http://www.feedroom.com/rss http://www.feedroom.com/page/10_09_KIT/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/10_09_KIT/#When:12:56:42Z Management to Host Press Conference Today at 15:30 CET at the MIPCOM Conference in Cannes, France, and Host Investor Conference Call on Tuesday, October 6 at 10:00 a.m. ET   PRAGUE, Czech Republic - October 5, 2009 - KIT digital, Inc. (NASDAQ: KITD), a leading global provider of on-demand software solutions for managing and monetizing Internet Protocol (IP)-based video assets, has executed separate definitive agreements to acquire two of its leading competitors, Nunet AG of Cologne, Germany and The FeedRoom, Inc., based in New York City.   Nunet was acquired from IMG Worldwide, Inc. and is considered a premier global provider in the management and delivery of video on mobile devices, while The FeedRoom is a venture capital-backed, privately-held market leader in live video and digital asset management for corporations.   “Nunet and The FeedRoom complement and substantially expand our client base, core capabilities and our commitment to serving video to the ‘three screens’ of the mobile device, browser and television through an IP set-top-box,” said KIT digital’s chairman and CEO, Kaleil Isaza Tuzman. “We expect these acquisitions to be immediately accretive to our financial results and provide substantial synergies in terms of business development, platform technology, geographical footprint and overall growth potential.”   The acquisition of Nunet adds a number of major international clients to the KIT digital roster. A wide range of global mobile network operators use its MobileTV digital asset management system, including Mobilkom, Proximus, SFR, Vodacom and Vodafone Group. Nunet also works with major broadcasters and content producers like Discovery Channel, Eurosport International, Fashion TV, IMG Worldwide and MTV Networks.   The FeedRoom dramatically expands KIT digital’s presence in North America through the addition of more than 80 enterprise customers, including Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BusinessWeek, General Motors, Herbalife, Hewlett Packard, Honeywell, Intel, Metlife and the U.S. Department of Defense.   The FeedRoom acquisition enhances KIT digital’s VX IP video management platform through the integration of key features of The FeedRoom’s ‘Studio’ software, including an advanced management, reporting, and analytics console. In turn, The FeedRoom clients will gain access to the advanced software features of VX, including delivery of IP video to mobile devices and IP-enabled TV set-top-boxes, as well as enhanced geographical targeting and search engine optimization tools.   “We see a great opportunity for cross-marketing Nunet’s MobileTV asset management capabilities as part of an expanded ‘VX2’ IP video management offering to our newly combined customer base,” notes Gavin Campion, president of KIT digital. “This customer base includes many brands which use IP video as part of their external marketing and merchandising programs, human resources function, corporate communications, and business operations - all ‘back-end’ corporate verticals we view as significant growth opportunities in the quarters and years ahead.”   Initially, the two acquisitions are expected to add $17.5 million of current, annualized revenues from core IP video-based services, and more than $4.5 million in annualized EBITDA to KIT digital. Over 75% of the newly acquired revenues are recurring and subject to long-term contracts. In January 2009, KIT digital’s management said they expected to generate at least $40 million in revenue with approximately 10% operating margin for the year. This guidance was reflective of KIT digital’s core business at the time and does not take into account the effect of the acquisitions of Nunet and The FeedRoom.    The acquisitions also involved the appointment of several Nunet and FeedRoom executives to KIT digital’s senior management team. Nunet has 56 employees, who will remain based in Cologne under the new ownership. Many of The FeedRoom’s 53 employees will join KIT digital’s operations in New York City, while The FeedRoom’s offices in Seattle and Boston will be added to the KIT digital network.   Isaza Tuzman added: “During our recent registered public stock offering and NASDAQ listing process we made it clear that the net proceeds of the offering would be used for accretive acquisitions that would expand our geographical and customer reach, and further establish our leadership position in IP video management for the enterprise. We fulfilled our promise by completing these acquisitions quickly and efficiently, and have already identified operational synergies, a combined leadership team, and immediate plans for platform technology integration. All of this forms the basis for strong growth, while delivering an enhanced IP video experience to our customers and their end-users.”   Aggregate Acquisition Terms (All figures indicated in this release are in U.S. dollars. An exchange rate of 1.457 EUR/USD was used when converting from Euros.)   The aggregate consideration paid for Nunet and The FeedRoom was approximately $20.9 million (based on the closing market price of KIT digital common stock on Friday, October 2, 2009), of which $9.8 million was paid in stock, $7.9 million was paid in cash and $3.3 million of debt was assumed in the form of a convertible promissory note.   In total, KIT digital will issue 1,312,000 shares as a result of the two transactions, comprised of 948,636 shares issued for 100% of the outstanding shares of The FeedRoom, and 363,364 shares issued in exchange for $4.0 million of cash invested in KIT digital common stock by The FeedRoom’s controlling shareholders, at an implied price of $11 per share. All of the shares issued in connection with The FeedRoom transaction will be subject to an agreement restricting the sale of those shares for 18 months.   KIT digital chairman and CEO Kaleil Isaza Tuzman also agreed to an 18-month lock-up for 1,312,000 of his current beneficially owned shares in connection with The FeedRoom transaction, and acted as a personal financial guarantor to the convertible promissory note in the Nunet transaction.   Simultaneous with the acquisitions of Nunet and The FeedRoom, KIT digital reached separate agreements to extinguish all past and future contingent earn-out obligations related to the May 2008 acquisition of Kamera Content AB and the October 2008 acquisition of Visual Connection, a.s., comprising a total cash payment of $1.7 million and the issuance of 163,437 restricted shares to the former shareholders of Kamera and Visual Connection. Neither the Nunet nor The FeedRoom acquisitions involve any earn-out or contingent liabilities.   Following these acquisitions and the settlement of earn-out payments, management estimates that KIT digital will have approximately 10.3 million common shares outstanding and approximately $7.0 million of cash. This includes payment of all deal-related expenses and the incurrence of restructuring and severance charges related to the two acquisitions.   In light of these acquisitions expanding KIT digital’s global footprint, the company identified the need for an international auditing firm with local practice capabilities in all its core markets, and on October 2, 2009 it appointed Grant Thornton LLP as its new independent public auditor, replacing MSPC. The company also filed a Form S-3 shelf registration today to provide flexibility in future strategic development activity.   Robin Smyth, chief financial officer of KIT digital, commented, “In addition to completing the Nunet and FeedRoom acquisitions, we have used this post-funding and NASDAQ listing period to fulfill our promise to eliminate contingent earn-out liabilities and select an international auditing firm which can grow along with our global business. We have a strong balance sheet and highly capable administrative supports, providing us the foundation to take the company to the next level of growth.”   Nunet Acquisition Terms KIT digital acquired Nunet from IMG Worldwide for approximately $11.1 million, comprised of $7.9 million in cash and $3.3 million in the assumption of a convertible promissory note issued by KIT digital. At the sole election of KIT digital, the promissory note may be converted into stock or paid in cash installments over 18 months starting in January 2010 at a 6.5% interest rate. Isaza Tuzman acted as a personal guarantor of the promissory note.   The acquisition of Nunet is expected to be immediately accretive based on an annualized recurring revenue stream of approximately $11.5 million and over $2.3 million of annualized EBITDA (prior to merger-related synergies).   As part of the acquisition, IMG Worldwide and KIT digital will enter into a long-term commercial contract, under which KIT digital will continue to provide IMG digital media services.   “Although IMG is focused on its core competencies and shedding assets that don’t fit with our overall strategy, selling Nunet was a difficult decision,” said Carmi Zlotnik, head of IMG media operations. “We believe in the Nunet team and its future prospects, and are happy to have found a great home for Nunet with market leader KIT digital-and look forward to working with the merged entity in the future.”   “KIT digital’s global presence and commitment to enterprise IP video management made this acquisition superior in our view to other purchase offers and the previously considered management buy-out of Nunet,” said Arnd Froehlich, Nunet co-founder and CEO. “We are excited to be teaming up with the clear leader in the industry, and feel very confident about working together to serve our valued customers.”   Nunet has invested an estimated $22 million in its technology platform since its inception in 1997.   The FeedRoom Acquisition Terms KIT digital acquired The FeedRoom for approximately 948,636 shares of KIT digital common stock, valued at approximately $9.8 million using the closing market price on Friday, October 2, 2009.   The FeedRoom’s annualized revenue is estimated at more than $6 million. The acquisition is cash-flow positive to KIT digital due to synergies in G&A expenses realized immediately prior to and upon closing, with projected annual EBITDA of more than $2.2 million.   As part of the transaction, The FeedRoom’s controlling shareholders-NewSpring Ventures, BEV Capital and Velocity Equity Partners - invested $4.0 million in KIT digital common shares, at a price of $11 per share, through the conversion of The FeedRoom Series F Preferred Shares purchased at closing.   “KIT digital and The FeedRoom share a common vision to be the provider of choice for the large corporate or government client employing IP video,” said Marc R. Lederman, general partner of NewSpring Capital and director of The FeedRoom. “From a strategic perspective, KIT digital’s coordinated acquisition of The FeedRoom and Nunet assets is a coup. This combination underscores the first truly global, ‘3-screen’ IP video platform company. We see significant upside for our investors as the KIT management team continues to execute on the strategy embarked upon when they took over the enterprise in January 2008, which led us to re-invest in the business at closing.”     The FeedRoom has invested an estimated $35 million in its technology platform since its inception in 1999.   Merriman Curhan Ford & Co. acted as strategic advisor to KIT digital on its acquisition of The FeedRoom.   Press Conference KIT digital chairman and CEO Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and president Gavin Campion will host a press conference at MIPCOM in Cannes, France today to provide further details of the acquisitions.   When:                 Monday, October 5, 2009 from 15:30-16:30 CET   Who:                    Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, chairman and CEO of KIT digital                              Gavin Campion, president of KIT digital   Where:               Palais de Festivale, Cannes, France, in Auditorium G. Cocktails and appetizers will be served.   Contact:             Sharron Silvers, KCSA Public Relations Tel +1-212-896-1282 or +1-646-287-0433, ssilvers@kcsa.com   Investor Conference Call Further details of the transaction will be also presented in an investor conference call hosted by the management of KIT digital at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow:   When:                 Tuesday, October 6, 2009 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (USA)   Who:                   Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, chairman and CEO of KIT digital                             Gavin Campion, president of KIT digital                             Robin Smyth, chief financial officer of KIT digital   Details:              Dial-in number (North America): +1-800-895-0198, Dial-in number (outside of North America): +1-785-424-1053                            Conference ID: 7KITDIGITAL   Contact:             Matt Glover, Liolios Group, Inc.                             Tel 1+949-574-3860                             info@liolios.com   Please call the conference telephone number at least 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start to allow for processing time. If there is any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact the Liolios Group at +1-949-574-3860.   The conference call will be broadcast simultaneously and available for replay via the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at http://www.kitd.com.   A replay of the call will be available after 2:30 p.m. Eastern time on the same day and until November 06, 2009.   Toll-free replay # (North America): + 1-800-283-8217 International replay # (outside of North America): + 1-402-220-0868 (No passcode required)   About Nunet AG Established in 1997 in Cologne, Germany, Nunet is a global leader in video management for broadband, mobile and IPTV. Key clients include Mobilkom, Proximus, SFR, Vodacom and Vodafone Group, along with leading broadcasters and content producers, including Discovery Channel, Eurosport International, Fashion TV, IMG Worldwide and MTV Networks.. In 2004, Nunet developed Mobile TV, launching the first six channels for in November that year. In 2005, Nunet rolled out Mobile TV across multiple international markets. Today, Nunet runs more than 300 Mobile TV channels in 20 territories. IMG took 100% ownership of Nunet on  January 1, 2007. For additional information, go to www.nunet.de.   