Growing One-Year-Old Internet Radio Network Enhances Platform for Greater

Functionality and Stronger Community Development

    NEW YORK, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- BlogTalkRadio
 (www.blogtalkradio.com), the Internet's first social radio network, today
 announced a full site redesign with new features that combine social
 networking and online audio broadcasting into a free and streaming,
 user-friendly citizen broadcasting platform.
     Originally launched in August 2006, BlogTalkRadio (BTR) is a free, web-
 based platform which allows any user with a phone and a computer to host a
 live, interactive radio show. Hosts call into the service by phone,
 managing callers on the web-based host dashboard. Shows stream live
 directly from the host's BTR webpage. Since the company's launch more than
 8,000 hosts have broadcast on BTR.
     The newly redesigned site features live text-chat, a social networking
 component and video uploading capability. BTR's listeners can also now
 create member profiles, share preferences and rate and save favorite shows.
 The enhanced search functions also let users find relevant content in the
 programming guide and in the archive of 23,000 shows.
     "We spent the first year developing the site with hosts in mind," said
 Alan Levy, CEO and founder of BlogTalkRadio. "Now that we have over 3,500
 active hosts and 200 live shows a day, we knew we needed to make the site
 more functional for listeners, more searchable and more interactive. The
 BTR platform is all about conversation and now we are building social
 communities around these conversations."
     "We also want to make it easy for the hosts to promote what they're
 doing. We're adding many Web 2.0 tools, templates and tips for hosts to
 promote their own content," adds Lisa Padilla, VP of Marketing for
 BlogTalkRadio.
     Once a show has aired on BTR, the archive becomes available for
 subscription via RSS for iTunes or any other podcatcher. Hosts can also
 place the BTR flash player on their blogs or websites, so visitors can
 access archived shows. No downloads are required to host or listen to a
 show.
     During its first year, BlogTalkRadio was responsible for launching a
 successful grass roots campaign, which included 40,000 pounds of nuts being
 sent to the CBS-TV network to save the struggling television show Jericho.
 The network has also hosted live political debates for state and local
 candidates as well as become a venue for amateur sportscasters.
     Notable hosts and guests from BTR's eclectic list include host Marla
 Cilley, known to millions as The FlyLady; host Mark Frauenfelder of the
 top- rated blog Boing Boing; host the Los Angeles Fire Department; and
 guests Senator John McCain and actress Jennifer Hudson, to name a few.
 
 

SOURCE BlogTalkRadio