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MARKET WIRE

BuzzMetrics, the leader in online word-of-mouth research and planning, today launched the first syndicated service to tap into the massive pool of unaided television discussion occurring on blogs, message boards and other social media.

The new TV*BuzzMetrics ratings will help television executives and advertisers by delivering ongoing qualitative insights that help explain key drivers of viewer engagement, and understand potential value of new programs. BuzzMetrics is a business affiliate of VNU, owner of such renowned research brands as ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research.

"Fueled by the rise of interactive media and consumer-powered consumption, industry leaders and trade groups such as the ANA, ARF and AAAA have announced a steadfast need to adopt the notion of consumer engagement in the measurement mix," said Jonathan Carson, president and CEO, BuzzMetrics. "By tapping into the passionate communities and commentary naturally occurring around television programming, we can reveal the DNA that binds programming and viewers, and move closer to understanding the drivers of engagement."

"Viewer feedback that might not normally surface from traditional television-programming research often does show up on Internet message boards and other consumer-generated media," said David F. Poltrack, executive vice president, research and planning, CBS. "BuzzMetrics has the potential to gather in real-time this unaided viewer sentiment and provide our producers with timely insights on viewer feedback. This has significant potential to positively impact the creative development of ongoing series and other programming decisions."

"TV*BuzzMetrics is an important innovation to help our clients understand the evolving television landscape," said Ron Schneier, general manager, Nielsen Ventures, and an executive advisor to BuzzMetrics. "This service will help our clients gain greater qualitative insights on both consumer engagement and sentiment on television programs. Additionally, this service will provide a deeper understanding of how early technology adopters are responding to new forms of distribution, including the video iPod, and content delivered via mobile devices."

Initiative Media has signed on as the charter agency client for TV*BuzzMetrics, and will base its proprietary PropheSEE buzz research product on the TV*BuzzMetrics ratings moving forward.

"Initiative is proud to have led the industry in focusing on the importance of contextual relevance in consumer marketing from engagement metrics (Esomar 2002) to proprietary buzz monitoring," said Stacey Lynn Koerner, executive vice president, director of global research integration, Initiative. "TV*BuzzMetrics is the right step forward in a scalable product to bring entertainment and advertising professionals together to create more resonant experiences for viewers. That's a win-win all around."

"What consumers talk about, good or bad, is a leading indicator of what is actually being communicated," said Erwin Ephron, founder and partner of Ephron, Papazian & Ephron. "It's foolish to ignore it when the data are available."

TV*BuzzMetrics Pilot

The TV*BuzzMetrics Pilot tracks the top 30 new primetime network programs announced in May 2005, and will be delivered monthly from November 2005 through June 2006. The report features the new TV Buzz Rating, which accounts for buzz levels and sentiment to arrive at a directional index of engagement. Other metrics include: historical buzz; viewer sentiment; program involvement rankings; breakouts by network and genre; qualitative factors driving buzz. Feedback from the TV*BuzzMetrics Industry Advisory Group will be incorporated into the full product release. Visit www.buzzmetrics.com for full news release with preliminary findings.

BuzzMetrics At DEMXPO, NATPE

BuzzMetrics will be featured today at the Digital Entertainment & Media Expo in Los Angeles. BuzzMetrics also will be at the NATPE Conference in Las Vegas, January 24 through January 26, 2006.

About BuzzMetrics

BuzzMetrics, the global standard in online word-of-mouth measurement and analysis, helps more than 75 Fortune 1000 companies strategically leverage the buzz surrounding their brands. BuzzMetrics' client list includes global leaders in virtually every industry -- companies like Comcast, Hewlett-Packard, General Motors and Mazda. Its partners include the world's largest marketing-services firms, and distinguished think tanks such as the Pew Research Center. The company is headquartered in the U.S. and operates an advanced technology research-and-development lab in Israel. BuzzMetrics is a business affiliate of VNU. For more information, visit www.buzzmetrics.com.

 Max Kalehoff Vice President - Marketing 646.253.1930 Contact via http://www.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=EA7033BB567D01E4  

SOURCE: BuzzMetrics