About The FeedRoom Established in 1999 in New York City, The FeedRoom is a pioneer in online video communications, and a market leader in live video and digital asset management. With an unparalleled commitment to customer service, The FeedRoom provides flexible online solutions that optimize business and marketing communications for the enterprise, government and media. Industry-leading organizations like Autodesk, Barnes & Noble, Boeing, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hewlett-Packard, Metlife and The Pentagon rely on The FeedRoom’s expertise to help engage audiences, build brands, monetize content and manage digital media assets more efficiently.   About KIT digital, Inc. KIT digital (NASDAQ: KITD) is a leading, global provider of on-demand Internet Protocol (IP)-based video asset management solutions. Through its end-to-end software platform, “KIT VX,” KIT digital enables enterprise clients to acquire, manage and distribute their video assets across the three screens of the computer Internet browser, mobile device and television via an IPTV set-top box. KIT digital clients’ use of the VX platform ranges from end-consumer focused video distribution to internal corporate deployments, including corporate communications, human resources, training, security and surveillance. The KIT digital client base includes over 470 enterprise customers across 30+ countries, including The Associated Press, Disney-ABC, Google, IMG Worldwide, Kmart, NASDAQ, News Corp, RCS, Sensis, Telefonica, and Verizon. KIT digital has principal offices in Prague, Melbourne (Australia), New York, Toronto, London and Dubai. For additional information, please visit www.kitd.com.   KIT digital Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” related to the businesses of KIT digital, Inc. which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects” or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties relating to product development and commercialization, the ability to obtain or maintain patent and other proprietary intellectual property protection, market acceptance, future capital requirements, regulatory actions or delays, competition in general and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are or will be described in greater detail in our public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. KIT digital is not under any obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.   The securities offered in the acquisitions described in this press release have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.   KIT digital Contact:   Daniel Goodfellow VP, Marketing and Communications                                Tel. +1-646-873-3086     daniel@kitd.com   KIT digital Investor Relations Contacts: Matt Glover      Liolios Group, Inc. Tel. +1-949-574-3860  info@liolios.com       2009-10-05T12:56:42+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_HSUS_Award/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_HSUS_Award/#When:17:44:31Z International Competition Honors Innovation, Strategy, Creative Execution and ROI   NEW YORK, NY (September 23, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a leader in live video and digital asset management, today announced that its customer The Humane Society of the United States has received a silver award in the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s 2009 MIXX Award competition for its powerful “Protect Seals” online video campaign.  Winners of the fifth annual, international competition were announced last evening at the IAB MIXX (Marketing and Interactive Excellence) Awards gala in New York City.    The award-winning campaign by The HSUS, the nation’s largest animal protection organization, aims to create awareness of the cruel realities of the Canadian seal hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence earlier this year.  During the video capture, The HSUS had media standing by to access the footage.  As Frank Loftus, senior producer for The HSUS, traveled back from the Canadian ice floes by helicopter, he quickly produced the video on his laptop, accessed FeedRoom Studio via air card, and was able to upload and publish the files to The HSUS Website within minutes.  By the time the crew landed, the media was downloading broadcast video and high-resolution images for the world to see on television, Web sites, blogs, mobile devices and social media sharing sites.   “We are honored to be among those recognized by the IAB judges in the public service/not-for-profit category for the results of this important and ongoing campaign,” said Frank Loftus.  “The images of baby seals being clubbed to death on the ice are one of the most effective tools we have in our campaign to end the Canadian seal slaughter.  Online video helps us to deliver powerful perspectives and to reach out to the media and members of the public at critical moments with a medium that engages and empowers viewers to get involved.”    As a result of the “Protect Seals” campaign and others, the boycott of Canadian seafood has grown to include some 600,000 individuals and more than 5,000 food-related businesses. It has cost Canadian fisheries approximately $750 million (CAD) in lost snow crab exports to the U.S. since it began in 2005, and public awareness played a crucial role in the European Union recently banning seal product trade, including the import of pelts.   “This year’s MIXX award winners underscored the increasing significance of emerging technologies and platforms like social media, mobile and the ability to integrate platforms through cross-media integration,” said David Doty, SVP, Thought Leadership and Marketing, IAB. “It also showcased marketers’ growing sophistication and capacity for creating their own brand destination sites to engage consumers within unique owned environments, providing brands with newfound opportunities to build deeper, exclusive relationships with their customers.”   The IAB MIXX Awards is the only juried advertising competition that evaluates all critical components of the interactive marketing mix, including strategy, creative, execution and results in 17 categories.   “Compelling video footage that is shared across multiple distribution channels is a proven way to foster critical messages and effect change, said Mark Portu, President and CEO of The FeedRoom.  “This recognition of The HSUS is illustrative of forward-thinking organizations who have embraced online video and rich media to improve the reach and velocity of their communications to internal and external audiences.  Congratulations to Frank Loftus and the entire HSUS team on their outstanding work with this campaign.”   About The Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization - backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty - on the Web at humanesociety.org.   About the IAB The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is comprised of more than 375 leading media and technology companies who are responsible for selling 86% of online advertising in the United States. On behalf of its members, the IAB is dedicated to the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace, of interactive’s share of total marketing spend, and of its members’ share of total marketing spend. The IAB educates marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business community about the value of interactive advertising. Working with its member companies, the IAB evaluates and recommends standards and practices and fields critical research on interactive advertising. Founded in 1996, the IAB is headquartered in New York City with a Public Policy office in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.iab.net.   2009-09-23T17:44:31+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_Gartner_Award/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_Gartner_Award/#When:10:58:38Z The Internet’s Largest Bookstore Recognized for Excellence in Use of New Media and Web 2.0 Applications in Customer Relationship Strategy   SCOTTSDALE, AZ and NEW YORK, NY (September 16, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a leader in live video and digital asset management, today announced that its customer Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), the Internet’s largest online bookstore, has been selected as a Silver Award winner of a 2009 Gartner & 1to1 Customer Award in the New Media Optimization category. The awards were presented yesterday afternoon at the 2009 Gartner CRM Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona.   Nominees were evaluated in seven categories on the implementation and results of their strategic customer relationship initiatives. The joint awards program from leading industry analyst firm Gartner, Inc. and 1to1 Media, a division of Peppers & Rogers Group, was introduced last year to establish a standard of excellence for customer-focused organizations, and to honor those companies that provide value to customers and shareholders by effectively bringing together strategy, technology and execution to deliver ideal customer experiences.    “Our goal for the Barnes & Noble Studio is to become the premier online multimedia destination for book lovers and enthusiasts.  We are delighted to accept the Gartner & 1to1 Customer Award as it validates our strategy of helping customers and other visitors to our site to celebrate books and well as to buy them,”  said Mike Skagerlind, Vice President and Head of Digital Content at Barnes & Noble.com.  “In the highly competitive online retail industry, we aim to ‘super serve’ our customers in ways that they can’t experience elsewhere.”  The Barnes & Noble Studio (www.bn.com/studio), launched by Skagerlind and his team in March 2008 as part of bookseller’s vast multimedia-enabled Website, provides a unique and exciting experience for book lovers to become further engaged in books and with authors through thousands of original and publisher-produced book-centric videos and podcasts.  Programs include:   “Barnes & Noble Tagged!”, hosted by Molly Pesce, a flagship weekly series that showcases unique author interviews as well as other features such as “Close Up” and “Molly’s Top Tags”; The NY Emmy award-winning “Book Obsessed” series, documenting how obsessed readers have embraced books and reading in their lives; “Meet the Writers”, a weekly series hosted by Steve Bertrand that features of audio and video interviews with some of the most successful - and diverse - writers in the world; “Live at B&N”, featuring live and recorded events and performances at various Barnes & Noble stores around the country; “Why I Read”, a “vox pop” original video series of actual book readers who share their thoughts on how books inspire, motivate, entertain, teach and keep them happy; “Cover Story”, a mini documentary series about book designers and illustrators; and “Blogging Booksellers”, one of the newest and most innovative video programs offered by the company featuring video blogs from local booksellers nationwide.   “The Gartner & 1to1 Customer Award winners understand that customers are a company’s most valuable asset, and by investing in technology that improves these relationships, organizations create near-term profits and long-term value,” said Ginger Conlon, 1to1 Media’s editor-in-chief. “The awards judges noted results like a 150 percent increased video viewership since launching Studio as proving the success of Barnes & Noble’s social media initiatives.”   About Barnes & Noble, Inc. Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller and a Fortune 500 company, operates 774 bookstores in 50 states. Barnes & Noble is the nation’s top bookseller brand for the sixth year in a row, as determined by a combination of the brand’s performance on familiarity, quality, and purchase intent; the top bookseller in quality for the second year in a row and the number two retailer in trust, according to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®. Barnes & Noble conducts its online business through Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com), one of the Web’s largest e-commerce sites, which also features hundreds of thousands of titles in its eBookstore (www.bn.com/ebooks).   Customers can buy and read eBooks on a wide range of platforms, including the iPhone and iPod touch, BlackBerry® smartphones, as well as most Windows® and Mac® laptops or full-sized desktop computers.   General information on Barnes & Noble, Inc. can be obtained via the Internet by visiting the company’s corporate Website: www.barnesandnobleinc.com.   2009-09-16T10:58:38+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_EEVA/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_EEVA/#When:10:54:55Z Barnes & Noble.com, Bausch & Lomb, Hewlett-Packard and Intel Corporation Recognized by Interactive Media Strategies for Their Innovative Use of Online Video in Business   NEW YORK, NY (September 9, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer online video communications, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced that Interactive Media Strategies has named four of The FeedRoom’s enterprise video customers among the recipients of its first annual Excellence in Enterprise Video Awards (EEVA) program.  Barnes & Noble, Bausch & Lomb, Hewlett-Packard and Intel Corporation are among those being recognized by the market research firm for innovation and ROI in the deployment and use of online video applications in business.    “We sought to establish this first-of-its-kind awards program to showcase the truly outstanding achievements of organizations using online video to improve business processes, reduce costs and expand reach to new audiences,” said Paul Ritter, Vice President at Interactive Media Strategies, a market research firm dedicated to technologies shaping the future of enterprise communications.  “By enabling these thought leaders to tell their stories of success in a series of feature videos benefits the industry as a whole and makes it easier for businesses of all sizes, geographies and industries to achieve success with their own video initiatives.”     Selection of the EEVA winners for 2009 by Interactive Media Strategies was based on vendor nominations and on-camera interviews conducted by the firm’s senior research directors with award finalists to evaluate four criteria:  demonstrated business impact of video, ROI data and success metrics, uniqueness of video applications deployed, and thought leadership demonstrated by the implementation of enterprise video in innovative or ground-breaking ways.   Among this year’s recipients across various categories are four organizations who utilize the FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform to power their online video communications, including:       Hewlett-Packard: “Most Innovative Use of Online Video in Customer Support” for its Total Care Support program; Bausch & Lomb: “Excellence in Achieving ROI with Enterprise Video” for its Bausch & Lomb TV video portal initiatives; Intel Corporation: “Leadership in Using Social Media for PR and Corporate Communications” for enabling social networking sites around the world to embed Intel videos; and Barnes & Noble: “Most Innovative Use of Video for Engaging Customers Online” for its Barnes & Noble Studio initiative that makes thousands of online videos available to customers.   Other FeedRoom customers recognized among this year’s EEVA program finalists include Herbalife and SaberHacer.com, an informational Website for Latinos covering a wide range of topics from health and education to careers and finance.   “We are honored to have so many of our customers recognized among this year’s distinguished finalists and award winners,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO, The FeedRoom.  “For nearly a decade, The FeedRoom has remained at the forefront of video communication and digital media management.  This level of recognition for our customers is testament to their passion for innovation and business efficiency.  We salute the considerable achievements of these organizations, and the work they do each day to help move the industry forward through pioneering applications of online video in sales, marketing, internal communications, education and customer support.”   For a complete list of 2009 EEVA finalists and award winners, visit www.interactivemediastrategies.com.   See The FeedRoom’s online video showcase, featuring interviews with FeedRoom customers highlighted in this year’s award program at www.feedroom.com/page/EEVA.  “Profiles in Success” are also available for download.   About Interactive Media Strategies Interactive Media Strategies, founded in 2002, is a market research firm focused on how Web communication technologies, such as online video, can be used by corporations, educational institutions and government agencies to enhance communications and streamline day-to-day business operations. The firm regularly fields executive surveys to gauge executive use, deployment and perceptions of Web communications, and publishes more than 50 research reports and Webcasts annually that address trends in enterprise adoption of these technologies.  For more information, visit www.interactivemediastrategies.com.   2009-09-09T10:54:55+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_Channel_Solution/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/09_09_Channel_Solution/#When:10:53:13Z Affordable Single-Platform Solution Offers Contemporary, Cost-Efficient Approach to Delivering Global Enterprise Communications   NEW YORK, NY (September 2, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced a new subscription-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) package designed to address the enterprise communications needs of globally dispersed organizations.  The affordable offering combines the easy-to-use publishing, distribution and measurement capabilities of FeedRoom Studio with integrated live and on-demand Web video formats for more effective and cost-efficient employee, customer and partner communications in contextual, enterprise video “channels.”     Using Web video in corporate communications enables organizations to “do more with less” by eliminating the considerable limitations of traditional conferencing, satellite, email and event-based delivery methods.  Today streaming video is being used to support a variety of internal communications, such as live town hall meetings and corporate TV “channels” that provide a knowledge base of news and information to global employees.  External applications include executive presentations, live and recorded corporate events, and programs for sales and customer training and enablement.  In all cases, Web video reduces travel costs and provides audiences with searchable, shareable video - available on-demand, across time zones and in multiple languages.   “Capitalizing on rapidly declining video production costs and the explosion of user-generated content, companies such as Bausch & Lomb, General Motors, Hewlett-Packard and others are seeing the added benefits of delivering information to employees, customers and partners in the same way they already consume it on the Internet, which is largely through Web video,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO of The FeedRoom. “High-quality video, whether it’s live or on-demand, is an effective way for business leaders to connect with global audiences; it’s measurable and allows viewers to fully engage in the experience by having the opportunity to watch, listen, rate and refer video to others.”   The new Enterprise Communication Channel Package is based on the extensive capabilities of the FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform, a scalable enterprise solution that integrates with content management systems, social and mobile media distribution tools, and popular Web analytics packages.  The solution offers a variety of lightweight, user-customizable video players and the powerful FeedRoom Studio publishing application.  Unlike consumer video-sharing sites, FeedRoom 4.0 ensures positive online brand experiences by providing maximum control over the distribution and measurement of video content.   Available immediately, the comprehensive Enterprise Communications Channel package provides capabilities for:   Built-in video upload, transcode and podcast extraction; Optional Really Simple Upload (RSU) interface for publishing video created across the enterprise; Support for high-quality, on-demand and live streaming video, including the ability to record live events for later viewing; Highly customizable user experiences, featuring a range of player templates; Player embed capabilities to share and distribute video content to other sites and blogs; Configurable, password-protected podcast, Web and high-quality video downloads; Enterprise security module for limiting access to authenticated intranet and/or extranet users only; Syndication support via XML and RSS feeds to alert audiences that new content is available; and Full-service reporting to know what was watched and for how long.   FeedRoom 4.0 is flexible and upgradable to support all types of internal or external communications - or both - in a single-platform solution. Delivered in a SaaS model, the benefits of FeedRoom 4.0 for Fortune 1000 enterprises and government agencies include faster time to deployment, no additional infrastructure costs, reduced dependence on internal IT services for communications support, and access to The FeedRoom’s latest software releases and on-staff video experts.  For an online demo of FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform, visit www.feedroom.com/page/request_evp_4.0_demo.   2009-09-02T10:53:13+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/08_09_TubeMogul/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/08_09_TubeMogul/#When:11:17:19Z Provides Digital Media and Fortune 1000 Marketers with Unprecedented Capabilities for Video Sharing and Performance Measurement   NEW YORK, NY (August 25, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a leader in live video and digital asset management, today announced a partnership with TubeMogul, the Web’s most popular analytics and syndication service for online video.  Through the integration of TubeMogul functionality, FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform customers can dramatically increase audience reach with the automated, viral distribution of video content to dozens of popular video sharing sites, and gauge success through detailed, cross-site viewer tracking.   After videos are uploaded, TubeMogul automatically deploys them to as many of the top video sharing sites as the customer selects.  Powerful, integrated analytics available from TubeMogul.com provide a single source of metrics in customizable reports on where, when and how often the videos are viewed.  For many media marketing and corporate communications professionals today, viral video initiatives such as these can translate into broader reach with very little media cost.    “In an era where every marketing dollar invested must produce value, it’s more critical than ever to have a plan to maximize the reach and impact of your online video,” said David Burch, Director of Marketing at TubeMogul.  “Through integration with TubeMogul, FeedRoom customers can capitalize on the power of viral video sharing to reach larger audiences with controlled messages, increase search engine ranking and traffic, and easily measure the impact of these investments.”   Delivered in a Software-as-Service model, FeedRoom 4.0 is a scalable, Web video publishing platform that integrates seamlessly with content management systems, social and mobile media distribution tools, and popular Web analytics packages.  The system supports a variety of lightweight, user- customizable video players and the powerful, easy-to-use FeedRoom Studio publishing application.  Unlike consumer video publishing sites, FeedRoom provides greater brand control, enabling Fortune 1000 enterprises, leading media organizations and government agencies to better manage the distribution, monetization and measurement of video content online.   “Our partner strategy leverages the  extensible product architecture of FeedRoom 4.0 to deliver the most comprehensive and powerful solutions for marketing and corporate communications available today,” said David Pearce, Vice President of Product at The FeedRoom.  “Customers, such as Intel Corporation, are becoming increasingly skilled at shepherding traffic to their site through an array of social media initiatives.  Tools such as TubeMogul will make it easier for them to distribute, share and track videos originating from corporate video archives.”   About TubeMogul TubeMogul is the first online video analytics and distribution company serving publishers large and small who need independent information about video performance on the Internet and automated upload to the Web’s top video sharing sites. TubeMogul’s Load & Track platform allows users to upload a video once and then automatically deploy it to the Web’s top video sharing sites, such as YouTube. Users can then utilize TubeMogul’s tracking technology, which aggregates video viewing data from multiple sources, giving publishers an improved understanding of when, where and how often their videos are watched. TubeMogul offers tracking far beyond the traditional metric of video “views.” TubeMogul InPlay, which can be activated within minutes, tracks rich, standardized viewership metrics such as audience engagement, attention span and site performance - all in real-time.  For more information, visit www.tubemogul.com.   2009-08-25T11:17:19+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/08_09_Highmount/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/08_09_Highmount/#When:11:11:20Z Leading U.S. Natural Gas Producer Capitalizes on Digital Media to Promote Employee-Focused Business Culture, Field Safety and Workplace Productivity   NEW YORK, NY (August 19, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced that HighMount Exploration & Production LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Loews Corporation and leader in the development and production of natural gas, has standardized the delivery of their internal video communications on the FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform.   Based in Houston, HighMount holds a dominant position among the top 20 U.S. natural gas producers in West Texas’ Permian Basin.  Today the company manages a portfolio of nearly 8,400 wells across three locations through offices in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Sonora, Texas; Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and Traverse City and Lewiston, Michigan.  In July 2007, the company was acquired by Loews Corporation and officially became HighMount Exploration & Production LLC.  As part of the transition, the forward-looking executive team desired to make online video an integral part of the day-to-day business culture.   “The aim of the management team is to provide a truly open culture that values the contributions of our employees,” said Cheryl Janosov, Corporate Communications Manager at HighMount Exploration & Production. “Online video helps us to promote a highly interpersonal business culture, where the person in the accounting department can learn first-hand about the activities of a Field Pumper in Alabama.”    Today HighMount effectively employs online video as part of an extensive, on-demand enterprise communications program, featuring regular executive briefings, the introduction and marketing of annual incentive plans, and field safety updates, in addition to hurricane and disaster preparedness.    “It’s predicted that within the next five years, the current generation of oil and gas experts will be retiring,” adds Janosov.  “To attract and retain new talent to our company, we knew we needed to provide information to the ‘next generation’ in the same way they are used to consuming it, which is largely through video on the Web.”    