RTR: TiVo | Best Buy

In mid July, TiVo announced a broad partnership with consumer electronics retailer, Best Buy. The partnership--whose financial terms were not disclosed--will see 1) Best Buy aggressively promoting TiVo products in its stores (as part of what the Times described as a "multiyear commitment" by Best Buy to advertise and promote TiVo products); 2) TiVo developing a custom version of its set-top box that will be sold in Best Buy stores and that will allow the retailer to advertise its products to TiVo subscribers; 3) Best Buy financing an initiative to incorporate TiVo's interface, features and services into its own consumer electronics brands, including its Insignia HDTV's; 4) Best Buy using TiVo's tcommerce functionality to enable TiVo users to purchase its products via the remote control; 5) TiVo providing its subscribers with access to Best Buy's Napster music service, as well as to any digital offerings launched by the retailer in the future; and 6) Best Buy training its employees in order to ensure that they are more effective salespeople for TiVo products and services.

THIS REPORT: looks at how TiVo and Best Buy were perceived in the blogsphere fairly soon after the news was announced and the previous month leading up to it.