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DialPlay TV, an Operator Agnostic, Real-Time TV Interactivity Solution Launches in More Than 100 Million US HomesNEW YORK, NY, May 09, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- MegaPhone Labs, the market leader in phone-to-screen interaction, today unveiled its signature DialPlay TV offering, a real time, cloud-based on-screen television interactivity solution. With DialPlay TV, content creators, broadcasters, advertisers and even operators can instantly enhance TV programming with real-time interactivity, connecting both the viewers to their television content and each other. Already deployed in more than one hundred million US homes, DialPlay TV is in use nationally on The Weather Channel, NBC 4 New York and many others. DialPlay TV takes interactive and social TV to the next level. Programmers now have the ability to not only add interactive overlays into their shows -- but can now add an "inlay" of interactivity that is an element in the programming itself. From polling to gaming or anything in between -- DialPlay TV's inherently social applications can help drive the content of programs allowing host(s) to interact in real-time with viewers and vice versa. From a viewer's perspective, the only requirement is a phone -- a smartphone or even a landline. By dialing into a toll free number or accessing interactivity control via a web browser, a viewer is instantly connected to a live, interactive participatory experience, along with thousands of other viewers. To date, MegaPhone Labs' customers have seen an average of a 75 percent retention rate and as high as a 38 percent response rate from participants, powerful results for programmers and advertisers seeking deeper audience engagement and loyalty. "The Weather Channel has a powerful brand presence on every platform, and we're always looking to deploy innovative content and advertising experiences that delight our audience and advertisers alike," said Ann Brown, senior vice president, client solutions for The Weather Channel Companies. "DialPlay TV allows us, in a turnkey fashion, to unite those experiences in real-time -- using simply a telephone. We're the first national cable network to use DialPlay TV live on the air, and it offers another example of our cross-platform integration." "We are impressed by the level of instant interactivity and feedback from viewers," says Meredith McGinn, director, news, NBC 4 New York. "The feedback we've received thus far from all demographics, ages and family types is extremely positive. We are encouraged by the level of engagement and committed to utilizing DialPlay TV to expand our reach and creativity for our viewers." New DialPlay TV features include: -- Mobile Web Browsing - previously participants accessed MegaPhone Labs' interactive experiences by dialing toll free phone numbers on any phone. Today, MegaPhone Labs is unveiling a new mobile web-based controller for all of its interactive applications which can be accessed on all mobile devices including tablets, laptops, smartphones and more. This flexible controller unlocks a greater set of input options such as gestures, button presses, etc., which can be incorporated into programming interactivity as input. It also allows delivery of rich, real-time personal feedback directly to participants as they interact. -- Social Media Interaction - a natural accompaniment to any real-time, in-program interactive experience is social discussion around the programming. MegaPhone Labs has developed a social media toolkit which allows its programming partners to moderate chat and Twitter conversations. From a viewer's perspective, they can communicate with other players and from a programmer's perspective, they can monitor the feedback and level of participation. This combination of real-time on-screen television interactivity and off-screen social participation is a true industry first. "At the heart of DialPlay TV is simplicity. DialPlay TV is operator agnostic -- meaning it can be deployed to audiences of all sizes across all cable, telco and satellite platforms immediately," said Mark Yackanich, CEO, MegaPhone Labs. "We are focused on making the industry's most flexible and efficient platform for real-time, in-programming television interactivity that enables deeper, more measurable engagement for viewers with programming and advertising. We've already seen impressive results from The Weather Channel and NBC 4 New York and expect many more very soon." To experience MegaPhone Labs' content, visit http://www.megaphonelabs.com or http://www.youtube.com/user/megaphonelabs. ABOUT MEGAPHONE LABS MegaPhone Labs enables real-time interaction between audiences and screens using phone calls, mobile web-sites and mobile applications. MegaPhone games are being played by thousands of simultaneous players in stadiums, events, cinemas, and now on TV using their flagship product, DialPlayTV. MegaPhone Labs was originally developed by Jury Hahn and Chris Kairalla, and founded as a business in the fall of 2007 by Jury Hahn and Dan Albritton. www.megaphonelabs.com MEDIA AND ANALYST CONTACT: Tracey Sheehy Breakaway Communications for MegaPhone Labs 212 616 6003 Email Contact SOURCE: MegaPhone Labs http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=7A05F1B221D7B85C |