Now Available on Your Web Site: Public Radio International

PRI taps NewsGator to syndicate content through freely available widgets

DENVER – Since listeners increasingly find their radio online, Public Radio International is making its gold-standard programming available across the Internet through “widgets.” The dedicated Web-based portable apps serve up audio and headlines and can be replicated and shared indefinitely.

PRI produces and distributes programs such as “The World,” “The Takeaway” and “This American Life,” and distributes news services like the BBC World Service and Capitol News Connection. The Minneapolis-based network provides more than 400 hours of audio content each week. This content is heard by 12 million listeners on over 800 public radio stations and online via streaming, podcasts and on-demand. Available now at www.pri.org/pri-widgets, the widgets feature an in-page audio player, as well as headlines of PRI stories so listeners can freely embed them on Web sites, blogs, social networks and personalized Web pages. Individuals who subsequently find these newly embedded widgets can “grab” them and perpetuate the free viral distribution.

The widgets are powered by NewsGator, the social computing company, which enables syndication, tracks usage volume, and lets PRI editors customize the widgets’ look, feel and behavior. The widgets help PRI capitalize on the radio listeners’ growing interest in the Internet: radio-related Web sites saw a 30 percent jump in visitors last year, up to more than 65 million, according to comScore.

Three PRI widgets feature audio and headlines of PRI stories focusing on timely news topics:

Economic Security
This widget focuses on the economic factors affecting American workers, such as mounting layoffs, home foreclosures, healthcare costs and personal debt.

Global Health and Development
This widget focuses on health and sustainability in developing countries – like the diabetes epidemic in China, or how the current credit crisis is affecting the micro-loans that are so critical to businesses in the developing world.

Social Entrepreneurship
This widget focuses on people and organizations pioneering solutions to help the disadvantaged – like technology that provides clean water to slum communities in Africa, or green jobs for inner-city youth.

“We want to be where our audience is, reach new audiences, and give everyone the option of listening to the PRI content they want on-demand,” said Cory Zanin, PRI’s executive vice president of operations and strategy. “This new distribution method helps us fulfill our mission of serving audiences with distinctive content that provides information, insights and cultural experiences essential to understanding a diverse, interdependent world.”

Other media organizations can co-brand the PRI widgets with their own logo upon request to PRI. Headlines link back to the approved co-brander’s site, increasing page views, time spent on site and brand visibility. There are no set-up, hosting or licensing fees for co-branders. Visit NewsGator’s Web site to co-brand the PRI widgets.

PRI chose NewsGator because of the flexibility, manageability, and analytics power of its platform and the guidance consultants provided, according to PRI’s Zanin. USA Today, Reuters, National Geographic, CBS News, Media General, Discovery Channel and Cablevision are among other media companies using NewsGator Widget Services to syndicate their content.

“PRI is the epitome of quality programming and an exemplar of how premier content producers are expanding audience and consumer choice at the same time,” said Walker Fenton, general manager of NewsGator’s media and consumer division. “Media today is as much about reaching out to listeners where they are as attracting them to your station or site, and that’s what NewsGator Widget Services help accomplish for our customers.”

To try NewsGator Syndication services, visit: http://www.newsgatorwidgets.com/signup.aspx. To see a gallery of NewsGator powered widgets, visit: http://www.newsgatorwidgets.com/gallery.aspx.

About PRI
Founded in 1983, Public Radio International leads media by producing, acquiring and distributing innovative content that enables U.S. audiences to “hear a different voice,” bringing new voices, global journalism and cultural perspectives to the American public. Through partnerships with BBC World Service and station-based and independent producers, the Minneapolis-based media leader provides more than 400 hours of content each week broadcasted to more than 30 million listeners* through 800 public radio stations and available through podcasts, streaming and on-demand through its Web site, PRI.ORG. PRI’s content is heard by over 12 million people each week through these collective sources.
*SOURCE: Arbitron Nationwide/Act 1 Systems, Persons 12+ in DMA, Mon-Sun 24 hours.

About NewsGator Technologies, Inc.
NewsGator Technologies helps enterprises and media companies leverage social computing solutions to deliver real business value. The company’s enterprise social networking and widget services are in use by hundreds of the world’s most recognized brands, including Biogen Idec, CBS, CNN, Discovery, National Geographic, Procter & Gamble and USA Today. NewsGator Social Sites and Enterprise Server give enterprises better ways to collaborate, share content, expand employee knowledge and improve productivity. NewsGator Widget Services enable media and brand companies to better engage their audiences and extend the value of their brands through viral syndication of content. NewsGator also offers free, award-winning RSS aggregators for the Web, desktop, mobile devices and e-mail clients. For more information, visit www.newsgator.com.