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Twenty-two Benedek Broadcasting Television Stations Will Bolster Community Focus in Television and Web Synergy



Hoffman Estates, IL - May 22, 2000 - Benedek Broadcasting, one of the largest holder of television licenses in the United States, has selected Outlook Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of back office infrastructure for Web sites, to deliver a complete, integrated Web solution for twenty-two network-affiliated television stations. Outlook will implement CMS/Media, its content management system for publishers, for twenty-two Web sites with a strong emphasis on community features to underscore the stations’ position in the local marketplace.

The twenty-two stations are diverse in geographic and network affiliation, serve small to medium-sized markets and, in the aggregate, reach communities in 24 states. Benedek’s broadcast signals reach approximately 3.9 million households and represent more than 20% of all television households in the markets above 100. Eleven of the stations are affiliated with CBS, seven are affiliated with ABC and four are affiliated with NBC. The stations will leverage their local positions as trusted and reliable sources of relevant news, community, weather and entertainment information.

"We are impressed with Outlook’s content management and syndication tools," said Stephen Benedek of Benedek Broadcasting, "but their ability to provide the features and functionality to build online communities in each of our markets really made the difference."

Community Features

Some features that Benedek is implementing with Outlook’s CMS/Media are significant for community-focused Web sites:

  • News stories with rich media support
  • Sports news, schedules and results
  • Weather reports, images and related information
  • Polls and trivia questions
  • Interactive movie and restaurant reviews
  • Movie theater showtimes
  • Community events and schedules that highlight local events, concerts, local sports, and community affairs
  • Message boards and chats
  • E-mail newsletter
  • Classified advertising
  • Recipe submissions from the community
  • Coupons
  • E-postcards
Business and Technical Features

In addition to the community features, the stations are being equipped with additional revenue opportunities and a unique content syndication model. The stations are taking advantage of CMS/Media’s ability to provide:
  • A complete ad serving solution for banner ads and tile ads
  • Customizable data display options per station
  • Rich media support for broadband content
  • GUI-linking capabilities that diminish broken links
  • A media gallery to manage media assets
  • Content syndication
  • Data Feed Management
  • PDA Support
The stations can enter, edit and schedule content in real-time, as well as syndicate content from other stations. A centralized backend - accessible anywhere - will drive the twenty-two Web sites enabling a myriad of benefits including: streamlined content development processes with local customizations by station, a centralized repository to manage media assets, content syndication leverage with strong local positioning, and local or syndicate-wide advertising revenues and reporting. The stations are gaining financial and operational efficiencies, opening the doors to additional revenue sources by driving traffic to their sites, enhancing the media experience with television and Web synergy, strengthening their local position, and meeting the needs of online communities in the small and medium-sized markets.

"Outlook’s commitment to delivering timely marketplace solutions is proven once again with Benedek. In twelve weeks, we’re implementing twenty-two Web sites with significant community features and content syndication. I know of no other company that’s done that for any client." said Lou Manousos, CEO and President of Outlook.

This summer Benedek is launching all twenty-two Web sites for the following television stations: KAKE (Wichita, KS), KAUZ-TV (Wichita Falls, TX), KDLH-TV (Duluth, MN and Superior, WI), KGWC-TV (Casper, WY), KGWN-TV (Cheyenne, WY), KHQA-TV (Quincy, IL and Hannibal, MO), KKTV (Colorado Springs, CO), KMIZ (Columbia, MO), WBKO-TV (Bowling Green, KY), WHOI (Peoria, IL), WHSV-TV (Harrisonburg, VA), WIBW-TV (Topeka, KS), WIFR-TV (Rockford and Freeport, IL), WILX (Lansing, MI), WMTV (Madison, WI), WOWT (Omaha, NE), WSAW-TV (Wausau, WI), WTAP-TV (Parkersburg WV), WTOK- TV (Meridian, MS), WTRF-TV (Wheeling, WV), WTVY-TV (Dothan, AL and Panama City FL), WYTV (Youngstown, OH).

About Outlook Technologies, Inc.

Headquartered in Chicago, IL, Outlook is a leading provider of back office infrastructure for Web sites. Outlook’s solutions are designed to handle back office infrastructure for Web site creation and e-commerce; they provide virtually unlimited scalability and customization, cross-platform support, high levels of security, and reliable online performance. By leveraging Outlook's back office services and infrastructure, companies are able to focus on their core competencies while reducing the costs associated with creating and maintaining their systems.

For more information about Outlook Technologies, Inc., please visit our Web site at http://www.outlook.net or contact us at solutions@outlook.net.

Contacts:
Peter Mulcrone
Outlook Technologies, Inc.
773-775-1595
pmulcrone@outlook.net

Stephen Benedek
Benedek Broadcasting Corporation
212-586-8444
sbenedek@benedek.com

Outlook Technologies, Inc.