MADISON, WI – June 10, 2009 – Last month, as the community of Santa Barbara, CA battled what came to be known as the “Jesusita Fire”, local ABC affiliate KEYT3 tirelessly reported critical information and evacuation alerts both on-air and online. Supplementing staff stories and footage, many local citizens submitted videos and photos of the blaze and resulting damage to the YouNews™ section of KEYT.com.

During a seven day span, KEYT.com received well over 100 fire-related content submissions via the YouNews portal. As a result, YouNews traffic on the KEYT.com website increased 120x from May 5-11. These types of spikes and wide community interest not only drive significant page views and revenue to media partners, but help cement YouNews’ foothold as one of the fastest growing social networks.

The user generated content (UGC) from the Santa Barbara fire was quickly made available to over 60 YouNews affiliates across the nation via a beta version of the YouNews Content Exchange, powered by Broadcast Interactive Media (BIM). Station staff can log into a shared management system, access photos or videos in their native format, and slot this media into broadcasts.

WEHT-TV, a YouNews affiliate in Evansville, IN, was able to immediately report on the Jesusita Fire story, utilizing videos and photos provided by the YouNews Content Exchange. Bob Freeman, Director of Sales, Digital Internet Services at WEHT shares, “The YouNews Exchange not only gives us content the other guys don’t and won’t have in their newscasts -- it also gives us a great opportunity to push viewers to our own YouNews site.”

In addition to the Content Exchange, the YouNews footprint will soon expand to include WRTV in Indianapolis (DMA 26) and KGTV in San Diego (DMA 27). Both stations are members of the McGraw-Hill Broadcasting Group and are slated to launch the YouNews platform in June. At the same time, Broadcast Interactive Media will also begin powering the MyReport section on McGraw-Hill stations KMGH in Denver (DMA 18) and KERO in Bakersfield, CA (DMA 125).

Barb Palser, Director of Digital Media at McGraw-Hill Broadcasting reports, “Station staff in each of the four markets are ramping up to maximize the new content, traffic and revenue that comes with the addition of YouNews, the Content Exchange and the revamped MyReport UGC portal.”

The launch of the McGraw-Hill stations will bump the total number of YouNews affiliates to 63, with an additional 9 clients running a UGC portal under an alternate name, for a grand total of 72 sites. This number is expected to grow by 20+ affiliates by end of 3rd quarter, 2009.

Broadcast Interactive Media VP Sales Richard Sullivan commented, “The YouNews social media toolset combined with the power of the YouNews Content Exchange provides local media outlets with stories, videos and photos that competitors in the market are unable to access. BIM is pleased to be partnering with stations like KEYT and the McGraw-Hill group to expand their news product to include content from citizen journalists.”

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About Broadcast Interactive Media
Based in Madison, WI, Broadcast Interactive Media (www.broadcast-interactive.com) is the leading provider of locally-focused advertising and content solutions for more than 160 television, radio, and newspaper websites. Offerings include a comprehensive suite of revenue-generating programs and national sales support, advertising and content network operations, video streaming, and technology development. Exclusive products encompass a user generated content (UGC) portal, YouNews™, a rapidly expanding catalog of local sales verticals such as Healthy Living and Home Experts, as well as a proprietary video services product, BIMVID™. Customers include groups such as NBC LIM, Fisher Communications, Journal Broadcast Group, Meredith Broadcasting, Schurz Communications, and Granite Broadcasting. Connect with BIM on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bimpress or http://twitter.com/younews.

Contact:
Angela Wheaten
Director, Marketing & Promotions
Broadcast Interactive Media
608-255-2852
awheaten@bimedia.net