CAMPAIGN.I: News in Brief

ONdigital has agreed a deal with Sportal which will see the website become the primary sports provider for ONnet, ONdigital's TV internet service. Users will have access to Sportal.co.uk's football, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, Formula One, tennis, horseracing and golf through their televisions.

FT.com has hired Robert Santiago to develop its premium business research service, askFT. Formerly the head of information services for KPMG in the UK, Santiago takes on responsibility for the strategic development of askFT. The pay service enables browsers to use FT.com's researchers to retrieve business information.

Moneygator.com, the online personal financial services provider, has appointed Colin Morely as its marketing director. Morley was at One2One for five years, latterly as head of interactive marketing. He has also worked at Weetabix and Quaker Oats. Henning Holter, the managing director of Money-gator, said: 'His expertise in the e-commerce marketing arena will significantly accelerate the development of our UK business.'

Agency Virtuelle, the Swiss web consultancy that counts EasyJet among its clients, is launching in the UK.

MarchFIRST, the professional services company, is launching a print and online information source, marchFIRST Observatory, which aims to help businesses with their e-commerce strategies.

Thistle Hotels has hired Organic Inc to develop its first online marketing campaign. The work aims to encourage customers to book using the internet and will appear on websites and search engines including Yahoo!, Ask Jeeves, The Economist, Conde Nast, Freeserve and Streetmap.

Quidnunc, the digital business consultancy, has hired Jonathan Holley as a partner. He joins from PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he was a director of management consultancy services. He will now lead Quidnunc teams to help implement integrated e-business solutions for clients.

Handbag.com is boosting its editorial team with six new experts to write for its Sport and Fitness, Travel, Relationships, Property and Careers channels. Gabby Yorath will write on football; Simon Calder will contribute on travel; Tracey Cox becomes the site's sex expert; Vanessa Lloyd-Platt will be a legal relationship adviser; Michelle Lenneghan will write on legal careers matters and Carolyn Dyson becomes legal property expert.

WH Smith is teaming up with the online photographic company Fotango to offer a photography service timed for Christmas. The deal means customers will be able to develop pictures using the retailer's website, whsmith.co.uk, or by dropping film off in WH Smith outlets.

Punch magazine has relaunched its website punch. co.uk. The revamped site will now include daily updates of news and gossip. It has increased its political coverage and former butler Philip Townsend now provides daily tips on good manners. The site's fortnightly City Slickers editorial will now also be updated daily.

This article was first published on Campaign