Critical Mention Launches ClipSyndicate, a 'One Stop Shop' For Web Site Publishers to Syndicate Video News Segments From Respected Broadcasters

Critical Mention Launches ClipSyndicate, a 'One Stop Shop' For Web Site Publishers to Syndicate Video News Segments From Respected Broadcasters

Clear Channel, MultiVu, a PR Newswire company, and Other Leading Broadcast News Providers, Ink Deals with ClipSyndicate to Drive Syndication Revenue and Brand Extension to Vertical Web Sites

NEW YORK, April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Critical Mention, Inc., the leading Web-based television news search and broadcast monitoring service, today announced the formation of a new technology platform and business venture, ClipSyndicate, providing an exceptional value proposition for broadcasters, advertisers and Web site publishers in the "long tail" of the Internet. Broadcasters can extend the reach and value of their news clips, advertisers are able to get their video and banner ads in front of targeted "eyeballs" and Web site publishers are provided with the simplest way to syndicate and profit from timely and respected broadcast news segments that are relevant to their users/visitors.

ClipSyndicate enables broadcasters and other video content producers to easily monetize their content and extend their brands through an Internet distribution channel that syndicates video clips to thousands of vertical Web sites in need of content for their end-users, while providing advertisers new reach to an extremely targeted audience.

"The world of video distribution over the Web is rapidly evolving," says Allen Weiner, research vice president with Gartner, Inc. "Broadcasters need a broad Internet distribution strategy to seize the emerging opportunity of video distribution over the web, publishers need quick and easy access to respected rich media video clips, and marketers need new ways to cost- effectively find their target markets. A key element missing is the establishment of a sensible end-to-end business platform, backed by a secure and monetizable ecosystem."

"ClipSyndicate provides broadcasters with a huge opportunity to find new markets for their previously broadcast assets," said Sean Morgan, founder and CEO of Critical Mention. "We are offering broadcasters the means to reach vertical markets, generate new revenue streams and extend their brand to the long tail of the Internet, previously inaccessible to them."

The Online Gateway To The World of Video Content Syndication

Clear Channel Television, MultiVu, a PR Newswire company, and other leading broadcast news providers have already signed agreements with ClipSyndicate. Clear Channel Television owns or operates 42 stations nationwide. They serve in 25 markets from coast to coast and are affiliated with all 7 networks, including 2 independents. Full service news departments operate in 24 markets including two in Spanish. MultiVu(TM), a PR Newswire company, provides unsurpassed broadcast and multimedia production and global distribution services to organizations that want to reach the media, financial community, general public and other key audiences with their visual and audio messages.

"ClipSyndicate allows us to focus on what we do best -- produce award winning and highly engaging broadcast content," said Jason Gould, Regional Vice President and General Manager of Inergize Digital Media. "We expect ClipSyndicate to be a significant part of our supplemental online distribution strategy."

A Win-Win for Advertisers and Web Publishers

EMarketer projects that Internet video advertising in the US will nearly triple in 2007 to $640 million, and advertisers will spend at least $1.5 billion for online video ads by the end of the decade. Broadcast content providers and Web publishers alike will benefit financially from ClipSyndicate by sharing in advertising revenues to an extremely targeted audience.

"As more and more video moves onto the Web, and proliferation of broadband access continues, advertisers hungry for new, more impactful ways of reaching key audiences will follow suit," notes Morgan. "We believe that as the business scales up, our emphasis on aggregating vertical sites will drive some of the highest CPMs for video advertising on the Internet."

ClipSyndicate's Web interface allows vertical Web site publishers to syndicate relevant video clips from respected broadcasters and integrate them simply and rapidly onto their sites. Any site that syndicates a clip will be delivered a thumbnail, headline and summary directly through the ClipSyndicate platform to post on their site.

"ClipSyndicate represents the Web publisher's gateway to the ever-growing online world of video content distribution," added Morgan. "It's never been easier for Web publishers to add rich media content from the world's most respected broadcast outlets."

