The History
E-GuideTV began as a vision of Christopher S. Stark, Sr., President and CEO of EGS.
Through his company FYI Television, Inc. (FYI), the leading provider of onscreen, online and print television programming and scheduling content information,
Stark quickly recognized a great need in the hospitality industry and other markets for timely, accurate and reliable television scheduling and listings information.
In July 2007, EGS was formed to provide that solution, and Stark embraced a two-fold initiative:
In August 2007, EGS contracted its first property to install E-GuideTV in Las Vegas, Nev. Eight weeks later, E-GuideTV made its debut at the Hotel Indigo in Dallas, Texas.
By July 2008, E-GuideTV was installed in over 100 properties and seen in over 10,697 guest rooms.
E-GuideTV expanded into the Top Ten (10) Designated Market Areas,
as ranked by Nielsen Media, by September of 2008. This expansion gave EGS the basis to further develop and test its software and technology platforms on live properties,
ensuring the flawless uploading and downloading of television schedules and advertising information on a nightly and at-will basis as required by the properties.
Even the worst recession in recent history could not impede EGS’s expansion efforts as 2009 marked another year of growth from 961 properties contracted in 2008 to 1,289 properties totaling more than 205,307 rooms installed and contracted for installation.
In late December of 2009, EGS signed Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., adding Harrah’s Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Bally’s, Imperial Palace, Paris, Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon and Rio to the EGS portfolio. The landmark deal with Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.
added an additional 20,429 rooms to EGS’ already distinguished list of properties.
EGS began 2010 by signing a corporate agreement with Carlson Hotels Worldwide, making E-GuideTV a “Preferred Vendor” for all its Carlson-branded hotel properties.
This enabled E-GuideTV to be installed in all 23 corporately owned Carlson hotels in addition to their 629 franchised properties, adding 76,978 rooms to EGS’ contracted totals.
On July 28, 2010, EGS and one of its third-party representatives announced the results of an independent Arbitron Inc. study of the E-GuideTV service, which concluded that the service is overwhelmingly valuable and popular with hotel guests and is an extremely effective vehicle for advertisers.
This study verified impression calculations and now allows EGS to provide impression numbers and CPMs to our interested advertising clients.
As of May 12, 2011, E-GuideTV was installed in 487 properties and 117,016 rooms. Based on national occupancy rates, E-GuideTV currently provides advertisers with over 10.1 million impressions monthly.
Along with the installed properties and rooms, E-GuideTV is contracted in an additional 1,275 properties and 150,805 rooms, which will allow advertisers a staggering 24.8 million impressions monthly.
