Joenel Umal

Multiply + ABSCBN

MULTIPLY AND ABS-CBN ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR ADVERTISING AND REVENUE-SHARING AGREEMENT

Multiply is a social networking site, much like friendster… Heard of rumors that Multiply is now owned by ABS-CBN, question is why a Philippine TV network buy an international social networking site?

Could it be that ABS-CBN is venturing to Web2.0, they already have several (crappy) websites and i think this could be a wise move, they need to keep the family (Ka-pamilya) close and connected using “multiply”, as a friendster user i don’t feel the need of another networking site yet.

Below is the press release”

Fifth Largest Website Joins Forces with Number One Television and Radio Network to Capitalize On Growing Online Ad Market

Boca Raton, FL, November 7, 2007 - Social networking and media-sharing site Multiply (http://multiply.com) and ABS-CBNi, the interactive division of Filipino television giant ABS-CBN, today announce a multi-year, strategic advertising agreement. Under terms of the agreement, ABS-CBNi will sell advertising and mobile services for Multiply’s Filipino users, with the two companies sharing revenues in the rapidly developing regional market. The partnership allows Multiply to monetize a significant portion of its traffic while still retaining a primary focus on product development and global customer acquisition.

Multiply has experienced breakneck growth, nearly tripling its traffic in 2007. It now has 7 million registered users and 10.5 million monthly unique visitors. Multiply is also one of the largest multi-media sharing websites in the world, with more than 1.25 million photos, 16 thousand videos and 55 thousand blog entries posted

daily. Alexa ranks Multiply as the 5th largest site in the Philippines - with more than 2 million unique monthly visitors - ahead of larger sites such as MySpace and FaceBook.

According to research firm Datamonitor Plc., by the end of this year, Asia will account for 35% of the world’s social networking users, with 28% of users in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 25% in North America, and 12% in the Caribbean and Latin America. ComScore analyst Gian Fulgoni recently noted that there are more social networking users (as measured by unique visitors) in both Asia Pacific and Europe than in North America. As well, the international market for social networking appears to be twice as large and growing much faster than the U.S.

“Social networking is flourishing in the Philippines and online ad-spending is increasing year-by-year,” noted Peter Pezaris, CEO of Multiply. “Partnering with ABS-CBN, and having access to all their top-flight blue chip advertisers gives Multiply a strong competitive edge in grabbing an early and large slice of the online advertising pie while extending our brand in the Philippines, the Asia Pacific, and worldwide.”

ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation is the largest integrated media and entertainment company in the Philippines, owning and operating more than 67 televisions stations, 19 radio stations and, through its interactive division, 30 websites.

“Multiply’s unique focus on sharing media with real-life friends and family is what makes the service so appealing to Filipinos. Their appeal and brand is particularly attractive to ABS-CBN’s portfolio of household name advertisers,” says Paolo Pineda, Managing Director of ABS-CBN. “We’re extremely excited about mobilizing our extensive sales force to work with our advertisers and introduce them to new online inventory opportunities presented in Multiply’s appealing user base, comprised of upwardly mobile, Internet-savvy, young professionals.”

About ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation
ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation (ABS-CBN) is the largest integrated media and entertainment company in the Philippines. The company is involved in television and radio broadcasting and produces television programming for domestic and international audiences and other related businesses. ABS-CBN’s VHF television network, which consists of 23 other owned and operated television stations and 10 affiliated stations, is the leading television network in the Philippines. The company also operates Studio 23, the leading UHF television network with 35 television stations. The two networks reach an estimated 97% and 50% of all television owning households in the Philippines, respectively. ABS-CBN is one of the leading radio broadcasting companies, with 19 radio stations throughout the Philippines. Its anchor radio stations in Manila are the highest-rated stations in Mega Manila in the AM and FM bands.

About Multiply Inc.
Based in Boca Raton, FL and with offices in New York City and San Francisco, Multiply gives people the ability to share personal content with a wider, more relevant audience by leveraging trusted relationships to communicate with friends-of-friends. This small-group approach to social networking ensures that more of the people you know and care about - and fewer strangers - see your personal content and interact with you. Multiply’s feature-set appeals to a growing number of individuals who are not only concerned with privacy issues surrounding mainstream social networks, but who also value content created by their real-world friends and family. Named to AlwaysOn’s 2007 OnHollywood 100 list of the top private digital entertainment and media companies, Multiply is privately-held with backing by VantagePoint Venture Partners, Point Judith Capital, Transcosmos, and private investors. For more information, visit http://multiply.com.

# # #Press Contact:
Carmen Hughes
Ignite P.R.
W: 650.592.1768
C: 650.576.6444
Carmen@ignitepr.com

So it’s a revenue and advertising partnership, i haven’t seen advertisement on ABS CBN promoting multiply, if ever i think it could have this tag-line “Kapamilya let’s multiply!” lol.. Could it be the other way around, multiply advertising ABSCBN and it’s sponsors, could be…

Okay, Multiply is good but i think it’s best for ABS-CBN to partner with an online video distribution site something like “you tube”, then the “Kapamilya” network make their content available online and anyone can distribute self-produced video through it. It could be a new era of Philippine TV, free content for ABSCBN and global reach, plus they could put some revenue sharing with users like what “Viddler” does.