Mediaguide, Most Advanced Automated Electronic Media Monitoring Service, Launches with Next-Generation Detection Technology
ASCAP, Leading Performing Rights Organization and YES Networks, Interactive Radio Pioneer, First Customers Mediaguide`s Plug-and-Play System to Work for Radio, Television, and Internet
PHILADELPHIA--Sept. 16, 2003-- Mediaguide, the most advanced media monitoring service ever developed, officially launched its service offerings today, which will provide the most accurate and definitive airplay information, in real-time, to a global network of customers in the entertainment and media industries.
Mediaguide`s proprietary technology automatically identifies recorded content as it airs - whether songs, ads, or public service announcements - without having to encode the content. For example, a record label could monitor the latest release from an artist, a radio station could monitor another radio station`s playlist and an advertiser could monitor its own, as well as its competitors`, ad buys - across multiple stations in multiple markets, all from the same data stream, all in real time.
Mediaguide`s first customers are ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), the world`s largest performing rights organization, and YES Networks, a leading interactive media company. The company`s technology has been designed as a plug-and-play network that can scale flexibly to monitor unlimited numbers of stations, providing cost benefits to customers.
Mediaguide currently monitors more than 2,200 radio stations in the U.S., more than twice as many as its leading competitors, in more than 200 markets, with a database comprised of millions of tracks. Using a compact representation of audio content (a "fingerprint"), Mediaguide identifies an unknown broadcast by matching it to an enormous database with the fingerprints of registered works. In particular, the Mediaguide system offers a long-awaited breakthrough for the recording industry, providing artists, labels, managers, and publishers with real-time airplay information to help them make informed business decisions.
"Mediaguide is on a mission to provide the most comprehensive and accurate monitoring and reporting of broadcast content ever. With Mediaguide, `what you hear is what you get,`" said George Searle, CEO of Mediaguide. "We can, and will, simply monitor whatever our customers want us to monitor."
"Mediaguide will provide what our members have repeatedly asked for - a near-census of radio performances, which has not been possible before. Mediaguide`s `fingerprints` will permit much better tracking of ASCAP member performances on television and the Internet, as well," said ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento. "ASCAP`s investment in Mediaguide`s technology will allow us to greatly expand our survey and enhance transparency at significantly reduced cost."
Mediaguide can quickly (within a few seconds), accurately, and definitively identify any content over radio (terrestrial and satellite digital), television (terrestrial, cable, and satellite), and the Internet without modification of the content before release and without setup by the station being monitored.
"The Mediaguide network offers an ideal delivery mechanism for mobile interactivity, enabling new forms of song identification," said Daniel Goldscheider, CEO of YES Networks. "Mediaguide enables us to develop an even more compelling solution for interactive radio."
HOW IT WORKS
Using a flexible network of remote workstations, Mediaguide monitors signals from local radio and television stations, whether nationally, or in specific markets (e.g., if a political campaign runs test ads in a local market).
Any content that a client needs to monitor is sent to Mediaguide, and a unique set of fingerprints is created. As a piece of music, advertising or promo airs, Mediaguide`s technology goes to work comparing and matching it against the millions of fingerprints that reside in its memory--identifying it within seconds of its play.
The system logs the exact time, date, and station for that play. Detections from all monitors are sent to the central processing system where they are aggregated, processed and available for viewing in real time.
The Mediaguide network is designed to be a true 24x7 network, and resilient to distortion in broadcast transmission, speed-up, or signal manipulation.
Mediaguide`s system can determine the sequence of ads that run opposite a particular spot, as well as the frequency of the spot, providing a more compelling set of data for advertisers.
Mediaguide will demonstrate its offerings at the NAB Radio Show, in Philadelphia, from Wednesday, October 1 to Friday, October 3 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1100 Arch Street, in Booth #323.
About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the world`s largest performing rights organization, with over 160,000 composer, lyricist and music publisher members. ASCAP`s repertory spans the entire spectrum of music, from pop to symphonic, rock to gospel, Latin to country, jazz to rhythm and blues, to film, television and musical theatre. ASCAP is the only performing rights organization whose Board of Directors is made up solely of writers and publishers, elected by the membership. In 2002, ASCAP collected over $635 million in revenues and distributed $587 million to its members, setting a new precedent in the performing rights industry. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.ascap.com.
About YES Networks
For more than 100 million radio listeners in the U.S., YES transforms ordinary radio into a fully interactive experience by allowing users to identify, interact with and purchase the music playing on the radio via the Internet or cell phones. YES provides consumers with an immediate and convenient way to get more information on the song, artist and album of interest, and, if they choose, to purchase music and related merchandise. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.yes.net.
About Mediaguide
Mediaguide has developed and operates the most advanced monitoring and reporting systems, enabling it to produce the most comprehensive, accurate, timely and reliable airplay data products in the world across all broadcast media. The company serves the information and marketing needs of broadcasters, music companies, performing rights organizations, advertisers and their agencies. The company was formed by ASCAP, the leading performing rights organization, and ConneXus Corporation. Mediaguide is headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit the Web site at www.mediaguide.com.
Chris Pfaff Tech/Media LLC
Business Development, Strategic Marketing & Public
Relations
9 Valley Place
Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
973-509-6565 (office)
973-509-8087 (fax)
201-218-0262 (mobile)
800-705-2368 (pager)
c.pfaff@att.net
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