ConnecTV Launches Watercooler With Gold Medal Team

LOS ANGELES, July 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ConnecTV, the fastest growing social network designed for all TV and sports fans, today announced the launch of "Watercooler," a 24-hour chat destination for everything trending on TV.  Staffed with leading experts and on-air hosts from news, sports and entertainment, ConnecTV's Watercooler premieres with the gold medal team of Greg Louganis, Aaron Peirsol, Amanda Beard, and Eric Fonoimoana, as they dive into the conversation with insights and analysis around this summer's biggest television event: the 2012 London Games.

"Watercooler will allow television fans to connect around all of TV's hottest topics trending in real-time," said ConnecTV Co-Founder Ian Aaron.  "Debuting Watercooler with our amazing Olympic Gold Medal athletes is a perfect example of how ConnecTV is bringing a whole new level of insight and social engagement to TV's greatest moments."

Greg Louganis, one of the most decorated Olympic divers of all time with four gold medals, and the first ever to earn a perfect 10 from all seven judges on one dive, will join Watercooler hosts to bring his insight and Olympic experience to ConnecTV users live during the Summer Games.  Olympic athletes Aaron Peirsol, Amanda Beard and Eric Fonoimoana will be also chatting with users in Watercooler to share their expertise in swimming, beach volleyball and competing at the highest levels.

"It's going to be a great experience to chat with fans on the ConnecTV platform," said seven-time Olympic medalist Amanda Beard. "I can't wait to give my Olympic experiences and a swimmer's view of the Games."

"I look forward to sharing my swimming expertise with the ConnecTV audiences," said seven-time Olympic medalists Aaron Peirsol. "It's not every day that I get to join swim fans and chat live with them!"

  The ConnecTV companion experience to the Summer Games is packed with content and conversational features to keep viewsers connected to all their favorite Olympic events and news—as well as each other.  The nationwide social network will stay on the pulse of the Games by featuring:

• Live results that let users tap to see the winning athletes and those athletes' home countries
• In-depth information and bios for select USA athletes
• The best news about the London Games aggregated in one place to eliminate the need to search for the latest information
• Real-time polls about the most popular events, athletes and breaking news
• "Need-to-Know" info and fun facts aimed to give viewers insights into the personal lives of their favorite athletes
• Streams of the most relevant Twitter users and news, all broken down by event and integrated into the ConnecTV chat stream with the capability to @reply and retweet to friends and followers alike.

About ConnecTV
ConnecTV is the biggest social network designed specifically for TV fans—a "second screen" companion entertainment experience that complements the video programming delivered from Cable, Satellite, Telecom, Over-the-Air or On-Line Service providers. ConnecTV is accessible on iOS or browser-based devices. It is coming soon on Android tablets and smart phones. ConnecTV automatically connects television viewers while they watch their favorite programs and synchronizes engaging second screen content, including the latest news, celebrity information, trivia, polls and play-by-play sports stats. ConnecTV subscribers can see what TV shows their friends are watching, invite them to a "viewing party" and start a real-time conversation. ConnecTV also makes it easy to share viewers' favorite TV moments using Facebook, Twitter and email. ConnecTV has partnered with 10 leading broadcast groups, including Barrington Broadcasting Group, Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television Inc., Media General Inc., Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations Inc. and Raycom Media. Several of these broadcasters – the joint venture that is Pearl – have made an undisclosed investment in ConnecTV. ConnecTV was founded by pioneering executives at the intersection of media, entertainment and technology: Ian Aaron, Alan Moskowitz and Stacy Jolna.

About the Olympians
Diver Greg Louganis is a three-time Olympian, and five time Olympic medalist.  He is one of the most decorated Olympic divers of all time with four gold medals, and the only male diver ever to win gold on springboard and platform in consecutive Olympic Games.  Swimmer Aaron Peirsol competed in three Olympics and secured seven Olympic medals.  Peirsol is the world record holder in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke.  Swimmer Amanda Beard swam in four consecutive Olympics and is a seven-time Olympic medalist.  Beard is the former world record holder in the 200 meter breaststroke.  Volleyball player Eric Fonoimoana won the gold medal with his partner, Dain Blaton, in the 2000 Olympic Games.

Disclaimer: ConnecTV is not an official sponsor of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, nor is it affiliated in any way with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG), United States Olympic Committee (USOC), nor any other National Olympic Committee (NOC), or Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (OCOG).  This press release is meant as a factual statement of the use of ConnecTV products only and is not meant to imply, either directly or indirectly, any endorsement whatsoever by such organizations or committees.

SOURCE ConnecTV