• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, February 17, 2009

Betawave Corp., the youth media and ad network formerly known as GoFish, today is expected to launch its own ad-supported video platform, Betawave TV.

The product will feature family-friendly programming including animation, youth-oriented news, action sports, movie and video game information, special events, and celebrity interviews, along with fashion, health and beauty segments.

Betawave TV is launching on several publishers within the Betawave portfolio, and will also be available to select partners that are not in the Betawave publisher network.

Giving market heavyweights like Disney Online and Nickelodeon Kids & Family a run for their money, the publicly traded company has grown its monthly domestic user base to over 25 million unique users.

The launch of the video platform comes nearly one year after the company launched a vertical distribution ad network to help marketers to reach Web users ages 6 to 17.

The company's demographic, however, is turning out to be much broader than ever expected, according to Jim Moloshok, executive chairman of Betawave. "Our audience is growing faster than we'd expected because our programming is attracting moms and families, along with kids," Moloshok said.

Sponsorship opportunities include the ability to feature messages before and after professionally produced video programming, as well as through overlays at what Betawave considers to be appropriate points in the viewing experience, according to Moloshok.

At launch, Betawave TV is being integrated into top kids-centric site partners, including Cartoon Doll Emporium, Minyanland, Hallpass, GameGecko and Urbaniacs.

Additional publishers inside and outside of the Betawave Network are expected to be added post launch, increasing the reach for the sites carrying the broadband video platform to over 6 million unique users per month by the end of the first quarter of operation, according to Moloshok.

To promote consumer adoption, the new universal player is customized for each publisher's look and feel and is incorporated into the navigation of each partner site.

In addition, Betawave TV is premiering original made-for-online branded content headlined by celebrities like Raven Symone of "That's So Raven" and programming such as the celebrity-focused weekly show "Live from the Red Carpet" from Entertainment Premieres, Inc.