ABC and WorldNow Form Leading Online Network for National Advertisers

ABC and WorldNow Form Leading Online Network for National Advertisers

'Local Media Network' Aggregates Broadcast Websites to Compete With News Sections of YAHOO!, MSN, AOL and Google

NEW YORK, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- WorldNow and the ABC Owned Station Division announced the formation of "Local Media Network," an aggregated online advertising network that will be one of the largest news and information networks in the United States.

Launching with 147 local television websites with combined monthly traffic of more than 20 million unique visitors, the "Local Media Network" (LMN) will compete with the news sections of YAHOO!, MSN, AOL and Google for advertiser dollars but with the advantage of enabling advertisers to target by market or by region through the power of local media brands.

The network of participating websites will feature unique content such as health, automotive, finance, entertainment, travel, and lifestyle stories, classifieds and shared video.

Among the ABC stations participating in LMN (http://www.localmedianetwork.com/ ) will be major market owned stations such as WABC (New York), KABC (Los Angeles), and WLS (Chicago). In addition to the ABC station properties, LMN will include a consortium of websites from many broadcast groups such as Lin, Dispatch, Raycom, Liberty, Meredith, New York Times, Landmark, Schurz, and Young. In the coming year LMN will expand the network with additional groups and stations.

"Most Americans get their news from local media. The Local Media Network reaches a geographically targeted audience in both small and large markets -- all wrapped within the trusted environment of their local station brand," says John Watkins, the President of National Television Sales of the ABC Owned Stations. "With LMN, marketers can reach information-hungry users at home and at their workplace."

LMN will offer advertisers a variety of ways to reach their target audiences from online video to behavioral targeting, from audience dayparting to contextual advertising.

"This will be a joint selling effort with ABC. Working with Richard Vedder's team, LMN will provide a national reach that is comparable to other news portals and websites but one that delivers a loyal audience with a connection to their hometown news," says Allison Bodenmann, Executive Vice President of National Sales for WorldNow. "We can deliver a national, regional or multi-market buy with one insertion order."

"As we launch our local media network we are delivering an audience that approaches established online leaders such as YAHOO! news and MSNBC," says Gary Gannaway, Chairman, President and CEO of WorldNow. "Broadcasters who are looking to the Internet for growth can best compete as a consortium. LMN gives broadcasters a way to compete for the national online dollars which are growing 30% or more per year."

New York based WorldNow is the leading provider of Internet technology, revenue and content solutions for more than 200 local media sites including broadcast TV, newspapers and cable. WorldNow's products include a web site platform and publishing toolset, a streaming video solution, an automotive classifieds solution, local sales programs, and a national ad network. For advertisers, WorldNow offers the unique convergent marketing opportunity to connect with a targeted local consumer base. Local Media Network, one of the largest online networks in the nation, combines the strength of local broadcast news, the power of on-air promotion, and the trust of established television brands with a unique Internet marketing platform.

NETWORK QUICK FACTS

147 local TV Station websites
20 million unique visitors monthly
200 million monthly page views
63% at work audience
77% Adults 25-54
55% of HH with children 18 or under

Source: WorldNow

CONTACT: George H. Simpson Communications, o: +1-212-309-9068,
m: +1-203-521-0352, georgehsimpson@att.net, for WorldNow

Web site: http://www.localmedianetwork.com/

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