MUMBAI: US new media firm BabyUnivers which works in the pregnancy, baby and toddler marketplace, has announced the launch of BabyTV.com.

This provides the first full-featured video-driven social networking site for parents and expecting parents. BabyTV.com was previewed to select users in late December 2006 as the first Internet-based television network devoted to moms, and the official debut of BabyTV.com brings a rich user experience with high quality video content and interactive functionality for parents, parents-to-be, and caregivers.

BabyTV.com offers a catalogue of streaming television programming targeted to new and expectant parents from recognized experts throughout the industry. Viewers can tune into the linear schedule of programming and video-on-demand (VOD) library filled with entertaining and informative videos from content partners Oxygen Media and Alpha Mom.

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The website also allows parents to submit original video to share with other parents, using the MyBabyTV functionality which has already been dubbed by some the ‘YouTube for Mommies’ Unlike YouTube, however, all uploaded video content can be quickly reviewed by a BabyTV.com moderator using state- of-the-art tools, allowing MyBabyTV to serve as a family-friendly environment for sharing the special moments of a newborn’s life.

Importantly, this content screening capability also provides advertisers with protection from negative associations with inappropriate content that has become so common on other video-sharing sites.

Throughout the site, parents and parents-to-be can use interactive functionality to share their opinions about BabyTV content by providing feedback on specific videos, participating in polls, and posting original comments in video forums. BabyTV also offers a library of text-based articles written by industry experts that are available to users of the site.

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BabyUniverse chairman and CEO John Textor says, “Our goal is to create the ultimate social networking destination for moms who are looking to share ideas and stories and to find out more about the highly individual journey that we call parenthood.”

“BabyTV brings a wealth of next-generation community features for site visitors, allowing users to create membership profiles, participate in message boards and polls relating to pregnancy and parenting topics, and upload their own videos –providing the premier and most all- encompassing online environment for parents today.”

The launch of BabyTV.com is also changing the rules on the behind-the- scenes work of bringing live TV programming and VOD to viewers, debuting a new Internet content delivery platform that has been implemented by John Studdard, the company’s executive VP of new media. Studdard, who is known for creating the enterprise architecture behind
VirtualBank.com /Lydian Trust Co. which allowed it to scale from startup into a multi-billion dollar diversified financial services company, has strong credentials for developing next-generation content delivery platforms.

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Studdard says, “BabyTV is a significant milestone for Internet broadcasting as well as the BabyUniverse family of online websites, providing a robust platform for the next generation of media-driven networking sites,” . As the first web property to be completely deployed on our new enterprise content management system (CMS), BabyTV provides a way to gain efficiencies of scale in rolling out video, text and community assets across multiple sites.”

The company’s CMS platform allows BabyUniverse to leverage content throughout other BabyUniverse sites, easily moving video and text content created by a centrally located creative and editorial staff throughout the sites, when and where it’s needed, in real time.

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