Discovery Channel Online

Address: https://www.discovery.com

* What it is: Although the site is an online version of the Discovery Channel, it’s an entity all its own. Let’s just start with features on topics past, present and future. Everything from smoking to Mars exploration to biking at the Dead Sea to an online jaunt to Hawaii. Technology, science, nature, history and exploration--they’ve covered all the bases. And it goes without saying that there are forums, chats, discussion boards, photo galleries, contests and interactive activities, right? There’s even an Insomniac Lounge that’s open from 1 to 2:30 a.m. Oh, wait, and if that weren’t enough, there are online versions of Discovery Channel Brasil, Discovery Channel Iberia and Discovery Kids Channel America Latina. In the native languages, no less. Subsidized by Discovery Communications, Discovery Online makes about 90% of its operating costs from ads.

* How it fares: Discovery Online is breathtaking. Each page/topic/feature seems more interesting than the one you were just on. And it’s funny. They even make army ants and spoon worms fascinating.

MovieWeb

* Address: https://www.movieweb.com

* What it is: Downloadable movie previews, posters, production notes and other info (cast, synopsis, etc.). Industry news is updated Monday through Friday (in case you’re out of town or something and can’t get your daily dose of The Times’ Company Town) and seems comprehensive. There’s also a stupid Celebrity Photo Gallery if you just can’t have enough pictures of Robin Williams. And you can rate recent releases (and see how they’ve fared with others) or take part in the Internet Movie Poll. MovieWeb makes just enough money from ads to keep the site going--but it’s really just a four-person team putting stuff on the Web that it would want to see and that its audience has asked for.

* How it fares: If downloadable trailers, high-resolution pictures and industry news is your scene, the site isn’t half bad. And MovieWeb isn’t as bad as it looks. It may not be as slick as some other online organizations, but there is a certain charm in that.

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Please send entertainment Web site suggestions and comments to Krissy Harris at haringbat@mobsters.com