Popular Internet Personalities Vie for the Title "King of the Web"

SEATTLE, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, at Noon PDT, King of the Web (http://kingofweb.com), an online talent competition which surfaces popular web personalities, kicks off its pinnacle event, Battle Royale. Stakes will be high, as YouTube stars and other independent video creators appeal to their viewers for votes over the next month. The winner will take home the title "King of the Web 2012" and cash prizes will total $75,000 USD.

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Battle Royale will feature an all-star lineup of qualifiers in categories such as Gaming, Vlogging, Beauty & Style, Music and Comedy. Contestants represent many of the web's brightest self-made stars whose fans flock by the millions to their YouTube, Twitter and Facebook pages.

By bringing together creators and fans from around the world, Battle Royale will give campaigners the opportunity to reach new audiences while engaging with current ones.

"I always thought money would be the main motivator for web entertainers, but it's often secondary. They are simply driven to engage their fans in fun and meaningful ways, and the competition allows for this," said Maggie Finch, CEO and founder of King of the Web. "Creators work tirelessly to build earnest dialogue with their online audiences. The connection they have with their fans results in something unique we call 'relationship entertainment'."

Much like the web transformed the news industry, it is now challenging our traditional view of the entertainment industry. The free, ubiquitous nature of online video has surfaced an untapped source of creative, amateur content. This wave of content has produced a new breed of homespun celebrity. Each month, King of the Web contestants garner nearly 10 million votes.

To meet a few of these contestants, check out the Battle Royale trailer here.

During Battle Royale, campaigners will be placed into two tiers based on their previous standings. Tier Two, campaigning today through August 15, will compete for cash prizes totaling $25,000 USD. And Tier One, campaigning August 16 through 31, will compete for cash prizes totaling $50,000 USD.

King of the Web makes it easy for winners to donate prize money to a variety of charities through their "Do Good" feature. Water.org, Conservational International and Global Partnerships are all official charity partners. To date, King of the Web campaigners have donated roughly a third of their winnings to official and non-official charities.

So who will the Internet crown as their first "King of the Web"? Viewers can join video hosts Dartanion London and Meagan Karimi-Naser on King of the Web and cast their votes up to ten times a day. The vote count and leaderboard are always up to the minute, so tracking the action and discovering trending new talent is easy. Users can also follow @kingoftheweb or search #BattleRoyale2012 on Twitter to stay up to date on who is reigning the web!

About King of the Web, Inc.
Launched in April 2011, King of the Web (http://kingofweb.com) is a Seattle-based entertainment and social gaming startup. Every two weeks the web casts nearly 5 million votes for their favorite online personalities. Winners take home cash and recognition. King of the Web reflects the extraordinary growth of popular YouTube channels and amateur web video. Advertising is sold by Demand Media. The privately backed company was founded by Internet pioneers Nick Hanauer, Rich Barton, Scott Howe and CEO Maggie Finch. For more information go to http://kingofweb.com/press

Contact:
Casey Selleck
King of the Web, Inc
VP Marketing and Business Development
[email protected]
206 579 4027
@kingoftheweb
http://kingofweb.com

SOURCE King of the Web