LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom, July 18, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Headland Media announced today that more than 60,000 seafarers have joined its new Crewtoo ® social media site, which is described as "the home of seafarers online." This significant milestone, achieved within 12 months of the site's introduction, highlights the demand among seafarers for greater social interaction. In addition to Crewtoo, Headland Media is also known for its popular NewsLink™ newspapers, which are delivered to ships via satellite, and its Walport ® blockbuster movies and training videos. The company was purchased in May 2013 by a maritime VSAT industry leader, KVH Industries, Inc. , (Nasdaq: KVHI ).
"For many of the world's 1.2 million seafarers, the initial romantic vision of a life at sea was too soon replaced by the reality of hard work in harsh conditions and increasing isolation," commented Mark Woodhead, managing director of Headland Media. "Crewtoo's unique objective is to combat that sense of loneliness and lack of contact that most people at sea experience, by providing a space where seafarers feel they belong and can converse. It is also a space where they can learn and it is becoming a platform for seafarers to help and inspire each other."
On many of the world's commercial vessels, smaller, multinational crews often have language and cultural barriers that make it difficult for them to socialize. Shorter port calls and increased security regulations limit the traditional break of shore leave. A lack of communications options onboard limits contact with family and friends on shore. And many vessels aren't equipped with adequate sources of news and entertainment. The issue has become serious enough to be addressed with new International Labour Organization (ILO) regulations known as MLC-2006, which set standards designed to improve the living conditions of seafarers onboard ships. Headland Media's offerings, which include news, sports, movies, music, and training videos in addition to Crewtoo, offer a comprehensive solution for commercial maritime companies striving to offer attractive working conditions and meet the new requirements of MLC-2006 that go into effect in August, 2013. An added benefit of combining KVH and Headland Media services is that large files such as Headland Media's Hollywood movies and training videos can be transmitted efficiently and affordably using KVH's TracPhone ® V-IP series terminals , mini-VSAT Broadband sm network , and new IP-MobileCast™ service , which is expected to be available later this year. This variety of services, provided in a convenient and affordable manner, is the ideal way for operators to improve crew welfare while maintaining focus on their economic wellbeing.
"Our company has focused on offering services to improve the lives of seafarers for the past 60 years," concluded Mr. Woodhead. "With Crewtoo, we wanted to create a direct relationship with seafarers so we could understand their situation firsthand and ultimately provide services that are better designed to suit their needs. It is gratifying to see large numbers of people joining our site, and exciting to see how their input and our new relationship with KVH are already leading to plans for a new generation of exciting services."
Perhaps the best way to highlight the role of Crewtoo in people's lives is to see it from the perspective of a seafarer like Luke Rodriguez Capablanca, who shared on Crewtoo's Facebook page, "When I was on-board, Crewtoo made me feel that home is only a click away!"
Additional information about Crewtoo and Headland Media is available at www.HeadlandMedia.com .
Additional information about KVH's mini-VSAT Broadband network, new IP-MobileCast service, and TracPhone V-IP systems is available at www.miniVSAT.com/VIP .
Note to Editors: High-resolution, press-ready images of the TracPhone V-IP series product line and mini-VSAT Broadband network coverage are available at http://press.kvh.com for download and editorial use.
KVH Industries is a leading manufacturer of solutions that provide global high-speed Internet, television, and voice services via satellite to mobile users at sea, on land, and in the air. In 2012, Euroconsult, NSR, and Comsys reported that KVH was the market share leader in global maritime VSAT. KVH's Headland Media group is the maritime industry's leading provider of rights-approved news, sports, music, and movies, as well as the Walport Training video series. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, with facilities in Illinois, Denmark, Norway, the UK, Singapore, the Philippines, India, and Japan.
This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, for example, statements regarding the timing and occurrence of KVH's new service rollout plans, the functionality, characteristics, quality, cost, and performance of KVH products and technology, as well as customer demand, preferences, requirements, and expectations. The actual results could differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, among others, uncertainties regarding the time needed to complete 2013 initiatives, potential unanticipated technical or legal impediments, unanticipated costs, and KVH's dependence on the availability of third-party satellites and services to support broadcasts to mobile antennas. These and other risk factors are discussed in more detail in KVH's most recent Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. KVH does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information or developments.
KVH, TracPhone, Headland Media, Crewtoo, IP-MobileCast, Walport, and NewsLink are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. "mini-VSAT Broadband" is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
Sue Henney Headland Media A KVH Company +44 151 236 4124 Nicole Mongillo KVH Industries, Inc. 401-845-2443
