Online video shops from Break.com to Revision3 are launching marketing and promotional initiatives to expand their audiences during the television writers strike.

Internet TV network Revision3, which produces the popular weekly Web show “Diggnation,” plans to increase the number of cross-promotions it runs for its shows within all of its programming in the coming weeks in an effort to lure views.

Revision3 also will announce today that it’s inked a deal with Web video portal Pyro.TV to distribute shows, part of the current initiative to raise awareness of its online programming when consumers may be more inclined to sample new fare.

“There are a lot of people out there who have watched a little YouTube and will just do more tasting,” said Jim Louderback, CEO of Revision3.

The online network’s flagship weekly show, “Diggnation,” generates about 1 million views per month.

Under the Pyro.TV deal, viewers will have access to select programming from Revision3 on their own personal Internet TV viewing page on the Pyro.TV video service. Viewers can watch Revision3 shows on the Pyro.TV site, on Pyro.TV's online syndication network, which includes media partners EarthLink and RCN, and via a player, which can be embedded into users’ personal pages on Facebook or MySpace.

Online video site Break.com launched a contest on its site Monday, giving striking writers a chance to submit videos, with the winning video receiving $5,000. Break CEO Keith Richman said that Web video, while a central part of the disagreement between writers and producers, offers writers a chance to grow.

“We understand that although we are part of an alternative distribution discussion near and dear to their hearts, we also represent a new opportunity for them,” Mr. Richman said.

(Editor: Baumann)