PEARLMAN POPS UP IN DIGITAL DEAL

Turning his attention from teenpop to the Internet, Pearlman’s Trans Continental Records—through a deal brokered by affiliated Entertainment International Ltd. (aka eNTI, of which he is Chairman)—will be working with tech company WebCD.com to produce e-commerce-equipped CDs, DVDs and other media.

The company’s technology is designed to exploit broadband speed by using recorded media as a route to artist sites, e-commerce (for tickets and merch), high-quality video, news, fan sites and affiliated artists. There is also a personal jukebox for fans, while the technology will be available for free to the music industry.

WebCD expects to begin shipping its enhanced media shortly after the eNTI deal closes.

Trans Continental acts will undoubtedly lend some juice to the company’s offerings, and its groups' youthful, largely Web-savvy fans are an ideal target for such all-encompassing digital marketing.

“In WebCD, we believe we’ve found a dynamic technology partner that will make sure we get the most out of the Internet-related potential of our entertainment companies,” proclaimed Pearlman. “And when the IPO comes, I promise the people who work there will have all the Mountain Dew they can drink.”

Pearlman denies he is using the technology to clone a new race of cyberteen groups to take over the world.

Meanwhile, the teenpop impresario's ABC/MTV co-production, “Making the Band,” featuring O-Town, debuted 3/24 following “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

O-Town want to be millionaires, but have been told to shut up and eat their macaroni and cheese. Pearlman has already announced he is the sixth member of O-Town and is eligible for 95% of T-shirt sales.