Wetpaint TV Fandex First to Measure 'Engagement' Rather Than Just Viewership of Popular TV Programming

Wetpaint TV Fandex First to Measure 'Engagement' Rather Than Just Viewership of Popular TV Programming

Initial Fandex Rankings Show Most Engaged Viewers Spend up to 5 Hours a Week Discussing a Single Episode; Weeds, House, True Blood, Command Some of the Highest and Most Sustained Online Engagement

SEATTLE, June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Wetpaint released today the Wetpaint TV Fandex, the first-ever measurement tool that gauges "online engagement" with popular TV programs rather than just measuring size of viewing audience.

Measured from sources including Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Wetpaint fansites, the rankings are generated through an algorithm that tracks consumption and creation of content and fan buzz. The TV Fandex is calibrated to measure both the online footprint of popular shows with a large established fan base, as well as the velocity of emerging TV shows as they generate early online buzz.

"It's clear there is a fundamental decentralization underway in how consumers experience TV programming, but the measurement tools have remained substantially the same," said Ben Elowitz, CEO, Wetpaint. "Fans now have the tools to connect and evangelize and they are using them with gusto. The TV Fandex provides networks and producers with the first gauge of the winners and losers in creating and retaining an online audience."

Wetpaint provides an easy way for fans and brands to create fansites where consumers can share their knowledge, connect with others, and create an authentic community. The Wetpaint network of more than 1.5 million websites is dominated by TV and entertainment. A recent survey indicated that more than 30 percent of fans on Wetpaint fansites spend more than five hours a week connecting with other fans on subjects related to their favorite show.

Amid the shift towards an audience that consumes content when and where it wants, TV programmers are proactively pursuing their top fans and recognizing that the online audience has the power to drive conversations about their brand. Fans have proven to be the most durable asset entertainment companies have, and those same fans are essential when it comes to evangelizing and spreading awareness for the brands they're passionate about.

Highlights From the Wetpaint Fandex 100 Include:

-- Mystery, suspense, surprise result in longer tails. Programs with big
reveals, surprise twists, or dramatic finales see enormous spikes in
online fan activity, often with a prolonged echo effect.
-- Sci-Fi and supernatural genre shows can quickly gain ground even
before they premiere. New sci-fi shows like Dollhouse and Fringe ramp
up quickly to rival established hits like Lost and Supernatural in
online momentum and, in many cases, before the program even premieres.
-- Premium series can inspire year-round fan activity. Fans of shows
like True Blood and The Tudors remain engaged online long after the
show's season finale and throughout the course of the off-season.

-- Reality shows are hot mid-season but then online engagement drops
sharply after finales. American Idol and Dancing with the Stars see a
slew of online fan activity during the show's broadcast as the
audience is highly engaged while watching. Online buzz for these
shows has a tendency to surge with the arc of the season and drop off
abruptly after the finale.

The TV Fandex 100 rankings will be updated weekly to reflect the real-time changes in audience interest and attention. Updates can be found at the Fandex website, www.fandex.com, as well as on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tvfandex.

Wetpaint Fandex 100 Top 10 (Week of June 22nd)

1. True Blood
2. NCIS
3. House
4. Weeds
5. Supernatural
6. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
7. Bones
8. The Mentalist
9. The Tudors

10. Gossip Girl

Methodology

The TV Fandex 100 leverages data aggregated from multiple sources that have proven to be the most relevant, real-time, and reflective of fans' alternating passions online. A mix of search, social media, and fansite activity measures round out the most comprehensive algorithm to supplement Nielsen rankings in determining the most popular and engaging shows on TV.

About Wetpaint: Wetpaint provides the leading platform for fans to easily create and participate in online communities dedicated to the topics they care about most. With the world's largest network of 1.5 million fan-powered websites and partnerships with major brands, Wetpaint offers businesses a turnkey solution for creating and fostering passionate communities that drive traffic and increase customer loyalty. Consumers flock to http://www.wetpaint.com/ to create sites around topics they love; last month consumers created more than 40,000 Wetpaint fansites. For more company information, visit http://press.wetpaint.com/

Source: Wetpaint

CONTACT: Erika Shaffer, SutherlandGold Group for Wetpaint,
+1-206-972-5514, erika@sutherlandgold.com

Web Site: http://www.wetpaint.com/

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