Internet Broadcasting, the nation's largest local online news network, at the end of February announced new, multi-year agreements with Hearst-Argyle Television, Post-Newsweek Stations, and McGraw-Hill Broadcasting, reports MediaBuyerPlanner. With the deals, Internet Broadcasting will continue to provide local and national online advertising sales, interactive media services and technology for its partner TV station website properties.

"The importance of new and emerging media platforms for TV stations cannot be understated," said Reid Johnson, founder, president and chief executive of Internet Broadcasting.

"Internet Broadcasting has been a very successful partner, not just for TV stations' local websites, but also on a national scale," said Terry Mackin, executive vice-president of Hearst-Argyle Television and Chairman of the NBC Affiliates' Futures Committee.

He added that during the 2004 Athens Games, NBCOLympics.com - a partnered effort of Internet Broadcasting and NBC - "drew more than 13 million unique visitors and nearly 263 million page views. For the 2006 Torino edition, we expect impressive results for the site, which has drawn record participation of NBC-owned and affiliated stations in 230 markets."