TheInsider.com Posts Tremendous Growth over the Past Year

SAN FRANCISCO, June 18 - TheInsider.com, a leading online destination and community environment for entertainment news and celebrity gossip, today announced that one year after launching, it is the 4th largest entertainment news Web site in the world for the second month in a row, according to comScore Worldwide (April 2009).  TheInsider.com is a CBS Interactive property operated jointly with "THE INSIDER," a CBS-owned syndicated daily entertainment news show from the same producers as "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT."

According to comScore Worldwide, from January 2009 to May 2009, the site grew 87% in unique users. The growth to the site was driven in part by the addition of video content and original programming such as INSIDE DISH WITH ROSS MATHEWS, a daily video Web talk show that combines breaking news and exclusive features about Hollywood and celebrities, as well as the implementation of Facebook Connect, which lets users easily share content and opinions about celebrities and entertainment with their friends. 

The creative team behind TheInsider.com has also recently launched the "Celebrity Agent," a Facebook game, where celeb-savvy users can show off their skills and become the ultimate Hollywood celebrity agent. Since the launch earlier this year, the game has already been driving Facebook users to TheInsider.com site. 

In addition, TheInsider.com benefits from seamless cross promotion on THE INSIDER television show.

"We created The Insider.com to not only provide die-hard fans with breaking news and big star exclusives, but also a forum in which they can comment, making TheInsider.com a virtual water cooler for all things celebrity," said Linda Bell Blue, Executive Producer for ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT and THE INSIDER.

"In the short time that TheInsider.com has re-launched, we have seen tremendous growth in traffic and engagement," said Anthony Soohoo, Senior Vice President and General Manager of CBS Interactive's Entertainment and Lifestyle group. "TheInsider.com's unique cross-platform experience has redefined the way gossip and celebrity fans consume entertainment news, and has enabled fans to interact with breaking news and celebrity gossip, as it happens."  

About TheInsider.com

TheInsider.com, a CBS Interactive property operated jointly with "THE INSIDER," is a leading online destination and community environment for entertainment news and celebrity gossip. The site features the hottest and most up to the minute celebrity news, photos galleries and videos, a vibrant community offering a chance to gossip about who's who in Hollywood with other celebrity fans. TheInsider.com combines the great celebrity content of "THE INSIDER" television show, with the strength of CBS Interactive's technology, to create a powerful experience."THE INSIDER," which reaches nearly 3 ½  million viewers each day, is produced and distributed by CBS Television Distribution in Hollywood, Calif. Linda Bell Blue is Executive Producer, DJ Petroro is Co-Executive Producer, Lara Spencer is Anchor; Samantha Harris, Victoria Recano and Cojo are Correspondents.  CBS Television Distribution is a unit of CBS Corp. 

About CBS Interactive

CBS Interactive, a division of CBS Corporation, is the best online content network for information and entertainment.  With more than 200 million people visiting its properties each month, it is the 8th largest Web property globally and the 5th largest Web property in the U.S. in terms of unique video viewers. Its portfolio of leading brands, which include CNET, CBS.com, CBSSports.com, GameSpot, TV.com, BNET and Last.fm, span popular categories like technology, entertainment, sports, news and business.

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Press Contacts

CBS Interactive:

Press Contact: Sarah Cain      

415-344-2218              sarah.cain@cbs.com

"Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider"

Lisa Summers Haas                 

818-655-4928             lisa.summershaas@cbs.com