WASHINGTON– The National Association of Broadcasters announced that its technology division, NAB Labs, has participated in a Series Seed financing of Antenna (www.antenna.is), a startup with an online engagement platform that enables users to react to and interact with mobile and Web content, and whose equity round of financing was led by IDEA Fund Partners.
The Antenna platform also measures audience sentiment from these reactions, including responses to news and entertainment content, in a matter of seconds. Antenna provides a means for media companies and retailers to determine what online content is resonating with audiences by enabling users to quickly and easily react to various forms of mobile and web content, including video, images and text.
Created in 2012, NAB Labs is an NAB initiative designed to foster innovation and continue to propel broadcast television and radio into the future. As part of this effort, NAB Labs undertakes projects and makes investments to facilitate the development and commercialization of new technologies that have the potential to advance broadcasting in the digital age.
“We see a lot of promise in this early stage company,” said NAB Chief Technology Officer Sam Matheny. “Our members are vital parts of their respective communities and the Antenna platform is an elegant solution that enables mobile and Web visitors to pick the exact text, image or video they want to react to and to offer real feedback—much more than just a ‘like’ or a ‘heart’ – without all of the management overhead that comes with cumbersome commenting systems. Antenna is quick and easy for the user and provides an excellent opportunity to grow engagement, build community and expand revenue options.”
Antenna is a free engagement tool that boosts Website metrics and builds community. Publishers who use Antenna have reported as much as 50 times more engagement by mobile device users compared to typical comment threads. Antenna also offers an upgraded service that enables the sharing of content based on engagement and user feedback versus page views and clicks.
“Media companies want to know what their audiences care about and why,” said Porter Bayne, Antenna co-founder and CEO. “They love the engagement, but often need help managing the interface and monitoring and interpreting reactions. That’s where we come in.”
So far, 55 publishers are using the free Antenna platform. They include high-profile sites like Perez Hilton, Dlisted and Okay Player. Other investors in Antenna include Geoff Judge, iNovia Capital partner and co-founder of 24/7 Real Media; Horan MediaTech Advisors; IDEA Fund Partners, a North Carolina-based seed stage fund; and The Startup Factory.
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