CBS4 Launches Exclusive, Online A-List Competition

Monday, April 24, 2006

Boston's CBS4 officially unveiled today an innovative and interactive web initiative unlike anything available in the Boston market: CBS4's A-List 2006 at cbs4boston.com/alist! Beginning today, consumers can visit cbs4boston.com and cast their vote for their favorite local businesses in more than 90 different contest categories. More than 650 businesses have already been nominated and appear on CBS4boston.com. The competition is open to all businesses within Boston's 128 loop. Votes and nominations will be accepted on CBS4boston.com/alist from April 24 to June 30, 2006, and CBS4 will announce the winners the week of July 10th.

CBS4's A-List program is made possible through a partnership with Cambridge-based CityVoter, Inc. and the competition is free of charge for participating businesses and voters.

CBS4's A-List program is different from other local business competitions and offers a unique set of benefits including:

• A consumer-driven voting platform allowing the real customers of various, local business to vote for their favorites…no editors' nor critics' picks here!
• The opportunity for local businesses to create and update their own online profiles assuring the businesses' information is accurate and immediate.
• Imaged-based business profiles, filled with rich photography and graphics as well as text, giving voters important visual information from which to choose.
• All participating businesses will receive 250 customized business cards free from CityVoter's partner VistaPrint.
• Continually updated content and easy-access to cbs4boston.com/alist for both consumers and local businesses to track the voting.
• Even after the contest ends, this resource will remain online all year on cbs4boston.com/alist as a local guide for local consumers and Boston visitors.

"We're very excited to partner with CityVoter to launch cbs4boston.com/alist and pioneer this exclusive, online marketing opportunity that truly serves our viewers and local businesses," said Julio Marenghi, CBS4 President and General Manager. "CBS4 is always dedicated to being the best source for news and information both on-air and online. Now, with cbs4boston.com/alist, we can go even further to serve the public by being the only source for such comprehensive, up-to-the-minute retail information while recognizing the consumers' choice for the best local businesses."

"Our ground-breaking partnership with CBS4 provides a powerful way to reach local consumers and business owners," said Joshua Walker, President and Founder of CityVoter. "Both CityVoter and CBS believe this kind of partnership will strengthen the ties between local stations and their communities. We both believe Boston serves as a great prototype for expanding this program nationally."

CityVoter is a privately-held company in Cambridge, MA. The company's patent-pending Recognition Marketingâ„¢ platform brings consumers and businesses together online. Through partnerships with leading media companies and strategic national advertising partners, CityVoter is working to help outstanding local businesses get the recognition they deserve.

Boston's CBS4 is owned and operated by CBS Television Station (formerly Viacom), one of the largest network-owned station groups consisting of 21 CBS stations, 15 UPN, one WB and two stations not affiliated with major networks.