As a result, says Janosov, “We aim to keep our videos no more than three to five minutes long, and use in-house video cameras to produce most of the content.  We needed a video delivery platform that would not slow us down.  With The FeedRoom, our use of video across the organization has grown dramatically and we’ve been exceptionally pleased with the process.  The solution’s ease of use has enabled us to deliver video communications without adding technical or marketing resources.”    Delivered in a Software-as-Service model, FeedRoom 4.0 is a scalable publishing system that integrates seamlessly with existing content management platforms, social and mobile media distribution tools and popular Web analytics packages.  The flexible solution supports a variety of highly customizable, lightweight video players and the powerful, easy-to-use FeedRoom Studio publishing interface.  Unlike consumer video-sharing sites, FeedRoom provides greater brand control, enabling Fortune 1000 enterprises, leading media organizations and government agencies to better manage distribution, monetization and measurement of video content for public relations, marketing and communications.   “HighMount’s internal use of online video is illustrative of the growing number of organizations finding online video to be strategically important to both their productivity and business culture,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO at The FeedRoom.  “Our customers have adopted a wide range of internal uses for online video - from Bausch & Lomb who now delivers employee video communications in five languages using our platform and players, to General Motors, who addressed their need for immediacy and transparency over the past several months using our solution to support the delivery of both live and on-demand video to stakeholders across the globe.”   2009-08-19T11:11:20+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/08_09_3Play_Media/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/08_09_3Play_Media/#When:10:44:21Z NEW YORK, NY (August 4, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a leader in live video and digital asset management, today announced a partnership with 3Play Media, a provider of intelligent video transcription and captioning services.  Under the agreement, the two companies will help Fortune 1000 enterprises, leading media organizations and government agencies to accelerate the process of producing affordable, high-quality video captions in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.   3Play Media’s patent-pending technology streamlines the ability to transcribe audio files accurately, and provides innovative search and navigation capabilities through time synchronization. The 3Play process combines the best of automated speech recognition with rigorous quality assurance methods, making the transcription and captioning process more user-friendly and affordable.   The FeedRoom’s flexible, lightweight video players support caption display, which can be configured on the fly using the intuitive Player Composer module within the FeedRoom Studio video publishing application. Video can be uploaded directly to the 3Play console, with options for next-day or three-day turnaround.  Once transcribed using the pay-as-you-go service, the transcription can be edited, if necessary, from within the console prior to downloading standard .dfxp (distribution format exchange profile) or .html  files for synchronized delivery in FeedRoom players or linked to specific videos.   “Many organizations today are mandated by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act to ensure that public information is universally accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities and other special needs,” said Daniel Webster, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Live Video Services at The FeedRoom.   “By making convenient transcription services available to our enterprise customers, we help them to reach the broadest possible audience, and address one of the industry’s most challenging issues: fast and affordable online video captioning.”   Delivered in a Software-as-Service model, FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform (EVP) is a scalable video publishing system that integrates seamlessly with existing content management platforms, social and mobile media distribution applications, and third-party Web analytics tools.  Unlike consumer video-sharing sites, FeedRoom EVP provides greater brand control, enabling users to better manage distribution, monetization and measurement of video content for marketing, corporate communications and public relations.   “When compared to traditional text-only content, video is more visually stimulating and can convey tone and emotion in ways that written words cannot necessarily do alone,” said CJ Johnson, Co-Founder of 3Play Media. “Recent studies show the enormous benefits of using video with text for increasing both viewership and message retention.  As companies seek new ways to streamline the process of generating high-quality video transcripts for Web video formats, we are delighted to provide a convenient captioning on-ramp for FeedRoom clients.”   About 3Play Media 3Play Media is a leading provider of cost-effective transcription services, specializing in time synchronization, video captioning, archive indexing and search. Their customers include universities, film production companies and major corporations.  3Play Media was founded in 2007 by four MIT graduate students, and was recently named a “Startup to Watch” by the editors of Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology. For more information, visit www.3playmedia.com.   2009-08-04T10:44:21+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/07_09_PR_Solution/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/07_09_PR_Solution/#When:10:55:40Z SaaS Offering Enables Fortune 1000 Enterprises and Government Agencies to Add Streaming Video and Broadcast-quality Downloads to Online Press Rooms in Minutes - at Half the Cost of Branded News Sites   NEW YORK, NY (July 22, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced a new subscription-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering designed to address the needs of media relations and public affairs professionals looking to add high-quality video to their Web sites and online press rooms.  The value-priced offering combines the unique publishing, distribution and measurement capabilities that Fortune 1000 and government communicators require to ensure greater transparency, control and global reach within the changing news distribution landscape, including social networking sites, bloggers, mobile applications and other new media.   A recent study of more than 12,000 journalists and media representatives published by the Institute of Public Relations shows that corporate communicators remain key to helping journalists and editors identify and develop stories, with 94 percent reporting that they rely heavily on organizational Web sites for information.  At the same time, the 2009 Online Newsroom Survey reveals that the desire for video by media has increased substantially over the previous year, with more than 80 percent of journalists now wanting to see video files.     “Using online video, in both live and on-demand formats, companies can aid journalists, bloggers and others in building stories, particularly if the video is easily accessible in the resolution and in the format required for broadcast or embedding,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO of The FeedRoom.  “One method for addressing this has been the use of siloed, Internet TV channels.  What communications professionals sacrifice with this approach, however, is a truly integrated strategy that ties together the marketing, branding and PR initiatives of an organization in more creative and controlled ways - and at significantly lower cost.”   The ability to quickly add video to a virtual press room, produce live news conferences or enable media to directly download high-resolution, broadcast-quality video from an organization’s own site provides greater context, as well as measurement in the form of real-time data on traffic, audience and views.  Available immediately, the comprehensive offering includes capabilities for:   Fully customizable user experiences, including a range of player templates; Secure media download features for podcast, Web and broadcast-quality video; Syndication support via XML and video RSS feeds; Support for high-quality, on-demand and live streaming video; Registration capabilities with approval and communications processes; Advanced reporting integration with industry standard measurement services and tools.   The new solution is based on the extensive capabilities of FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video PlatformTM, a scalable enterprise video solution that integrates seamlessly with existing content management systems, social media distribution and community tools, and leading Web analytics solutions.  The flexible system supports a variety of highly customizable, lightweight video players and the powerful, easy-to-use FeedRoom StudioTM publishing application.  Unlike consumer video-sharing sites, FeedRoom 4.0 ensures positive online brand experiences by providing maximum control over the distribution and measurement of video content for marketing, public relations and corporate communications.   “A well-thought out, online press room can be a great resource to both journalists and PR teams alike,” adds Portu.  “With ten years of experience working with leading brands to support their news and crisis communications efforts, we’ve seen a growing number of customers, such as General Motors, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, Yum! Brands, The Pentagon and others, able to address the new media landscape more efficiently, while also significantly enhancing the value of their sites for journalists by creating an integrated online media experience.”   White Paper:  The Benefits of Video-Enabling Your Virtual Press Room Download a complimentary copy of “The Benefits of Video-Enabling Your Virtual Press Room:  Capitalizing on Digital Media in the Age of Transparency, Social Networking and the 24/x News Cycle ” at www.feedroom.com.  This paper discusses methods for making online video an essential part of an integrated, cross-media communications strategy.   2009-07-22T10:55:40+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/06_09_Humane_Society_iPhone/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/06_09_Humane_Society_iPhone/#When:10:38:22Z NEW YORK, NY (June 16, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced that The Humane Society of the United States has launched a mobile marketing application, enabling the nation’s largest animal protection organization to extend its Web video library to millions of iPhone and iPod Touch users.  A FeedRoom customer since 2007, The HSUS delivers information and alerts to members and others by enabling Web sites, blogs and social media sites with video and podcast RSS feeds, and other video sharing capabilities.   According to the AdMob Mobile Metrics report for April 2009, the iPhone now accounts for 51 percent of all mobile Web traffic from smartphones in the U.S., up from 10 percent just a year ago.  Fighting for the protection of all animals, The HSUS relies heavily on Web video to advance its advocacy, fundraising and awareness efforts, and often goes to extremes to capture and make footage available.  By taking the animal movement mobile, the organization hopes to engage new members in its efforts to end animal cruelty.    “Online video helps us to deliver powerful perspectives on important issues, and to reach out to members of the public at critical moments with a medium that engages and empowers viewers to get involved,” said Frank Loftus, Senior Producer at The HSUS.  “When users access our site, they are redirected to a mobile interface that gives them access to our entire video library as MPEG4 podcasts.  When new videos are added to the content library or playlists, they are automatically added to the site.”   Delivered in a Software-as-Service model, FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform is a scalable video publishing system that integrates seamlessly with existing content management systems, social media tools and Web analytics.  The flexible system supports a variety of highly customizable, lightweight video players and the powerful, easy-to-use FeedRoom Studio publishing interface.  Unlike consumer video-sharing sites, FeedRoom 4.0 ensures positive online brand experiences for Fortune 500 enterprises, leading media organizations and government agencies by providing maximum control over the distribution and measurement of video content for marketing, public relations and corporate communications.   “The FeedRoom has been a great partner for us in so many ways,” adds Loftus.  “In one case, we needed an easy way for our viewers to offer their support, when affected by a video.  Our FeedRoom account manager suggested adding a ‘Take Action’ button on the player, and now the Studio publishing interface allows us to customize each video with its own call to action. Clearly, the work we do to get the word out through online video enables us to have additional victories, and impact.”   Established in 1954, the work of The HSUS is to protect all animals from suffering. The organization has successful campaigns to combat the worst abuses of factory farming, and to end once and for all dogfighting and cockfighting.  It has mobilized people from around the globe to demand an end to Canada’s notorious killing of baby seals for the fur trade. The HSUS is in the forefront reining in the cruelties associated with puppy mills and wildlife abuse. They also operate a sprawling network of sanctuaries for needy animals. It serves the nation as the lead disaster-relief agency for animals, and it operates a veterinary services program that provides no-cost services for tens of thousands of dogs and cats in rural regions throughout the country and around the world.   “The convergence of smartphone technology and Web 2.0 marketing strategies is expanding the communications environment for our customers exponentially,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO of The FeedRoom.  “Within the next 6-12 months, we anticipate enormous demand for mobile video with the rapid proliferation of iPhones, in particular.  We are delighted to help our customers become first movers in this new era, and proud to support the efforts of The Humane Society and other forward-thinking organizations. “   2009-06-16T10:38:22+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/06_09_stevies/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/06_09_stevies/#When:10:35:58Z “Stevies” Recognize Online Media Pioneer for Exceptional Leadership, Customer Service and Product Innovation   NEW YORK, NY (June 8, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced that it has been named as a finalist for the 2009 American Business Awards.  Among thousands of nominations, the company was selected by judges as a finalist in three categories: Mark Portu, FeedRoom President and CEO, for Executive of the Year; Customer Service Department of the Year; and New Product/Service of the Year for FeedRoom Access™, a unique online video solution that addresses the needs of users with disabilities.  Winners will be announced at the 7th annual awards ceremony on June 22 in New York.   Created in 2002, the American Business Awards, commonly known as “The Stevies”, are among the most coveted business awards, demonstrating a company’s commitment to excellence in various fundamental business disciplines.  Finalists were selected by business professionals worldwide during preliminary judging.  Members of the Awards’ board of distinguished judges and advisors and their staffs select Stevie Award winners from among the finalists during final judging.   “We are honored to be recognized among this year’s distinguished finalists,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO, The FeedRoom.  “For nearly a decade, The FeedRoom has remained at the forefront of video communication and digital media management, driving both innovation and industry evolution.  This recognition is testament to our passion for innovation and commitment to customers.”   Hewlett-Packard, a FeedRoom customer since 2004, is also being honored among this year’s finalists in the category of Film and Video for its creative sales video, “A Look at Total Care Services.” One of the oldest and most respected technology brands, HP has reinvented 24x7 customer service, employing highly informational and often entertaining online videos to support its innovative Total Care customer support program.  The video is showcased at www.feedroom.com/page/customers_and_sales_channel.   Details about the 7th Annual American Business Awards and a complete list of finalists are available at http://www.stevieawards.com/aba.   About The Stevie Awards The Stevie Awards are conferred in four programs: The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, The Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and the Selling Power Sales Excellence Awards. Honoring companies of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about The Stevie Awards at www.stevieawards.com 2009-06-08T10:35:58+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/05_09_Clearspring/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/05_09_Clearspring/#When:14:38:57Z Integrated Bookmarking and Distribution Capabilities Enable Fortune 500 and Media Marketers to Grow Audiences Virally and Ensure Positive Brand Interaction   NEW YORK, NY (May 27, 2009) - Capitalizing on the rapid convergence of video and social networks, The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a leader in live video and rich media asset management, today announced a partnership with Clearspring Technologies, the industry’s leading widget syndication, tracking and monetization service.  Under the agreement, The FeedRoom will enhance its social bookmarking capabilities and add expanded video content distribution capabilities to its popular FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform (EVP).     By integrating Clearspring’s market-leading capabilities at the player level, The FeedRoom will enable viewers to easily bookmark and share video content with others across the Web via social networks, blogs and bookmarking sites using simple point-and-click tools.  Clearspring offers the premier social networking and syndication tool for distributing, managing and tracking content across social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, Digg and del.icio.us.   “We have seen a dramatic increase in the number of publishers turning to online video,” said Hooman Radfar, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Clearspring. “Brands big and small are harnessing the power of the social Web to reach massive audiences.  As the trend of online video continues to grow, Clearspring and The FeedRoom will provide unbeatable services for easy distribution and accurate tracking.”   Delivered in a Software-as-Service model, FeedRoom EVP 4.0 is a scalable video publishing system that enables full-featured solutions for public relations, communications and marketing.   FeedRoom EVP 4.0 integrates seamlessly with existing content management platforms, network security standards and leading Web analytics tools.  The flexible solution supports a variety of highly customizable, lightweight video players and the powerful, easy-to-use FeedRoom StudioTM publishing interface.  Unlike consumer video-sharing sites, FeedRoom EVP 4.0 provides greater brand control, enabling Fortune 500 enterprises, leading media organizations and government agencies to better manage distribution, monetization and measurement of video content.   “Live and on-demand video streams are ideal for supporting brand messages and reaching broader audiences online. Whereas in the past, B2B and B2C marketers preferred to drive traffic to their own, hosted video destinations, today they are opening up to the power of the crowd and brand champions to help get their message out,” said David Pearce, Vice President of Product at The FeedRoom.   “By enabling our enterprise video customers to take advantage of leading tools for content distribution across the social Web, they benefit from the positive brand interaction and trackability that online video delivers, while dramatically increasing viewership, sales funnels and ROI.”    At the core of The FeedRoom’s enterprise video solution is a modular infrastructure stack built from industry-standards and best-of-breed technologies. The resulting solution delivers performance, stability and scalability required by the most demanding applications at a fraction of the cost of in-house solutions.  The open, extensible architecture provides a basis for the creation of integrated whole-product solutions for a wide range of business applications.   “We are centered on a partner strategy that enables us to build the most comprehensive and powerful solutions for public relations, channel communications and marketing available today,” said Daniel Webster, Senior Vice President of Business Development at The FeedRoom.  “With Clearspring, this means allowing our clients to distribute their messages far and wide while retaining control and measuring impact. Our partnerships with Clearspring, Omniture, DoubleClick and others are designed to maximize the investments that customers have already made in software services and platforms for social media, analytics, advertising and more.”   About Clearspring Clearspring is the leading provider of distribution, management and monetization services for widgets and other distributable Web content. Clearspring’s free sharing services enable publishers and developers to distribute and track viral digital content to the most popular destinations, including social networks, start pages, bookmarking sites, blogs, mobile devices and desktop platforms. The company delivers billions of impressions every month working with the world’s most prominent brands, media companies and Web 2.0 businesses. The company also provides new monetization opportunities for publishers and developers using the Clearspring platform by allowing them to seamlessly integrate advertising-based services in their distributable Web content. To learn more, visit www.clearspring.com     2009-05-22T14:38:57+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/04_09_Omniture/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/04_09_Omniture/#When:10:37:45Z Omniture SiteCatalyst® Integration Empowers Web Marketers and Online Media Companies with Real-time Intelligence on Campaign Effectiveness ORLANDO, FLORIDA (April 23, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communication, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced at Forrester’s Marketing Forum that it has joined Omniture’s Genesis program, providing Web marketers with precision analytics for the measurement of video-based campaign ROI through the integration of Omniture SiteCatalyst® with FeedRoom 4.0 Enterprise Video Platform (EVP).    The two-day Forrester executive forum, sponsored by The FeedRoom, will explore ways that online video and other social media have become catalysts for change in the current economy, and provide compelling, new opportunities for marketers to engage customers and drive purchase decisions.  By integrating the preferred analytics solution of more online marketers, The FeedRoom empowers organizations with comparable metrics that can be augmented by specialized video reporting tools for comprehensive, real-time campaign intelligence.   “While marketers increasingly recognize the power of video for creating connections with customers and prospects, many still struggle to fully understand the ROI of their investments,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO of The FeedRoom. “In practice, most of the value driven by online video goes unmeasured by marketers when, in fact, answers to key questions like ‘Are visitors clicking through?’ and ‘Are they buying something?’ are more critical than ever.  By combining the data from SiteCatalyst with EVP’s built-in reporting on who’s using video, what they are watching, where and for how long, we give marketers the ability to truly understand the tremendous impact that online video and related advertising is having on their business and brand.”   Omniture’s Genesis “Plug-and-Play” solution is designed to reduce the complexity of measuring online marketing campaigns by automating integration with third-party marketing applications, such as FeedRoom EVP, through accredited APIs.  By capturing, storing and analyzing large volumes of data at the video player level, SiteCatalyst consolidates the measurement and reporting of site traffic, Web advertising and video viewership into a single dashboard using virtually any success metric.  Trend data gives marketers the ability to more accurately identify and target meaningful customer segments, and take relevant action to optimize their video initiatives for improved ROI.   Widely used by Fortune 500 enterprises, government agencies and media companies for a variety of internal and external communications, FeedRoom EVP is a fourth-generation online video platform that provides end-to-end capabilities for the management and delivery of online video.  The affordable, subscription-based, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) supports all popular Web advertising formats through integration with DoubleClick® DART or 24/7 Real Media® Open AdStream (OAS), and - unlike other solutions - offers advanced contextual targeting and a robust API for customizing ad campaign configurations on the fly.     Together with Omniture, EVP provides Web marketers with: Video optimization reports; Comprehensive Flash application tracking; Support for all media players; A single server call per video, minimizing network chatter; Built-in reporting on video engagement and milestone tracking; Precision ad targeting and placement; and Class-based implementation for Flash and Flex video players, ensuring fast and easy deployment.     2009-04-23T10:37:45+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/04_09_HHS_Obama_508_Video/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/04_09_HHS_Obama_508_Video/#When:10:12:51Z Handicapped-Accessible Video Player Expands Administration’s Pioneering Use of Web Technologies for Mass Communication; Ensures Equal Access to All Americans   NEW YORK, NY (April 16, 2009) - With debates on national healthcare reform now underway, the Obama Administration is once again harnessing the power of online video to reach out to all Americans on this critically important issue, while also ensuring access to those with disabilities and other special needs.  A new, video-enabled Website managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.healthreform.gov, features the President’s message streamed over the Internet in a Section 508-compliant Web video player, developed by online video pioneer, The FeedRoom.   This patent-pending technology, known as FeedRoom Access, addresses the individual needs of those with disabilities including blindness or partial or poor vision, colorblind users, deaf users and those limited to only keyboard and voice input. FeedRoom Access is compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which regulates the accessibility of electronic and information technology to people with disabilities, and provides an array of features designed to work with or without assistive technology (AT).   The White House’s regional healthcare forums, announced March 5 by President Obama, were designed to bring together American citizens, key healthcare stakeholders and elected officials to discuss what must be done to change the U.S. healthcare system. Hosted by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Washington State Governor, Christine Gregoire, and Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, Melody Barnes, the fifth and final White House Regional Forum was concluded last week.  