Paltalk powering embeddable video chats

Express video embeds launch on same day as new interactive news network for journalists

Paltalk, a real-time Web instant messaging, voice, and video chat community, announced on Wednesday the launch of two powerful social communication tools: embeddable video chat rooms and an interactive news network for journalists.

The first of the two updates seems like it would be most interesting for Web developers. Paltalk now enables room owners to power any Web site with real-time video chat rooms with one of two options: Paltalk Express Widgets or Paltalk Embeddable Video Chat Rooms. With Paltalk Express Widgets, Paltalk members can create a Paltalk room and embed a video widget to their site. Paltalk Embeddable Video Chat Rooms go all the way, offering Paltalk members the ability to embed a full-featured and customizable video chat room on their site.

CEO of Paltalk Jason Katz believes that embedding video chat rooms "enables the sharing of content across common social networking sites, boosting audience engagement, strengthening audience loyalty, and attracting additional site traffic," all necessary to promoting the utility of a Web service.

Also launched on Wednesday is a new platform called the Paltalk News Network, to be headed by former CNN Radio correspondent, Gary Baumgarten. PNN is meant to be "a place where seasoned journalists and various other experts, representing a diverse range of viewpoints, come together to discuss both local and national topics." From politics to arts and entertainment to science and health, Paltalk users can comment on a variety of topics through audio, video, or text contributions.

Since launching in 1998, Paltalk has become a formidable force of social interaction and now hosts more than 4 million active members.