Tribune Digital Ventures To Acquire TV by the Numbers, Re-launches Zap2it Entertainment Website

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Tribune Digital Ventures, the technology and innovation arm of Tribune Company, today announced it has agreed to acquire TV by the Numbers, a leading research and editorial resource dedicated to the analysis of TV ratings data and network programming news from Hollywood.  Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 

In a related move, Tribune Digital Ventures is also re-launching its popular entertainment website Zap2it with a renewed focus on helping TV fans discover programs to watch across linear TV and streaming services and providing integrated advertising opportunities designed to reach that valuable audience.

TV by the Numbers has powered the TV Ratings editorial content on Tribune's Zap2it site since 2010.  The acquisition of TV by the Numbers will complement Tribune Digital Venture's growing entertainment data business, which already includes Gracenote and Tribune Media Services (TMS). TV by the Numbers features deep analysis of TV ratings and share data, and unique editorial coverage of show renewals and cancellations.  It serves as a barometer for TV shows that are trending and shows that are on the verge of breaking out and is also a resource for overall viewership numbers.  This content will be used to power entertainment websites, such as Zap2it, as well as licensed to third-party apps and services. 

"Our goal is to make TV by the Numbers a must-have analytics and data resource for passionate viewers and Hollywood insiders alike," said Shashi Seth, president of Tribune Digital Ventures.  "Viewership numbers, audience reviews and social data are increasingly becoming reliable indicators of TV show popularity, making TV by the Numbers analysis data essential to the evolving ecosystem."

Zap2it Gets Digital Face Lift to Help Fuel Entertainment Discovery
Zap2it offers TV fans a powerful resource for in-depth information on all aspects of the shows they love in a new, visually-rich user interface that works on all connected devices.  The site features timely news coverage, TV show recommendations, Nielsen rating and share data, and rich videos and images that help drive discovery.  Zap2it enables universal search capabilities across platforms by providing TV listings information for linear TV programming and direct links to movies and TV programs on popular streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.

"With so much outstanding TV programming available on so many different platforms today, there has never been a better time to be a TV fan," said Brian Campbell, executive director of sales, Zap2it.  "We recognize that people who love TV - and the advertisers who want to reach them – need an integrated TV discovery and editorial source, so we're excited to unveil the all-new Zap2it to meet those needs."

Zap2it attracts more than 7.5 million engaged entertainment fans per month.  The revamped site provides advertisers, whose objectives are to drive awareness and viewership for their TV programming, the ability to reach an audience of engaged TV fans through high-impact, integrated ad units and native sponsorships.  By promoting their program offerings on Zap2it, broadcast and cable networks, on demand and over-the-top services have the opportunity to influence viewing decisions.

About Tribune Digital Ventures
Tribune Digital Ventures (TDV) was launched in 2013 as a stand-alone unit of Tribune Company.  It is responsible for the creation, design, and development of digital products and services that leverage the company's content and data, and extend the reach of its distribution platform.  TDV operates Tribune Media Services (TMS), a premier provider of television and movie metadata, and Gracenote, a global leader in music technology and metadata.  TDV is headquartered in the Bay Area.

About Zap2it
Zap2it is the online destination for more than 7 million entertainment fans per month who want to stay connected to popular TV shows, stars, events, and other fans.  Zap2it is a service of Tribune Digital Ventures, the technology and innovation arm of Tribune Company.  For more information about Zap2it, visit Zap2it.com/media-kit.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140403/CG97740

SOURCE Tribune