In addition to a direct message from the President, the Department of Health and Human Services has also made video of these forums available on the official site.   “All branches of the government are beginning to take the lead from the Obama administration’s use of cutting-edge Web video technologies for fast and effective mass communication,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO of The FeedRoom. “As online video becomes more entrenched, it will be subject to the same rigorous oversight as television or radio to ensure that no one is being denied access to the content. The Department of Health and Human Services has taken their efforts a major step further to ensure access to all Internet users, on an issue that is so critically important to our people, businesses and the economy.”   Included in FeedRoom Access is the ability to display synchronous captions for individual videos and an “AccessMap” that provides an HTML representation of the video library with navigation that is comparable to that in the standard user interface. Other features include transcript files for blind users to process while listening to accompanying audio, screen reader compatibility to assist blind or low-vision users in navigation, and compatibility with speech recognition technology and other alternative input devices for those unable to use their limbs to navigate the site and control the video player.   2009-04-16T10:12:51+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/page/04_09_Management_Team/ http://www.feedroom.com/page/04_09_Management_Team/#When:01:52:04Z Veteran Digital Media and Enterprise Software Executives to Lead Product Strategy and Marketing; Positions Leading Online Video Provider for Continued Growth   NEW YORK, NY (April 7, 2009) - The FeedRoom, a pioneer in online video communications, and a market leader in live streaming video and digital asset management, today announced that it has added two industry executives to its management team, further strengthening the company’s competitive position as a provider of enterprise software-as-a-service.  David Pearce has been appointed Vice President of Product Management, and Lisa Clark has joined as Vice President of Marketing.  Pearce and Clark will report directly to The FeedRoom CEO, Mark Portu.   “As The FeedRoom continues its growth and product-line expansion, the combined experience of David and Lisa will help us shape go-to-market strategy for the next stages of our growth and near-term profitability,” said Mark Portu, President and CEO of The FeedRoom. “We are delighted to have these seasoned professionals join our team at such a pivotal time in our development. Looking ahead to the rest of 2009 and beyond, the expanded operational capacity that these appointments provide will enable us to substantially increase our strategic, outbound marketing efforts and address new market opportunities with innovative, whole-product solutions.”   As Vice President of Product Management, David Pearce will oversee The FeedRoom’s enterprise solutions strategy and product direction for online video and digital asset management. With more than a decade of deep domain expertise in digital media technology, video publishing and mobile computing, Pearce has helped organizations such as Premier Retail Networks, Gracenote and Yahoo! to define new market opportunities, including positioning and product requirements.  Prior to this, he held senior product management roles at video search leader Virage, and was the founding director of the broadband group at CNET Networks, where he drove first-year profitability through significant advertising and content syndication contracts with PeopleSoft, Oracle and AOL.  Pearce is a recognized expert in digital media and broadband strategies, and a frequent contributor to industry publications and conferences, such as Streaming Media and Digital Hollywood.   As Vice President of Marketing, Lisa Clark brings nearly 20 years of progressive accomplishments in building high-value software companies and brands—from early stages through global expansion and profitability. Prior to joining The FeedRoom, she spent 11 years overseeing marketing initiatives for two successful, Boston-area enterprise software companies.  Most recently she was Vice President of Marketing at Bottomline Technologies, and was part of the senior team at Centra Software responsible for establishing the company’s market leadership in Web conferencing. Clark also held various corporate, channel and product marketing roles as part of Avid Technology’s founding team. During her seven-year tenure, Avid went on to define and lead the digital media tools market as a profitable $500 million company with thousands of employees worldwide.  Early in her career, Clark held various editorial and marketing positions with Simon & Schuster, National Geographic and ABC News.   These management team appointments demonstrate continued momentum for the company, which accelerated a number of key growth strategies in 2008.  These initiatives included the development and roll-out of the company’s fourth-generation video platform and the acquisition of ClearStory Systems, a leading provider of enterprise-class digital asset management.  Through these efforts, The FeedRoom significantly increased its Fortune 500 footprint, and became the first video software provider to address the critical need for the consolidated management and delivery of all rich media assets.   2009-04-07T01:52:04+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/weve_come_a_long_way_baby/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/weve_come_a_long_way_baby/#When:18:36:38Z     This weekend The FeedRoom will celebrate its 10th anniversary as a provider - and pioneer - of online video solutions.  Indeed, The FeedRoom was one of the very first entrants in the online video market and, well, we’ve come a long way, baby.  Over the years, our customers and staff have helped to transform Web video from a one-way mass medium reserved for content providers and major news outlets into a popular platform for delivering engaging, online user experiences on the Web.  No longer viewed as “emerging technology”, tools for creating, managing, distributing and measuring video content have matured to the point that we enter our second decade in a business climate where online video is not only widely accepted, it’s widely expected.    As timing would have it on the eve of this great milestone, research firm Interactive Media Strategies yesterday announced the winners of its inaugural ‘Excellence in Enterprise Video Awards’, or EEVAs for short.  We are proud to say that 4 of the 8 winners are FeedRoom customers!  Testament to our industry’s evolution, these awards were expressly created to recognize the outstanding business achievements of companies using Web video to address real-world sales, marketing, PR, customer support and internal comms.  More than just vision, hype or even cool technology, these acknowledgements are all about results - viable business applications with measurable and compelling results.    To learn more, we invite you to watch - and read - some of the interviews with the 2009 EEVA winners as they explain their ground-breaking applications of online video.  These thought leaders are illustrative of the business executives who will take our industry into its second decade and beyond.  On behalf of all FeedRoom employees, we salute their accomplishments.   Learn more about The FeedRoom’s decade of innovation.   -Lisa C.   2009-09-10T18:36:38+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/doing_good_one_video_at_a_time/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/doing_good_one_video_at_a_time/#When:01:30:26Z     Each day I come across stories of customers doing really interesting, if not superbly cutting-edge, things with live and on-demand video in their marketing and business communications. Some of these applications involve missions of great importance, such as ensuring the protection of animals.  I use this specific example because our customer, The Humane Society of the United States, was just named a finalist in the annual Interactive Advertising Bureau - or IAB - MIXX (Marketing and Interactive Excellence) Awards. This prestigious international competition honors campaign innovation, strategy, creative execution and ROI.   A finalist in the non-profit category, the nominated HSUS campaign aims to create awareness of the brutal realities of the Canadian seal hunt that took place in the Gulf of St. Lawrence earlier this year. To capture the video, HSUS’ senior video producer Frank Loftus and his group flew by helicopter to the Canadian ice floes, and then boarded an 18-foot Zodiac to film the seal hunt.  During the video capture, HSUS had media standing by to gain access to the video.  As Loftus traveled back by helicopter, he quickly produced the video on his laptop, accessed FeedRoom Studio via air card, and was able to upload and publish the files to their Website very quickly. By the time the crew landed, the media was downloading broadcast video, and high-resolution images for the world to see.    Rebecca Aldworth, HSUS ‘Protect Seals’ Director (Photo by Frank Loftus)   As a result of HSUS’ work, the boycott of Canadian seafood has grown to include some 600,000 individuals and more than 5,000 food-related businesses. It has cost Canadian fisheries $750 million (CAD) in lost snow crab exports to the U.S. since it began in 2005. Public awareness also played a role in a recent vote by the European Union to ban seal product trade, including the import of pelts.   Compelling video footage that is shared across multiple distribution channels is an extremely useful way to foster a critical message and affect change.  Congratulations to Frank Loftus and the entire HSUS team on their outstanding work with this campaign.  Winners of the annual IAB MIXX Awards will be announced in New York City on September 22.  Best of luck to them!  -Lisa C.   2009-08-18T01:30:26+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/online_video_the_rx_for_healthcare_communications/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/online_video_the_rx_for_healthcare_communications/#When:14:33:09Z     Last week I had the opportunity to address several hundred senior communications professionals in healthcare and related industries at a conference The FeedRoom co-hosted in New York.  What impressed me was the significant level of interest and eagerness to utilize digital media more productivity in healthcare marketing, corp comms, training and PR.  What impressed me further was that it wasn’t just the CDC, AstraZeneca and other giant Pharmas in the room, but also folks from middle market and emerging-growth companies looking to navigate the ins and outs of the regulatory and legal issues involved with planning and implementing cross-media communication strategies.   In an article I wrote last year for Pharmaceutical Executive magazine, I discussed how online video would represent the next evolution in healthcare communications. For the viewer, it adds limitless on-demand access from any computer; content can be searched, shared, tagged, and downloaded at will. Audiences can rate, comment, and blog about videos.  More importantly, the publisher of the content can track all of this behavior.  There’s no other communication platform in memory that combines this level of compelling, rich media with interactivity, virility, and metrics the same way that online video does.    Thus far, the healthcare industry has only scratched the surface of what’s possible, however, mostly through consumer-focused initiatives.  One recent example is Bristol-Myers Squibb’s “Prevailers” campaign, which promotes the brand to a wide audience, from financial analysts to industry journalists. The videos feature stories from cancer and HIV survivors, as well as others who have faced serious illness. The end goal is two-fold:  first, to inspire any viewer, whether he or she is a consumer, an employee, or some other type of influencer; and second, to increase awareness of the impact Bristol Myers-Squibb has on patients’ lives. The effect on the viewer is powerful and memorable.  I encourage you to watch one here: http://prevail.bms.com.  Moving stuff.   In another example, Bausch & Lomb used Web video for crisis management, after recalling a contact lens solution with possible links to eye fungus. Instead of a generic press release, visitors to the company’s home page found a video featuring CEO Ronald Zarrella speaking directly to the issue, detailing the steps being taken by the company, and providing information on where consumers could turn with questions.     While video can certainly put a human face on an issue, digital media, and online video in particular, has altered the way that news is being consumed.  This powerful medium presents a compelling opportunity for healthcare marketing and PR professionals to maximize global coverage and build, protect and promote their brands to the online public with unsurpassed speed, transparency and control.  We’ve come a long way in 12 months.  The issue is no longer if healthcare communications professionals should get involved, but rather how to get involved and what digital media practices will best serve their internal and external communications goals. - Matt D.   2009-07-30T14:33:09+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/reinvention_the_world_watches_gm_reinvent_itself/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/reinvention_the_world_watches_gm_reinvent_itself/#When:20:17:41Z     Is your company’s leadership slow to embrace streaming media to tell your message, or reach your constituents? Do they need to see some real-time use cases to help solidify the concept? Just ask them to take a few minutes and see what GM is doing in the realm of live and on demand video.   In addition to the other monumental changes they are making in their business, they are continuing, even accelerating, their use of video, especially live, to meet their goal of transparency and immediate communications.   