During the beta of ClipSyndicate, membership in the network will be by invitation only. Some of the beta clients of ClipSyndicate include: SmartBrief, Cygnus Business Media Interactive, mediabistro.com's TV Newser.com, and Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC).

- SmartBrief provides targeted, aggregated content to over 900,000
professionals every day. In partnership with leading trade associations
and professional societies, SmartBrief reaches its audience through 55
email services and Web site feeds covering industries such as aviation,
telecommunications, retail and healthcare.
- Cygnus Business Media's Interactive Division is a leading online
provider of essential news, information, utilities and e-commerce
services to 15 unique markets via more 68 Web site destinations.
- mediabistro.com's TVNewser - mediabistro.com is dedicated to anyone who
creates or works with content, or who is a non-creative professional
working in a content/creative industry. TVnewser.com is
mediabistro.com's blog about TV news.
- TMC publishes Internet Telephony, Customer Interaction Solutions, IMS
Magazine, and SIP Magazine; and is the producer of TMCnet, the world's
leading Website covering communications and technology. TMCnet's traffic
is ranked among the top 1,400 sites by alexa.com, an amazon.com company
that monitors and ranks sites by traffic levels. TMC produces INTERNET
TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO, the VoIP Developer Conference, IMS Expo,
VoIP Demo and Call Center 2.0 Conference.

Through ClipSyndicate, all of these Web and email publishers will begin to add broadcast content to their already robust publishing efforts.

"ClipSyndicate allows us to select and integrate video stories into our publications that are relevant to our audience. We know our subscribers want video content -- and ClipSyndicate offers the platform for us to deliver it," said Rick Stamberger, CEO of SmartBrief.

The Next Generation of Online Content Syndication

The founders of ClipSyndicate are true syndication veterans. Sean Morgan is one of the founders of Screamingmedia, the Internet's largest text news syndication service. Screamingmedia, which went public in August 2000 and was subsequently acquired by CBS Marketwatch for over $100 million, provides articles from thousands of text news publishers for syndication to hundreds of vertical Web properties.

In addition, CNBC contributor Ron Insana will provide strategic direction and counsel in support of Critical Mention and ClipSyndicate as a member of Critical Mention's Board of Directors.

"We believe the utility of one single platform that provides all the infrastructure, technology and service for video search and clip integration, combined with the aggregation of world class internationally-recognized broadcast brands and our leadership team will create a fast-growing and highly successful opportunity for all participants in the ClipSyndicate network," said Ron Insana.

Ron Insana will be joining the Critical Mention team at the NAB Conference in Las Vegas, April 24th - 27th, at the ViewCast booth, LVCC Exhibit Hall South 2, Booth Number: SL2840. Please contact Sharon Tolpin at 917-826-2894 if you are interested in a meeting at the NAB Conference.

For more information please visit http://www.clipsyndicate.com/.

About Critical Mention

Critical Mention Inc., the most comprehensive Web-based television search and broadcast monitoring service, is changing the way corporate communications and business intelligence professionals search, track and view critical information from television news. The company's CriticalTV Pro platform provides real-time monitoring and email alerts for organizations that require up-to-the-minute news about their company, clients and competitors. Critical Mention provides clients the ability to search over 3 million clips and over 10 terabytes of indexed television information, watch a clip within seconds of airing, and securely share clips with colleagues and clients. Critical Mention currently serves more than 450 clients, including Fortune 500 companies and market leaders in corporate communications, financial services, professional services, non-profit and government industries. Founded in 2002, Critical Mention (http://www.criticalmention.com/) is privately held, with headquarters in New York City.

Source: Critical Mention, Inc.

CONTACT: Sharon Tolpin, Critical Mention, +1-212-400-8678,
stolpin@criticalmention.com; Carrie Gilman, Kwittken & Company, +1-646-747-
7150, cgilman@kwitco.com

Web site: http://www.criticalmention.com/
http://www.clipsyndicate.com/

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