IGN Entertainment Utilizes FreeWheel to Monetize Digital Video Content Across Distribution Channels

SAN FRANCISCO and SAN MATEO, Calif., Feb. 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IGN Entertainment, the leading Internet media and services provider focused on the video game and entertainment enthusiasts markets, has signed on video technology company FreeWheel to effectively manage its advertising business and monetize its digital video content.

FreeWheel's technology will allow IGN to maximize revenue by offering more impactful ads across multiple syndication channels. Currently, IGN is ranked number one in gaming information videos, making up 38 percent of all gaming information category video views.*

"FreeWheel's technology lets us more effectively monetize video across the IGN network and across all sites, partners, devices and environments," said Bernard Ho, IGN Entertainment's head of video. "This platform will solidify IGN's position as the leader in video for gaming and entertainment."

Through this relationship, IGN will use FreeWheel's flagship product, Monetization Rights Management® (MRM), to efficiently structure and control its online video advertising capabilities, including manage its ad sales rights, forecast inventory, serve ads and analyze performance. Pre-rolls, post-rolls, mid-rolls, overlays and rich media are some of the advertising products that will be made possible through MRM's features.

"Our technology will give IGN new and different advertising formats and targeting options to help increase its revenue potential and audience reach," said Doug Knopper, co-founder and co-CEO of FreeWheel. "This collaboration helps to broaden FreeWheel's client portfolio into the game content market and is another step in our commitment to help businesses make the most money possible from their video content."

FreeWheel's technology is currently being deployed on IGN.com and across IGN's properties and partners – AskMen, GameStop and Game Informer – and will be deployed on mobile properties, at live events and across other syndication channels in the coming months.  

With video streams totaling 46.1 million in December 2010 – more than double its two closest competitors combined – IGN offers originally-produced Web series, including People's Voice Webby winner The Daily Fix, IGN_Strategize, Weekly 'Wood, The App Show, and Rewind Theater. IGN is also ranked as the fourth most popular channel on YouTube, with over 700,000 subscribers.*

*Source: comScore Media Metrix, December 2010

About IGN Entertainment

IGN Entertainment, a unit of News Corporation, is the leading Internet media and services provider focused on the video game and entertainment enthusiast markets. Collectively, IGN's properties reached more than 45 million unique users worldwide November 2010, according to Internet audience measurement firm comScore Media Metrix. IGN's network of video game-related properties (IGN.com, GameSpy, FilePlanet, TeamXbox, Direct2Drive and others) is one of the Web's leading video game information destinations. IGN also owns the leading men's lifestyle website AskMen.com and provides technology for online game play in video games. IGN is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices across North America, Europe and Australia.

About FreeWheel

FreeWheel gives the largest producers and distributors of TV, movies, music, and sports the infrastructure they need to manage the end-to-end economics of their professional content in the new media landscape. Founded and led by a team of executives from the world’s leading technology companies, FreeWheel’s solutions have already armed companies like Turner, FOX, VEVO, ESPN, and others with the technology and services they need to run profitable, scaled content businesses. Learn more at www.freewheel.tv follow the company @FreeWheeldotTV.

SOURCE IGN Entertainment