Gray Television, Inc. Announces Clickable TV Agreement With Backchannelmedia
Gray Television, Inc. Announces Clickable TV Agreement With Backchannelmedia
ATLANTA, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Gray Television, Inc. (NYSE:GTN and)(NYSE:GTN.A) announced today that it has signed an agreement for the station group to deploy the Backchannelmedia Clickable TV solution. Gray Television's 36 local broadcast TV stations' combined reach is approximately 7 million U.S. households (6.2% of U.S. homes) and Backchannelmedia will deploy the opt-in Clickable TV technology on a per station basis until reaching full deployment in all Gray Television stations. This expands Backchannelmedia's deployment roster to 68 television stations reaching approximately 16.7% of U.S. television households.
Participating viewers will be prompted to interact by small, non-intrusive icons (sometimes referred to as "bugs") located at the bottom of their TV screen. These on screen icons indicate a "clickable moment," an opportunity for the viewer to click one button on their remote control and "bookmark" that content to the viewer's private web portal or email address. This secure web portal, accessible through any Web browser, serves as a centralized hub of that viewer's digital TV media interests. Users of Clickable TV can schedule automatic e-mail updates of TV bookmarks to any e-mail account or e-mail-enabled mobile device.
The Clickable TV solution works through over the air digital broadcast and other providers, including cable and satellite. This new interactive opt-in revenue stream for broadcasters unites the mass media reach of TV with the precise engagement metrics of the Internet. As viewers interact and opt-in with clickable moments, Gray Television and its advertisers will collect valuable data on viewer interaction, which in time brings valuable engagement metrics to the advertiser for both live and time-shifted programming. This new advertising and content inventory created by the clickable moment allows TV stations to sell advertising avails on a "per click" basis in addition to impression based TV commercials. Clickable TV was designed with consumer privacy in mind, is free from behavioral targeting, provides consumers with the control to manage their opt-in data, and is spam and click fraud free.
"We spent several months researching the technical feasibility and consumer appeal of Backchannelmedia's clickable television," said Robert S. Prather, Jr., President of Gray Television. "We are excited by the prospects of utilizing our digital spectrum to not only potentially launch a new revenue stream but also to engage our viewers in such a powerful way."
"We're confident that our interactive technology will help prepare Gray Television for the new digital age of television, provide their viewers with a useful and enjoyable experience, and help their advertisers connect with viewers in new ways," said Michael Kokernak, Co-CEO, Backchannelmedia.
"Clickable TV became a reality upon the launch of our market trials in May 2008," said Dan Hassan, Co-CEO, Backchannelmedia. "The response from consumers has been overwhelmingly positive and our partnership with Gray will further speed the rollout of Clickable TV to consumers."
About Backchannelmedia
Boston-based Backchannelmedia, Inc. (www.backchannelmedia.com) was founded in 2000. Backchannelmedia has developed technology that can be embedded into existing set-top boxes currently found in many TV viewer homes that allows the viewer to forward or "bookmark" their interests from TV to the online world. Backchannelmedia's patent pending technology can be deployed in consumer electronics equipment, TV sets, over the air receivers, cable head-ends, switched digital video and network DVR technologies, direct broadcast providers, as well as a multitude of other devices and delivery providers.
Backchannelmedia's Clickable TV launched on the air May 1, 2008 and deployment is currently underway at five TV stations, representing three broadcast station groups, as follows: WCVB ABC 5 (Hearst-Argyle) Boston, MA; WMUR ABC 9 (Hearst-Argyle); WJAR NBC 10 (Media General) Providence, RI; WTNH ABC 8 (LIN Television) New Haven, CT; WCTX MyTV 59 (LIN Television) New Haven, CT. In addition Backchannelmedia has signed an agreement to deploy on LIN TV's 29 television stations. Combined with Gray TV, these Clickable TV enabled stations and markets represent an audience reach of 16.7% of the United States.
For the latest Backchannelmedia news, press releases, brochures, white papers and videos, visit the Backchannelmedia Press section at http://www.backchannelmedia.com/press.
Gray Television, Inc. is a television broadcast company headquartered in Atlanta, GA. Gray currently operates 36 television stations serving 30 markets. Each of the stations are affiliated with either CBS (17 stations), NBC (10 stations), ABC (8 stations) or FOX (1 station). In addition, Gray currently operates 39 digital second channels including 1 ABC, 5 Fox, 7 CW and 16 MyNetworkTV affiliates plus 8 local news/weather channels and 2 "independent" channels in certain of its existing markets.
Source: Gray Television, Inc.
CONTACT: Eric Martin, Director of Marketing, Backchannelmedia,
+1-617-728-3626 x217, emartin@backchannelmedia.com; Bob Prather, President,
+1-404-266-8333, or Jim Ryan, Chief Financial Officer, +1-404-504-9828, both
of Gray Television, Inc.
Web Site: http://www.backchannelmedia.com/
http://www.gray.tv/
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