Disney being SUED!!!
I followed ACTV (ticker: IATV) for over 6 years. They had patents in place back then that I believe Disney is infringing on, now ACTV is going to act. ACTV has plenty of financial backing from Liberty Media.
thestreet.com
dailynews.yahoo.com
biz.yahoo.com
biz.yahoo.com
Wednesday December 20, 7:02 am Eastern Time
Press Release
ACTV, Inc. Commences Suit Against The Walt Disney
Company, ABC, Inc., and ESPN, Inc., for
Infringement of Enhanced Media Patents
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 20, 2000--ACTV, Inc. (Nasdaq: IATV - news) today announced the
commencement in New York federal court of a patent infringement lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company and its
subsidiaries, ABC, Inc., and ESPN, Inc.
The suit alleges that the Enhanced TV or ETV system offered by ABC and ESPN in connection with their broadcast of ABC's
Monday Night Football and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and ESPN's Sunday Night Football infringes upon ACTV's
intellectual property, specifically three ACTV patents. ACTV, among other relief, is seeking a permanent injunction and
monetary damages.
ACTV pioneered the development of leading-edge technologies for the convergence of video and audio with the Internet. The
company has developed a portfolio of 21 issued and pending patents that broadly cover the core methodologies for enhancing
television, radio and other audiovisual programming with an array of synchronous and non-synchronous Internet-based
functions. ACTV markets these enhanced media technologies under the HyperTV® trademark and offers fair and reasonable
licensing terms under its patents to providers of enhanced media programming, like ABC and ESPN.
According to Scott Doyle, ACTV's chief intellectual property officer, ``The consumer market for applications of our patented
technologies is emerging right now and promises to grow exponentially in the future. We want to facilitate this growth. That is
why, as a part of our business plan, we have made the licensing of our patents an integral part of ACTV's overall business
strategy. However, the viability of any patent licensing program depends on the patent owner's resolve in enforcing its patent
rights. We view the Disney litigation as a step we must take to protect our patents and support our licensing program.''
About ACTV, Inc.
ACTV, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: IATV - news) patented enhanced media technologies are incorporated into the company's Enhanced
Media Services, Inc. subsidiary. These technologies are marketed under the brand names HyperTV®
(http://www.hypertv.com) and Bottle Rocket (http://www.bottlerocket.com), among other products and services. ACTV also
created interactive, one-to-one digital television with its proprietary One To One TV(sm) software and programming
capabilities. SpotOn(sm), the advertising application of One To One TV, is a service of ACTV subsidiary Digital ADCO, Inc
(http://www.spoton.tv).
ACTV has developed an extensive patent portfolio that broadly covers the core methodologies for enhancing television, radio
and other audio visual programming with an array of synchronous and non-synchronous Internet-based functions, and for the
creation and delivery of interactive, one-to-one digital television.
Based in New York City, ACTV has key strategic relationships with many of the dominant players in the Internet, television
and digital technology fields, including Liberty Digital, Inc. (Nasdaq: LDIG - news), Motorola (NYSE: MOT - news)
Broadband Communications Sector, OpenTV (Nasdaq and AEX: OPTV), and Liberty Livewire Corporation (Nasdaq:
LWIRA - news). For more information, visit actv.com.
CONFERENCE CALL ADVISORY: ACTV will hold a conference call on Wednesday, December 20, 2000 at 11:00 AM
ET. To participate, call 712-271-3849 ten minutes prior the start of the call. The conference call will also be Webcast at
vcall.com. Members of the financial community, shareholders, and members of the media are invited to participate.
During the call, ACTV senior management will provide an overview of the company's Enhanced Media licensing program and
discuss the company's patent strategy.
This news release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance,
and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject
to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, product and service demand and acceptance, changes in technology,
economic conditions, the impact of competition and pricing, government regulation, and other risks defined in this document
and in statements filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements,
whether written or oral, and whether made by or on behalf of the company, are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements
and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. In addition, the company disclaims
any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof.
Contact:
For ACTV, Inc:
Bratskeir & Company (ACTV Media Relations)
Mike Rosen, 212/679-2233 ext.213
mrosen@bratskeir.com
or
Brainerd Communicators (Financial Media)
Kim Holt, 212/986-6667
holt@braincomm.com
or
ACTV, Inc.
Ted O'Donnell/Bill Roll, 212/217-1600
ir@actv.com |
