We're here to bring you the scoop on what's going on with women on MSN, on the Web, and throughout the Internet community in general. Plus, we'll get the scoop on the great things happening at UnderWire and the Women's Channel.

Kirsten Andrews: Hello

Terry Ross: Hi, all!

Kirsten Andrews: I'm the senior producer for women's programming here at MSN, which includes the Website UnderWire, and the Women's Channel Daily Living.

It's my job to work with our editors, producers and content partners to make sure we are providing women the best possible Website.

Women are a growing force on the Web - next year they are projected to be 47% of the Web population, so it's really important that we address the issues that they care about - career, family, money, relationships, etc.

We actually have a pretty small team so we all have to wear a lot of hats.

Terry Ross: I am a producer, which means I work with all our teams to get our content up on the site.

We work with development people, scripters, artists, writers, editors, and on and on... it's a group effort.

Kirsten Andrews: The goals of UnderWire and the Women's Channel are actually a little different. UnderWire is a Web ‘zine for women and has in-depth articles on women's issues, expert advice, bulletin boards, and lots of lively commentary. The Women's Channel is a larger Website that provides some content, a great Web guide, and lots of useful tools for women online to help them in their daily lives.

We know that women today are really pressed for time - so our goal on the channel is to provide a place where you can get practical answers to life's questions, in a quick, easy-to-use interface.

Terry Ross: I would add that our goals include giving women a comfortable place on the Web, giving them the tools they need to live a good life (whatever that means to them). We’re giving them a sense of community, a place to discover, and things to spark their minds and enrich their lives.

Terry Ross: The name UnderWire has fueled a LOT of discussion and e-mail over the years. <grin>

Kirsten Andrews: The name UnderWire…well, when we were first developing the site, we knew we needed a name that would capture attention, be memorable, imply that the site was for women, and do so in a way that was fun. We noticed that there were a lot of names on the Web that were "wire this" and wired that.

In that context, UnderWire seemed to work on all three points and also took on a fun double entendre with respect to the wired world.

Terry Ross: People tend to love the name or hate it. The "hate it" ones tend to let us know.

Kirsten Andrews: The name UnderWire is meant to communicate that this is a smart, irreverent community for women on the Web, women who don't necessarily value the Net and its technology for its own sake but for what it has come to mean to our collective and independent lives.

Kirsten Andrews: I was in the lucky position to be able to "pitch" the concept of a Women's Channel to upper management a few months ago. Microsoft knew that it wanted to address the growing population of women on the Web, and was looking to the UnderWire team to come up with a great site for them.

Terry Ross: And I was lucky enough to be part of that team.

Kirsten Andrews: There are so many more women on the Web now than even just a few years ago! As a matter of fact, the majority of AOL's membership is women! That's great news for us, because it means if we provide the kind of tools and information and community that women want, we can really grow a great audience for our site.

The most important thing for us is to communicate with the women that come to our site, and make sure that we are providing what they want.

Kirsten Andrews: I'd guess that 5 years ago there were only a tiny percentage of women on the Web. In fact, five years ago the Internet wasn't really a mass consumer medium like it is today. But to give you a good idea of how fast the Internet is growing, just a year ago women made up only about 30% of the Internet population.

Terry Ross: Women, who five years ago wouldn't have dreamed of getting a computer or using the Web, are now online everyday. My mom is one, for example. <grin> Though she still thinks she doesn't know anything…she does.

Kirsten Andrews: The Internet is becoming a part of our daily lives...a place to check the news, find out a movie time, find something great to read, or go online to use email.

Terry Ross: You must be speaking about UnderWire. I'm surprised that you perceived the site as family-oriented. I don't think I've ever heard that before! <grin> But I would encourage you to go back and check it out again. There is plenty there for a single woman or a woman with no children. We cover all kinds of money, health, fitness and relationship questions.

One of the articles up today is about all-girls schools, and whether this concept works in today's society. UnderWire is thematic — there is a new theme every two weeks. Our current theme is "School Days." "Sisters" will go live Monday evening. Are you a sister? If so, there is plenty there for you!

