A Birmingham investment firm is hoping to become a national leader in brokering sales of niche Web sites to major media corporations.

Zane Tarence, managing director of Founders Investment Banking LLC, said a seismic shift in the advertising industry is inflating the value of niche Web sites. Sites dedicated to business credit card rates and benefits, industry-specific job opportunities and hobbies have the potential to command multimillion-dollar offers, he said.

Technology like TiVo is hampering television advertising and companies are seeking outlets like niche Web sites where they can target their specific demographics, Tarence said. The advertising-revenue potential for niche sites has corporate media buyers scooping up dot-com names with the fervor of real estate speculators.

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