CNET Networks UK unveils new £3 million HQ with dedicated studio facilities and four-strong video team
Former Reuters and World TV programmer Ben Howard hired as head of video
CNET Networks UK, the UK's largest online-only publisher*, is ramping up its commitment to online video with the opening of a dedicated High Definition (HD) online video studio facility as part of a £3 million office move to London's South Bank.
The dedicated HD studio facility will be staffed by a new team of four headed up by newly appointed head of video Ben Howard, who will oversee content across all the publisher's website brands.
CNET Networks UK currently delivers more than 2.5 million video streams every month. The increase in video content is boosting interest from advertisers keen to reach targeted audiences measured by sophisticated web tools, which track exactly who is watching and for how long.
Ben Howard has been appointed head of video with a remit to grow the video department and its output across all CNET Networks UK brands, oversee the building of the video studio and develop a strategy for maximising online video revenues.
Howard has worked in broadcast and multi-media for more than ten years. His experience spans online advertising campaigns for Disney, Nike and Gillette as well as producing programmes for Reuters, Discovery Channel and National Geographic.
Drew Stearne has been hired as video producer, responsible for filming, editing and directing content across all CNET Networks UK brands. His experience spans producing programming for Sky TV and iTV for clients. Stearne will help expand CNET Networks UK podcasting output as well as video content.
John Reeves joins as multimedia system administrator. Reeves will design and build equipment to improve the online viewing experience. He will also manage sophisticated web measurement tools enabling CNET Networks to track usage closely. Reeves has five years' experience working with online multimedia, much of that time spent working to implement online solutions for the music industry.
Tom Bureau, managing director of CNET Networks UK, said: "Online video is an essential piece of the online content and advertising mix. Our audiences have always been passionate about our content and now we're able to connect with them even more strongly through video.
"CNET Networks UK has a wealth of experience in broadband TV and we're building on this by investing in a dedicated in-house team and studio facility. Our audiences are hungry for more relevant and better quality video and that's what we intend to deliver."
CNET Networks UK sites that will benefit from the new facility and personnel:
CNET.co.uk, the leading online destination for personal technology and digital living, is experiencing a surge of interest in video streamed content from product reviews and special reports to events and interviews.
GameSpot UK, the essential online source for unbiased gaming information, already invests heavily in online video and plans more TV-like review and insight strands, plus behind the scenes at game developer programmes.
silicon.com, the UK's award-winning online source for senior IT and business decision-makers, recently launched a video franchise called the "CIO Vision Series", which interviews and profiles the leading lights in the business technology field. The videos have so far featured interviews from the CIOs of Boeing, Virgin UK, Motorola and Vodafone.
ZDNet.co.uk, the most comprehensive content and community website for IT professionals, features video blogs from leading IT events and publishes a rich portfolio of webcasts. The website has also recently launched the video franchise "Whiteboards" which feature industry experts presenting a new technology. The first in the series was sponsored by Viatel.
CNET.co.uk's most recent audit revealed the site has more than 1.34 million unique users generating more than 7.06 million page impressions. silicon.com has 752,838 unique users generating 4,073,521 page impressions. ZDNet.co.uk has 2.1 million unique users generating 10.5 million page impressions. Source: ABC Electronic.
According comScore MediaMetrix, March 2007, CNET Networks UK brands, which include CNET.co.uk, GameSpot UK, ZDNet.co.uk, silicon.com and atlarge.com, attracts a 31% share of the total UK online population.
*comScore, March 2007
Ends
About CNET Networks UK
CNET Networks UK is a part of CNET Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: CNET), a worldwide media company and creator of content environments for the interactive age. CNET Networks Inc. is headquartered in the US and has offices in 12 countries globally, including the UK. CNET Networks takes pride in being "a different kind of media company", creating richer, deeper interactive experiences by combining the wisdom and passion of users, marketers and its own expert editors. CNET Networks UK focuses on the business technology, personal technology and entertainment categories through six UK-focused websites: ZDNet.co.uk, silicon.com, Builder UK, CNET.co.uk, atlarge.com, and GameSpot UK. CNET Networks UK also delivers one-to-one services through its direct marketing arm CNET Direct.