Kirsten Andrews: On the Women's Channel there's lots of content for the "non-family" woman. We have covered the following categories: Career, Money, Health, Fitness, Relationships, Homelife, Family, and Shopping. The areas we'd really like to grow and expand are the career and money areas. Women are really interested in boosting their careers, making more money, and becoming more financially savvy about investing that money.

Kirsten Andrews: UnderWire has a lot of popular features....

Terry Ross: We have a variety of experts who appear in every episode. Miss Manners is very popular....

Rhona Raskin, is the relationships/sex expert. Rhona has a radio show that you may have heard. She's great. We have a marriage expert, Dr. Judith Wallerstein.

Sheila King does a fitness column. She also answers questions from readers. In fact, all of our experts answer questions from readers.

I can't forget Lucille's Garage. She offers popular and important advice about car care.

We consistently have great essays by prominent women writers... there is always a "body image" essay. Body image stuff is fascinating to most people.

Terry Ross: Pop quiz brings up things about popular culture that most people haven't thought about... for example: Who is most likely to want her daughter to attend college — a white, Hispanic, or African-American mom? The answer is Hispanic.

Host Tony: Let's talk a little bit more about women on the Internet today. It's still a stereotype that computers are a guy's field, but that's definitely not true anymore, as we said a little while ago.

Terry Ross: Women are realizing the potential of the Web. Women are coming together and supporting each other in their chosen, technical fields. In general, women's options are broadening...though there is still disparity in high school, college, etc.; female people are beginning to understand that technology is a place for them too.

Kirsten Andrews: Again, computers are becoming a part of our daily lives. It's not just programmers and "geeks" that use them anymore. We use them at work, at school, and more and more people have a PC at home. Lots of women go online with their kids, to help them with homework. It's also a great way to find a community of like-minded people. If you have a special interest you can find it on the Web.

Kirsten Andrews: I think the largest benefit for women on the Internet is that it is a very young field - and there is a lot of opportunity for women to really have a rewarding career.

Terry Ross: There is a woman's organization for every interest a woman can have out there on the Web. Specifically Internet-related--of course everyone knows about the Webgrrls! :) The Webgrrls are huge!

There are a lot of other women's communities whose influence on the Web is strengthened by the participation of their readers.

And then of course there is WITI, Women in Technology International, and other professional women's groups.

On the women-oriented search engine sites, WWWomen and Femina, you can find a lot of women-run business directories.

Kirsten Andrews: While we won't be hosting personal Web pages, we will be providing a place for community and chats, and of course, our Web Guide points to a lot of great resources for women to actually create their own sites.

Terry Ross: Our lead editor, Candace Dempsey, always has her eye out for great women writers. She finds people, asks them to write for us, and we put them on the Web. There is career building going on all the time. This is a great medium for writers. And women, as we all know, are often in their own rooms writing away.

Kirsten Andrews: We have some great issues coming up on UnderWire. Our new issue on Sisters comes out next week, followed by an issue on Race. As always, we have a new issue every other week on UnderWire.

Terry Ross: I'm excited about our chat next week with the fabulous Ms. Laura Lemay. <grin> In general, I'm excited to bring this great content to women. We get email all the time from women and men who say they are finally reading some to-the-point, refreshing views on topics which do not appear in mainstream venues. We are excited about that.

Kirsten Andrews: As far as the Women's Channel goes, we're just getting started, so there still a lot of great features that we will be debuting over the next few months. One of those will be a new community area for women, another will be expanded features and content.

Terry Ross: The best part of this whole venture for me is watching women connect. You don't have to be alone anymore with a particular "problem" or dilemma. There are plenty of kindred souls out there.

Kirsten Andrews: Right now we are looking at the best content out there on the Web and talking to potential partners so that we can truly bring the "best of Web" to the women (and men!) who come to our site. So, a lot is happening for women on the new MSN.com.

Host Tony: Thanks, Kirsten and Terry for chatting with us tonight. And a big warm thanks to our members for hanging out with us, too! Look out for the transcript on MSN Update tomorrow.

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