Limelight Content Delivery Network Enables Premier NPR Station to Keep Pace With Tripling in Podcast Demand

Limelight Content Delivery Network Enables Premier NPR Station to Keep Pace With Tripling in Podcast Demand

Using Limelight, New York's WNYC(R) Radio Easily Handles Surge in Audio Downloads Following Listing of Four Popular Programs in Apple's iTunes Podcast Directory

TEMPE, Ariz., July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Limelight Networks today announced that its Limelight Content Delivery Network is providing the high-bandwidth infrastructure for Internet delivery of podcasts by WNYC, New York Public Radio(R). Limelight's highly scalable distributed content delivery network (CDN) is enabling WNYC to easily meet the tripling in consumer demand for its podcasts that resulted from its inclusion in the recently-launched iTunes Podcast Directory homepage, in addition to downloads from the station's own podcasting page (www.wnyc.org/about/podcasting).

"Reliable, high-bandwidth delivery of all digital media over the Internet is our forte, and WNYC is a prime example of our CDN's ability to scale and deliver audio podcast content to massive audiences," said David Rice, Vice President of Sales, Limelight Networks. "For WNYC, the Limelight CDN ensures an exceptional listener experience for all of its archived podcasts, as well as its streaming audio programs delivered via download or on-demand streaming."

"The Limelight platform's capacity has enabled us to easily handle the surge in traffic we experienced following the iTunes Podcast Directory listing," said Bill Swersey, Director of Interactive Media. "In just one day, our program On the Media, which was highlighted on the Podcast Directory's homepage, saw a 150% increase in downloads. Thanks to Limelight, we have been able to keep up with the continuous increase in demand from listeners who are finding us through iTunes."

The four WNYC programs featured on the iTunes Podcast Directory are: NPR's On the Media from WNYC, The Leonard Lopate Show, The Brian Lehrer Show, and PRI's Studio 360(R) with Kurt Andersen. Last week, WNYC launched two culturally-oriented podcasts that it expects to make available through the iTunes Directory: Soundcheck(R), a daily music-focused talk show, and Sara Fishko's award-winning "Fishko Files." Further information about WNYC's podcasts may be found at www.wnyc.org/podcasting.

The iTunes Podcast Directory is a feature of iTunes 4.9, the first version of Apple's popular media player to offer all the tools necessary for users to discover, subscribe, manage and listen to podcasts. Apple's recent release of iTunes 4.9 brought podcasting into the mainstream, welcoming over one million new podcast subscribers in the first two days. All podcasts offered on iTunes 4.9 are free-of-charge.

About WNYC

WNYC, New York Public Radio, is New York's premier public radio station, comprising WNYC 93.9 FM and WNYC AM 820. As America's most listened-to public radio stations, reaching more than one million listeners every week, WNYC FM and AM extend New York City's cultural riches to the entire country and air the best national offerings from affiliate networks National Public Radio and Public Radio International. WNYC 93.9 FM broadcasts a wide range of daily news, talk, cultural and classical music programming, while WNYC AM 820 maintains a stronger focus on breaking news and international news reporting. For more information, visit www.wnyc.org.

About Limelight Networks

Privately held Limelight Networks is the leading content delivery network for Internet distribution of video, music, games, and downloads. Limelight's advanced content delivery network provides the world's top media companies high-performance, cost-effective delivery of media and software via the Internet, making Limelight Networks the content delivery network of choice for 400 world-class customers including Akimbo, ABC Radio Networks, Belo Interactive, "BuyMusic" @ Buy.com, DreamWorks, LLC, IFILM, Live365, Marimba, Musicmatch -- Yahoo!, NC Interactive, NPR, Real Networks Rhapsody, Radio Free Virgin, radioio, and Valve Software. For more information, visit: http://www.limelightnetworks.com/ .

Source: Limelight Networks

CONTACT: Wynne Ahern of Communication Strategies, LLC, +1-510-663-3213, or wynne@commstrat.net, for Limelight Networks

Web site: http://www.limelightnetworks.com/

Web site: http://www.wnyc.org/

------- Profile: Ent