Simply check out the corporate news channel on GMTV. In addition to carrying all the press conferences live on their site, they have a robust archive of them in one convenient location. And it’s not just there. GM has diligently worked with their active list of press, bloggers and car enthusiasts to offer up all of this immediate news on their own sites, with simple embed codes prior to the live event. So GM can have their live press event directly watched from virtually any Web site.   here is the video div   From the 100th Anniversary of the company last Fall to the continued transformation of the past few weeks, it’s all been available live, in real time, right on your desktop. Send me an email to learn more. bkaufman@feedroom.com.  -Brian K.   2009-07-15T20:17:41+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/2010_marketing_priorities/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/2010_marketing_priorities/#When:19:26:20Z     Just heard that IDC’s CMO Advisory research team is pulling together their 2009 Benchmarking Survey. Always a good read, and a great help in not only planning out, but also justifying your marketing budget.  IDC’s July newsletter also includes a preview of CMOs’ marketing automation priorities for the coming year, with a more comprehensive analysis in their 2010 Marketing Investment Planner, due out sometime this fall.    A few areas in their summary of surveyed CMO priorities really stand out.  In no particular order, they include:   Development of a formal marketing automation roadmap.  CMOs are looking to take a fresh look at marketing tools and applications for redundancy and cost savings. (Shows that more investment in automation is not necessarily a priority, but process improvement is, followed by whatever automation is required to achieve efficiency.)   Sales enablement and marketing asset management technologies.  OK, now here’s something we marketers instinctively suspect - quantified, at last, by a leading international research firm: 40% of all marketing assets handed over to sales are not in use today!  According to IDC, this includes assets that have been developed for sales, channels, prospects and current customers. Moreover, they estimate that at least 30% of companies’ marketing investment, including program and people spend, is dedicated to creating content and marketing assets.      Wow. What if you could achieve a 3-5% reduction in your asset development spend in 2010 and reallocate it to something else?  Like customer retention programs or opening up new markets?  Isn’t that roughly the same thing as a bigger budget?   FeedRoom can help.   Our digital asset management system provides out-of-box capabilities for workflow configuration that deliver instant cost reductions by automating and streamlining marketing asset management - while also significantly reducing the overhead required to manage these assets, including those that are expired or could be re-used instead of re-invented.  In fact, that’s what many of our customers like Autodesk, Raytheon, TAC and others are already doing every day.  If you want to learn more about ActiveMedia and its workflow automation capabilities, check out this Webcast from last week. -Lisa C.   2009-07-09T19:26:20+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/mobile_video_dont_leave_home_without_it/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/mobile_video_dont_leave_home_without_it/#When:14:05:14Z     I finally got the iPhone 3GS. So long 2006 era Treo. Once I had it in my hand, I pretty much fired up Safari and checked out the mobile video application that we helped The Humane Society get launched.   Then, a day or two later, another FeedRoom customer, Barnes and Noble, launched their iPhone video application. Didn’t take long for me to download that and begin to explore. Fantastically designed app that accompanies their Website perfectly.  And my favorite part is the mobile video that we’re powering for them.  Just go to the “B&N Studio” option, then pick what you want to watch. An interview with author Eric Bogosian? A 60-second preview for a book you may have just discovered?  Or best yet, the weekly book-themed show “Tagged!” that they produce in-house?   Regardless, it goes to show how existing video they have on their Website can be seamlessly repurposed for the growing mobile market.  Would you like to do the same? Just give us a call or email. -Brian K.   2009-06-29T14:05:14+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/making_online_video_captions_easier_and_more_affordable_for_all/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/making_online_video_captions_easier_and_more_affordable_for_all/#When:22:15:08Z     I was at WGBH in Boston last week meeting with the folks at the National Center for Accessible Media, the birthplace of closed captions for broadcast TV, and the central front on all matters pertaining to online accessibility.  I mentioned that some of our government clients and prospects have expressed concern about the hassle/expense of creating captions.  Their response was that it’s not optional—all government Web sites are required to make every page (and every video!) on their Web sites universally accessible, and there was an indication that the Dept. of Justice would be cracking down soon.  Ensuring that more sites have more video that is accessible is certainly good for the online video industry as a whole, but the prospect of the DoJ “policing” this seems counter-productive.  Will they fine agencies for non-compliance?  That’s robbing Peter to pay Paul, and will leave the non-compliant agencies with even fewer resources to apply toward compliance.  Perhaps they’ll hand out “captioning vouchers” to assist agencies that fall short of compliance.  Not likely.   The perception is that captioning videos is hard.  It’s not really hard.  Thermodynamics at MIT was hard.  Captioning videos is cumbersome at best, expensive at worst.  Many of our video players can display captions, provided there’s an associated .dfxp file.  DFXP (distribution format exchange profile) is a W3C standard, but there are various acceptable ways of displaying the time, the duration for caption display, etc.  The proper display of the captions is dependant on well-formatted .dfxp files.  In my assessment of various third-party caption providers, more than one sent me .dxfp files (dyslexics beware!) which could not be recognized by our content management system.  If companies that create caption files as their main day-to-day business can’t get it right, what’s the average Web video producer to do?  There are options for outsourcing (assuming the file extensions can be kept straight!) but this can entail considerable expense, and still requires the user to create the association between their videos and the caption files manually.  There are free tools, such as the NCAM’s MAGpie, but many government agencies don’t have spare manpower to put toward this effort.   At The FeedRoom are working on tools that will make it easy (and cheap) to get captions from third-party caption providers, as well as tools to assist in the creation and/or editing of caption files, that can be associated with videos from within our Studio content management system.  We fully expect that more and more clients will be embracing captioning, and not just our government clients—having a time-stamped transcript is also quite handy for searching within a video.  Anyone with a message to spread would be well-served to make certain their message can be received be the widest possible audience.  Providing captions is a good first step toward universal accessibility.  -MP   2009-06-23T22:15:08+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/5805205274748320000000_is_a_big_number/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/5805205274748320000000_is_a_big_number/#When:01:44:37Z     I was on a sales call last week with Mike Hardiman, sales director for The FeedRoom’s digital asset management solution, when he casually mentioned to a prospect that ActiveMedia has over 30 possible workflow actions. That got me thinking… Statistically, how many workflow combinations are possible? I started working on the math, but quickly realized that this was way over my head, so I jumped over to Mike Petro’s desk, one of our resident MIT graduates. His eyes lit up at the prospect of a fun problem to solve on the train ride home. 5,805,205,274,748,320,000,000. That’s the number of possible workflow combinations, assuming 30 work actions, each with up to 5 sub-options and assuming that a workflow can have up to 10 steps. In reality, there are more than 30 workflow options, each of those have more than 5 sub-options and, in theory, you can have an unlimited number of workflow steps. So, I made some reasonable assumptions to arrive at this number. Here’s the math: When, n= the maximum number of workflow steps, and z= the number of workflow options times the number of sub-options. Or, n=10 and z=150, in our example. z*z0 + z*z1 + ... + z*z(n-1) 150 + 1502 + ...15010 =5,805,205,274,748,320,000,000 5.8 sextillion possible combinations. That just blows my mind. - Andrew B.   2009-06-22T01:44:37+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/it_all_comes_down_to_math/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/it_all_comes_down_to_math/#When:02:47:01Z     Every year around budget season, I dust off the perennial joke about how if I were good at spreadsheets I’d be in finance or accounting instead of marketing.  Truth is that the life of marketing, PR and corp comm pros is, well, full of Math.  There’s budget math, campaign conversion and sales math, and of course, the most interesting kind of math that is ROI math.  I bring this up because the enterprise communication customers we serve have an obvious interest in ensuring swift payback on their investments in digital media and online video platforms. Yet the required mathematical equation remains fuzzy for some. Why?  Probably because for so many years online video was thought of as an “emerging technology,” reserved for cutting-edge online marketers and early adopters with either enough savvy or money to burn.      Since then, something truly wonderful has happened.  Video and rich media—for myriad reasons—has rapidly become part of the fabric of today’s business culture for internal communications, marketing, public information and customer care, among other applications.  And, it’s paying dividends.  In this harsh economic climate, the need to validate ROI before the act of buying is more essential than ever.  That’s why we’ve added a new section to our site on customer ROI, with a continuous stream of tools, tips, techniques and metrics to help you.  By sharing these customer success stories and the metrics by which they have measured their video communications, we hope people will begin to start thinking about building out their own models, putting benchmarks in place now to provide the comparisons required to prove what you might already suspect: online video is supremely more effective and cost-efficient in nearly every way.  I guarantee the results will surprise you! -Lisa C.   2009-06-18T02:47:01+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/the_journalist_within/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/the_journalist_within/#When:19:39:11Z     If you’re looking to build brand equity, add cache to your team, or simply put some really good, informative content on your site, look no further than Aviation Week and Construction for some prime examples. These guys have transformed their print journalists into top-notch video journalists.   In a time when the media industry is going through unprecedented transformation, these properties have led the way in harnessing the real power of video. They’re not just re-purposing existing content by adding a new voiceover to their b-roll, but are actually giving their journalists the tools and knowledge they need to create their own unique and original content. I’ve sat in their offices, and watched them work laptops and cameras. Once a piece is shot and edited, they simply upload their content via our software, no matter how remote they are (hotel, coffeeshop, train), add final metadata touches, and publish it on the spot.   These are great, informative stories, and their passion and efforts are worth watching. Below is one of my favorites.  Have a good weekend.  -Brian K.   My New York: Daniel Libeskind, Pt. 2   2009-06-05T19:39:11+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/a_winning_combination/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/a_winning_combination/#When:21:23:42Z     I’m spending this week transplanted from our bustling New York City headquarters to what we lovingly call “FeedRoom North”, our Westborough, MA office. This office came along with our ClearStory acquisition and is largely inhabited by The FeedRoom team working on the ActiveMedia product. New England has a unique charm that my home, Manhattan, lacks, and while I’m enjoying that charm, I’m here for more important reasons.   ActiveMedia is our digital asset management product for the management of all assets across the digital media supply chain, end to end. This is important for The FeedRoom, and the market in general, as video is rapidly becoming ubiquitous with other forms of digital media. Our enterprise customers are embracing video for communicating to their employees, partners, customers and prospects. This is very exciting to us.   Our clients have been using other types of rich media assets, images and documents for years within their respective digital asset management systems. I’ve said it over and over, and I’ll say it again, video is just another data type. FeedRoom is the only company poised to take advantage of that with a system specifically designed to manage video alongside all of the assets you’re already used to managing on a day-to-day basis.   