....SEATTLE, Dec 17, 1999 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- RealNetworks(R), Inc.
(Nasdaq: RNWK), the recognized leader in media delivery for the
Internet, and Sumitomo Corp. have announced plans to establish an
affiliated company to manage a music destination Web site for Japanese
Web users. This Web site will connect Japanese consumers to a large
resource of music and artist information such as fan clubs, lyrics,
album art, rankings, concert dates and other live appearances. The two
firms plan to establish the new company and open the music destination
site in February 2000. A preview of the new site can be seen beginning
today at (http://www.jukebox.ne.jp/pm/)
This new Web site, which can be accessed directly through RealNetworks'
RealPlayer(R) and RealJukebox(TM), will create an open community
enabling consumers, music artists and e-tailers to connect with each
other and share information as well as experience rich media
programming.
For its contribution, Sumitomo Corp will bring its broadband
infrastructure, including @Home Japan and Cross Beam Networks Japan, as
well as its Internet portal, Lycos to this Web destination site. These
properties will help to both drive traffic to this site and provide
consumers with a high quality broadband Internet media experience.
This current business targets Japanese consumers, but there is the
prospect of further expansion into countries in Asia that are familiar
with Japanese culture, and there are future plans to expand beyond the
music industry into the wider entertainment business including movies.
Growth in Streaming Media There are now more than 92 million registered
users of RealPlayer, the largest absolute growth of any consumer
desktop application in 1998. More than 85% of all Web pages on the
Internet using streaming media use industry leading RealAudio(R),
RealVideo(R), RealFlash(TM), RealText(R) or RealPix(TM), and more than
300,000 hours of live RealAudi |
