PITTSBURGH--(Business Wire)--
Wizzard Media (NYSE Amex: WZE), the world`s largest podcasting network, today
announced the launch of 24 new iPhone Apps available for sale in the App store
including Investors Business Daily Editorials and Alaska HDTV. The average price
for the new Apps is $1.99.
The newly launched Apps are iPhone companion Apps for popular podcasts on the
Wizzard Media Network, offering audiences one-click access to the podcast
directly on their iPhone or iPod Touch, bonus content and new social
communication features creating an unprecedented level of audience engagement.
Wizzard recently announced 2009 third quarter network numbers of 12,281 podcasts
downloaded 332 million times in the quarter by over 18 million unique monthly
audience members. Approximately 70% of the audience for podcasts subscribe
through iTunes from which users download podcasts for their iPhone and iPod.
Until recently, Wizzard`s only means to derive revenues was through podcast
publishing services as well as advertising sales.
With the launch of the iPhone App store in iTunes, Wizzard created a unique
iPhone App that can be quickly customized for each podcast and allows podcast
publishers to generate a new revenue stream by marketing their own iPhone App
directly to their audience. Wizzard shares in this revenue with the podcast
publisher. Now, with Wizzard`s unique podcast companion App for the iPhone,
participating podcasts can market their customized App to their audience and
then drive future reoccurring episode and subscription sales through a process
called in-App purchasing.
Analysts project the App market to be a $1.0 billion market today, headed for
$4.0 billion by 2012. With the holiday season approaching and the recent launch
of the iPhone in China, Wizzard`s Management believes the number of people using
iPhones and iPod Touches to consume podcasts and interact with Apps will
continue to grow well beyond the current 50 million user base.
Having launched the first podcast App only 95 days ago, Wizzard Media already
has launched 70 iPhone Apps with 60 more Apps awaiting approval. Additionally,
Wizzard has exclusively licensed 12 high quality, game type Apps and is
currently marketing them through targeted podcasts across the Wizzard Media
Network. Select podcast Apps on the Wizzard Network have already helped to
convert approximately 15% of their audience from free, to paid, in the first 75
days since launch.
"We think our podcast companion App initiative is a game changer for the
podcasting industry. We believe the next great opportunity on the web for media
is the seamless combination of three trends - publishing services, advertising
and micropayments for App sales," says Dave Mansueto, co-founder Wizzard Media.
"Now, podcasting becomes a platform that converts audiences to revenue,
accelerated by the micropayment billing process that Apple has created with the
App store. We believe this new process is the model for how digital media is
published, audiences are grown and revenues derived."
"We know there is strong demand for the podcasts we distribute seeing downloads
grow from 400 million to well over 1 billion in the last three years and monthly
audiences grow from 4 million to 18 million," says Laurie Sims, President of
Wizzard Media. "Now that we have a method to charge for podcast content and
subscriptions, we believe there is dramatic change ahead for the podcast
industry. Unlike most Apps in the App store, podcasters have a distinct
advantage to successfully market their App in iTunes due to the fact that they
have already built a substantial audience for their product through iTunes."
About Wizzard Media:
Wizzard Media provides publishing and distribution services to podcasters and
monetization services for podcasters. Wizzard Media is the industry's leading
podcasting network with an unprecedented 1.2 billion download requests in 2008.
Podcasts are a means for independent and professional content creators to
publish audio and video shows for the world to enjoy over the Internet or on mp3
players, such as the Apple iPod, iPhone and the Microsoft Zune. Podcasting is a
relatively new phenomenon, but Wizzard Media collectively broadcasts millions of
podcast downloads per day through media aggregators like Apple's iTunes and
Microsoft's Zune Marketplace. For more information, please visit
www.wizzardsoftware.com/media . Wizzard Media is a division of Wizzard Software,
a leader in speech technology distribution and development.
Legal Notice
Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: "Forward-looking Statements"
as defined in the Private Securities litigation Reform Act of 1995 may be
included in this news release. These statements relate to future events or our
future financial performance. These statements are only predictions and may
differ materially from actual future results or events. We disclaim any
intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements whether as a
result of new information, future developments or otherwise. There are important
risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in
forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to risks associated with
changes in general economic and business conditions, actions of our competitors,
the extent to which we are able to develop new services and markets for our
services, the time and expense involved in such development activities, the
level of demand and market acceptance of our services, changes in our business
strategies and acts of terror against the United States.
iPod, iPod Touch, iPhone and iTunes are all registered marks or trade names of
Apple, Inc.
Arthur Douglas and Associates
Art Batson, 407-478-1120
Copyright Business Wire 2009
