AOL beats TV with word of upcoming shows

AOL stepped up its bid to capture advertising dollars normally spent on television by showcasing five new interactive programs a month before the broadcast networks announce their fall lineups.

The online company hosted more than 500 advertising executives and media planners at a "First Look" showcase Tuesday — what Chief Executive Randy Falco described as a "coming out party for AOL" as a major online advertising platform.

"Everything is growing online," Falco told the audience. "If you want to be where the consumers are going, you have to be with us."

The First Look event, at the corporate headquarters of AOL LLC parent Time Warner Inc., comes as AOL seeks to increase its advertising revenue to make up for rapid declines in its legacy Internet access business.