NBC Universal announced the launch of the Universal Games Network (UGN), a new platform that integrates NBCU’s gaming efforts across its television networks and online properties this week. UGN is a white-label solution that will aggregate NBCU’s most popular online, mobile and social gaming efforts around one platform that is customizable by business unit. UGN products allow fans to play games, engage and consume content, amass reward points and redeem points for both real and virtual goods across all NBCU gaming properties. In addition, Facebook Connect integration will allow fans to play in tournament style games with their friends.

For advertisers, the new platform offers a single destination to reach 115 million fans, a part of the burgeoning gaming audience across NBCU’s digital properties. In the future, there is the possibility that advertisers will be able to take advantage of the integrated big data analytical capabilities of the system to maximize both the reach and efficiencies of their buys. The UGN platform also provides a turnkey solution for business partners to track fan engagement, target content to specific audiences, and create future experiences based on popularity and demand.

Universal Games Network is being announced in conjunction with NBCU’s digital upfront and is slated to launch in Q4 of this year.

The post NBCU Launches New Casual and Social Gaming Platforms appeared first on BIA/Kelsey - Local Media Watch.

Local media brands continue to look for ways to populate their sites with local bloggers and Twitterers. In return, they provide them with a bigger platform.

The latest to jump into the game is NBC Universal, which paidContent reports has developed “The 20” to highlight selected Twitterers in all 10 of the markets where it has owned and operated stations. The effort, which is expected to zero in on politics, sports, culture, education and crime, complements NBCU’s The Feast, which focuses on Eat, Play and Shop content, and relies on NBC writers and aggregated content from the Web. NBC will periodically adjust its list of Twitterers.

The 20 launches after New Year’s in Washington, D.C., New York and San Diego and will roll out in the remaining markets throughout 2011.

NBCU VP Greg Gittrich is speaking on the Progressive Traditional Media panel at ILM:10 next week, alongside Peter Weinberger of Advance Internet and Stephen Weis of Hearst Newspapers.

The post NBCU To Launch ‘The 20’ Top Local Twitterers appeared first on BIA/Kelsey - Local Media Watch.