BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Launchpad Digital Media announced today the engagement of Edison Research to create standard metrics to measure the rapidly expanding audience from podcasts. Edison will collect and audit data from all Launchpad podcasts and generate monthly figures to show the scope and growth of the on-demand audio platform. Launchpad is a division of Norm Pattiz's Courtside Entertainment Group and currently represents on-demand and streaming podcast programming, which delivers over 90 million downloads every month.

"We formed Launchpad to apply proven, successful monetization methods to the expanding world of on-demand digital media," said Norm Pattiz, Chairman of Launchpad Digital Media and Founder of Westwood One and Courtside Entertainment Group. "To do that you need to speak the advertisers' language. These new metrics will put the sizable podcast audience in terms advertisers can understand and utilize effectively. I worked closely with Edison Research to establish similar metrics when I was on the board of the Broadcasting Board of Governors of the United States of America. We launched Arabic language radio and satellite television services to 22 countries in the Middle East.  If we can measure the audience in Arabic, English should be no problem at all."

Speaking about the relationship, Edison Research President, Larry Rosin, said: "We are excited to begin this new relationship with Launchpad Digital Media. The metrics Edison will be providing will further help legitimize podcasting for advertisers and help emphasize its growing prominence as a platform for listeners to consume and control their content." 

Kit Gray, Launchpad President, said: "The podcasting space is growing at an enormous rate. Technology has empowered audiences and they are demanding on-demand media like never before. Until now advertisers lacked the in-depth audience measurement tools available to them with more traditional forms of media. Podcasters will now be able to quantify their audience in a language familiar to the advertising community."

About Launchpad Digital Media
Launchpad Digital Media (www.launchpaddigitalmedia.com), a division of Courtside Entertainment Group, is one of the largest players in on-demand media. Lead by digital, online and podcast sales pioneer Kit Gray, Launchpad's podcast platform includes some of the biggest names in on-demand entertainment including Adam Carolla, CBS News, Afterbuzz TV with Maria Menounos, Dennis Miller, Jay Mohr, Laura Ingraham, Dr. Drew, Tom Green, Mark & Lynda, Brian & Jill, Penn Jillette, Rooster Teeth and the Toad Hop Network just to mention a few.

About Edison Research
Edison Research (www.edisonresearch.com) conducts survey research and provides strategic information to radio stations, television stations, newspapers, cable networks, record labels, Internet companies and other media organizations. Since 2003, Edison Research has been also the sole provider of election exit poll data for America's major news organizations. Edison Research works with many of the largest American radio ownership groups, including Entercom, Clear Channel, Citadel, CBS Radio, Bonneville and Dial Global; and also conducts strategic and opinion research for a broad array of companies including Time Warner, Google, Yahoo!, Pandora Internet Radio, Sony Music, Siemens, the Voice of America, and Zenithmedia. Edison Research has a nineteen year history of thought-leadership in media research, and has provided services to successful media properties in South America, Africa, Asia, Canada and Europe.  Edison, along with Arbitron, produces a yearly study on audio and video podcast consumption in America. The study looks at demographics, usage and other behaviors related to podcast consumption and the podcast audience.

Contacts:
Peter Sessa
Launchpad Digital Media
(917) 848-2353
psessa@courtsidellc.com

Larry Rosin
Edison Research
(908) 707-4707
lrosin@edisonresearch.com

SOURCE Launchpad Digital Media