I’m here in Westborough to learn the ins and outs of this unique combined system so that I can bring the solution to you next time we meet. - Andrew B.   2009-06-02T21:23:42+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/iphone_phanatics/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/iphone_phanatics/#When:19:49:15Z     I’ll admit it: I’m an iPhone addict. You would be hard pressed to find me without my trusty phone in my pocket - or, more likely, right out in front of me. Because of this it was only natural that I fielded most of our customer’s questions about how to get their FeedRoom-powered video onto these devices.   In a way we’ve been doing this for a long time. We already enable podcasting for many of our clients, including pushing those podcast files and metadata out to the iTunes Store. You’ve been able to search and browse this content via iTunes on your computer or the iTunes app on your phone for years. Most people don’t realize it, but we manage the exchange of information to the iTunes Store on our client’s behalf, so that they can work with their video in one single location - FeedRoom Studio.   However, there was a missing piece of the puzzle - the ability to view these videos within the phone’s Safari browser itself. This is mostly because the iPhone doesn’t play well with Flash video. Keeping that in mind, we worked with the Humane Society to build an in-browser application specifically for iPhone users.   Just point your iPhone to: http://video.hsus.org/   The page will automatically detect that you’re using an iPhone and redirect you. This allows you to browse the content on your phone and watch it with a tap of your finger. The Humane Society took it a step further, allowing the user to browse photos and other content and they even give you the opportunity to donate right from your phone. Now that’s slick!   Another client of ours is working on building a native iPhone application which you’ll be able to download from the App Store. While I can’t provide many details right now, they decided to use XML feeds generated by our system to dynamically update the video content within the app itself. I can’t wait to download it! - Andrew B.   2009-05-18T19:49:15+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/a_brief_word_on_the_future_of_digital_asset_management/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/a_brief_word_on_the_future_of_digital_asset_management/#When:02:36:13Z     On December 1, 2008, with the acquisition of Clearstory Systems, The FeedRoom added market-leading technology for digital asset management to its portfolio of SaaS solutions.  At precisely the same moment, Gartner released a five-year prediction foretelling that the rapid adoption of enterprise video, user-generated content and rich media would catapult this mature software category back into the cross-hairs of enterprise buyers and drive renewed market growth. As hopeful as this seemed during a time when “non-essential” software purchases appeared to be shelved for better days TBD, vendors across the space wondered what this would mean for ‘09.     Albeit off to a less explosive start in Q1, the market for digital asset management is, in fact, thriving.  In the past few weeks alone, we’ve seen more RFPs and RFIs for digital asset management solutions than perhaps all of the previous 12 months combined.  Why?  Certainly if the technology ROI was not evident, these efforts would be wasted.  That’s not the case.  Companies are seeing that DAM solutions featuring workflow automation, integration points with other enterprise systems and support for a wide variety of content standards can reduce costs dramatically, create new efficiencies, and if implemented swiftly and successfully, deliver unprecedented ROI.  Sure, some of the these cost savings can come in the form of headcount reduction, but many are derived in other ways such as optimization of investments in rich media, or the ability to serve a global audience and support multiple lines of business on a single platform.  These forward-thinking companies are the ones who will lead the way, and if their assessments are correct, then perhaps your company should be thinking about digital asset management in ‘09, too.  - Mark P.   2009-05-13T02:36:13+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/think_different/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/think_different/#When:22:31:24Z     Indeed, economic times are tough.  I think it’s fair to say that communicating with press, employees, channels and shareholders has never been more critical to managing perception, winning business…and perhaps even survival.  At the same time, corporate communicators are faced with smaller staffs, fewer agency resources, pressure to do more, and the need to reach wider and further.   It is mind boggling, quite honestly, even as you look at the past three or four years, how much more “on demand” our PR, corp comms and marketing initiatives have become.  The Web 2.0 explosion is driving increased traffic to our sites, with visitors eager to find timely content that resonates.    If you are considering a move to an online video strategy to address your communication challenges in 2009, here are five things to consider:   Establish a partnership with your video publishing provider. They are going to be the experts in video usage. Use them to garner best practices from organizations with whom they work.   Look at whatever metrics you can gather from your Website. Understand which pages have the highest amount of traffic. Find ways to apply relevant, rich media to these pages.   Combine live streaming events with on-demand video. These don’t have to be passive, one-way affairs. Focus on interactivity, including Q&A, rating, commenting and polls. Give your audience the ability to embed your live stream in their blog or site to expand your audience virally and extend the dialogue after the event is over.   Marketing and PR pros must become educators, sharing communication responsibilities into the work force. Train your managers in the basics. If you include a plan for employee-generated content, teach them how to use a digital video camera, basic editing software and the upload process.   Encourage some degree of calculated risk-taking. Continuously experiment. In many ways we’re still at the forefront of video usage. There aren’t a lot of rules. To circle back on my first tip, find a partner who knows video, can share best practices and collaborate on your best ideas.   As the world gets smaller from a technology standpoint, the barriers to entry for applying online video in enterprise communications are coming down.  In these tough times, a solid online video strategy can make the difference in your ability to do more with less.  -Lisa C.   2009-05-06T22:31:24+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/a_very_timely_live_webcast/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/a_very_timely_live_webcast/#When:19:59:13Z     As I type this, the Department of Health and Human Services is having a live Webcast on the H1N1 Flu pandemic. Front and center on their homepage. How much more timely can Web video be? A scan of any major news outlet today has this as the lead story.   From HHS’s perspective, this type of immediate messaging, front and center, is critical to their online communication strategy. And the best part is they are using our tools and players, all on their own, without having to pick up the phone to ask for support. - Brian K.       2009-04-30T19:59:13+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/messages_from_senior_leadership/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/messages_from_senior_leadership/#When:21:48:42Z     Having a direct, unfiltered line of communication to your audience is one of the real benefits of an online video strategy.  And, it’s not just about having the software in place, but having an internal champion who understands and sees the value in it.  It’s a guaranteed recipe for helping the your entire organization to see the power of video, and how it works wonders to deliver a message more effectively.   With the demands on everybody’s time these days, it’s extra gratifying to see a few of our corporate customers actually putting their senior leadership front and center on their Web site to communicate key messages.   Willis Group, Humane Society, Yum! Brands and General Motors all put their leadership out there to help evangelize their message, ensure clarity and build the goodwill that comes with it.   -Brian K.   2009-04-23T21:48:42+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/vegas_baby/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/vegas_baby/#When:13:07:20Z As I head to Vegas for my 18th consecutive NAB, I am curious to see how this economy has affected Sin City.  Sure, I’ve heard occupancy is down, and restaurant reservations are easy, but I’m less concerned about the Strip, and more about the aisles of the convention center.  Who’s downsized?  Who’s pulled out of the show?  Will customers show up?  Or just us vendors?Each year the show has a theme, (thankfully we’ve finally accepted “convergence”) and do doubt this year’s theme will be ROI.  It’s always been important to any company, and any customer, but it’s the first priority now.  No more “cool” purchases.  We don’t need 100” Plasmas.  We need 42” plasmas for less than the price of airfare to Vegas. And the companies who will send attendees are sending them there with one mission:  find technology that will save us money.  Not just when we buy it, but when we use it.   No doubt they’ll be checking out Web video.  For a fraction of the cost of satellite feeds or air travel, companies are using online video to reach worldwide employees at a time when communications are critical.  They’re also saving money and time reaching journalists, analysts, investors and customers over the Web.  CEOs are taking stands, defending brands, and explaining strategies.  Check out this great example from Yum! Brands. It’s their 2008 video annual report:  http://www.yum.com/annualreport.  It allows you to do more than just read about their results, you hear from their management team directly.It’s a tough market out there.  But a very good time for Web video.  See you in Vegas.-Matt D.   2009-04-16T13:07:20+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/takin/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/takin/#When:01:55:22Z The United States Department of Health and Human Services, a FeedRoom customer for more than three years, is breaking new ground in making video accessible to everyone, including those with handicaps and other special needs. HHS is one of the early adopters of our unique FeedRoom Access player, which takes advantage of closed captioning, among other key accessibility features.   During the past week HHS posted a 90-minute captioned video of one of the White House’s five Regional Forums on Healthcare Reform. A major step forward in making content accessible to all. As a lead-in to the overall White House commitment to healthcare reform, President Obama offers a brief message, again, captioned for wider audiences.     Congratulations to HHS for leading the way in making information on this critical issue available to everyone. - Brian K.   2009-04-09T01:55:22+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/mir/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/mir/#When:02:52:33Z       On January 15, we received an urgent call from Con Edison, the major utility provider for New York City. From a security camera located on a pier in the Hudson River, they had captured something quite amazing: the aftermath of US Airways flight 1549. We all know the story, in part because news organizations were able to quickly show compelling footage of what many call the Miracle on the Hudson. The story you probably haven’t heard is how that footage got into the hands of journalists.    Within a few hours of Con Ed’s call, The FeedRoom had created a password-protected video player where journalists could view a 10-minute Flash video. It was simply incredible, close-up footage showing the first passengers opening the fuselage door, climbing out onto the wing and the resulting rescue. What’s more important than the ability of the journalists to view the footage, however, was the journalists’ ability to download a broadcast-quality version of the same video—straight to their desktops.   Con Ed made perfectly clear that there was no way that they could have supported this level of demand on their own infrastructure, which is why it makes so much sense to partner with technology providers like The FeedRoom who can provide the back-end architecture and scale. We got the call from ConEd at about noon. The footage was on the 6pm news that evening and, after a few days, had been downloaded by more than 700 journalists across the globe. -Andrew B.   2009-04-02T02:52:33+00:00 http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/mark_portu_Growing_90s/ http://www.feedroom.com/blog_post/mark_portu_Growing_90s/#When:20:24:09Z I’ve been thinking a lot about growing a company in the ’09 environment.  Who hasn’t?  Yesterday I was speaking with Peter Wylie (Fierce Online Video) about the year, the technology the challenges, etc.  I guess two things that really stood out for me (after verbalizing them…thanks Pete).  Our industry is still populated with lots of very small companies, and these small companies need to withstand this year’s economic onslaught.  Small industries like ours, with new technologies and efficiencies, have always depended upon the support of both the venture community and the larger business community.  The venture community provides cash in front of the growth and the business community provides the growth.   While these two pillars are certainly still supportive, they have become more selective, even cynical.  In what universe was our industry supposed to have a better collective balance sheet than Lehman and AIG?  So what’s my point?  This year is fraught with opportunity.  We have the opportunity to grow our businesses, wean our VC appetite and consolidate to profitability. As many of my college friends were able to stuff 4 years of education into 5 or 6 years of attendance, we can stuff 3 or 4 years of change into 1 or 2.  I think that is enormously exciting for all of us. - Mark P.   2009-03-20T20:24:09+00:00