And here it is for your viewing pleasure...as the street ho-hums once again...
Tuesday August 19 5:46 PM EDT
Company Press Release
ACTV to Launch Digital Network Featuring Fox Sports Northwest Programming
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 1997--
``Individualized'' Sports Programming to be Offered to Digital
Subscribers Throughout the Region
ACTV has announced an agreement with FOX Sports Northwest (FOXNW) to offer the regional sports network's liveprogramming on a new ACTV digital network, which is scheduled to be launched next year.
The network will be offered through distributors to FOXNW's 2.4 million subscribers in Oregon, Washington and parts of Alaska, Idaho and Montana. The network is the third of a number of regional, digital premium entertainment networks which ACTV will introduce in consultation with FOX Sports Net. In addition to FOXNW sporting events, the network will also offer national branded programming.
``Digital television will soon be a reality in the Pacific Northwest,'' said FOX Sports Northwest general manager Clayton
Packard. ``ACTV's cutting edge technology opens up important new opportunities, which will allow us to continue to provide our customers with innovative and unique programming options.''
``Our agreement with FOX Sports Northwest, allowing us to enhance the network's programming, adds an important new FOX Sports Net market to the growing list of regions where ACTV's Individualized Sports programming will be available,'' noted David Reese, ACTV Entertainment president. ``FOX Sports Northwest's lineup of premier programming will allow ACTV to enhance some of the most exciting professional and collegiate sporting events in the nation.''
FOX Sports Net is the domestic sports telecasting arm of the worldwide sports alliance recently formed between News Corporation, Liberty Media and Tele-Communications Inc. The network consists of nine owned-and-operated regional sports affiliates from coast-to-coast. Combined, FOX Sports Net's regional cable networks provide more than 3000 hours of live programming each year, covering more than 1500 events.
In consultation with FOX Sports Net, ACTV has previously announced plans to launch regional networks with FOX Sports Southwest serving over 5 million cable and satellite television homes in Texas and four neighboring states and with FOX Sports West serving over 4.8 million homes in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. ACTV and FOX Sports Net intend to roll out a number of additional regional networks over the next two years.
ACTV's regional networks will allow viewers to enhance and augment their viewing experience. For example, the individualization of basketball coverage includes unique features like Jam Session -- a recap of the game's most exciting baskets. Hockey coverage features Goals-On-Demand -- a compilation of all of the scores of the contest. Features such as Star Cam -- which provides an isolated view of the featured player of the game, instant replay -- anytime -- and in-depth statistics are all part of the enriched coverage which can be provided by ACTV's proprietary programming software for all sporting events.
Contact:
FOX Sports Northwest
Dennis Johnson, 425/649-6965
Bender, Goldman & Helper for ACTV
Stu Ginsburg, 212/371-0798
FOX Sports
Vince Wladika, 212/556-2472 |
