSE: EMA) online sales head Bruce Daisley: “Big publishers are beginning to assert themselves, so advertisers, instead of going to MSN Motoring or Yahoo! (NSDQ: YHOO) Finance, can buy more reputable online ad space from premium content sites.”

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Big brands could then apply campaigns across multiple sites, rather than strike piecemeal ad deals, the theory goes. The Guardian started using Revenue Science individually two years ago. According to its site, the company “collects and measures people’s interests and intent through their Web behaviors—the sites they visit, the articles they read, the searches they make, and much more ... marketers don’t buy space—they reach interested people regardless of where they are”. Associated has already shown a willingness to extend its advertising opportunities out in to the big wide world - in July, it started selling ad inventory in to German-based Tomorrow Focus’ Premium Publishers Online network.