LBRT,
Liberate Launches PopTV Tools Program
Leading Software Provider Continues to Accelerate the Growth Of Interactive Television Avid Technology, Chyron Corporation and Mixed Signals Technologies Sign On As Charter Members
LAS VEGAS, Jan 24, 2001 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Furthering its commitment to accelerate the growth and development of interactive television, Liberate Technologies (Nasdaq: LBRT chart, msgs) today launched the Liberate PopTV(TM) Tools Program, an initiative dedicated to the integration of current software tools with the Liberate TV Platform(TM) software, the joint development of standards-based solutions that address implementation challenges, and evangelizing these joint solutions to content developers and network operators.
(Photo:http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990630/LIBERATE)
The Liberate PopTV Tools Program is designed to simplify and accelerate the creation and distribution of enhanced content for interactive television. Liberate continues to expand its commitment to its developers through resources such as the Liberate PopTV Tools Program, the recently announced Liberate PopTV Lab for content creators, and iTV Performance Lab formed with Cisco and Sun Microsystems for network operators.
The Liberate PopTV Tools Program will simplify the creation of interactive television programming by integrating enhanced content tools into the existing work process at television production centers. Liberate will provide technical and integration support to all members of the Liberate PopTV Tools Program, in addition to facilitating deployments that take advantage of these tools.
All tools from initial members -- Avid, Chyron and Mixed Signals Technologies -- will be tuned for use with the Liberate TV Platform software, thereby increasing the interactive television solutions and service offerings available to Liberate's network operator customers. The Liberate PopTV Tools Program will play an active role in content creation process that takes place at the Liberate PopTV Lab, empowering content developers with the latest required technologies to develop dynamic interactive content.
"Traditional television production companies are asking for solutions that make the creation of enhanced content a part of their existing process, rather than recreating it," said Erik Smith, director of developer relations, Liberate Technologies. "Simple yet robust content development tools result in better services for consumers, and ultimately, greater revenue streams for our network operator customers and partners."
"By working with Liberate, Avid's digital media creation and production tools will hasten the development of interactive content," said Rob Kobrin, vice president of worldwide product management at Avid Technology. "Because our technology enables the delivery of high bandwidth content over the television, our participation in the Liberate PopTV Tools Program is a natural fit. We look forward to working with Liberate to help network operators offer enhanced interactive content to retain and grow their respective interactive television subscriber bases."
"We are pleased to be a charter member of the Liberate PopTV Tools Program," said Roger Henderson, CEO, Chyron Corporation. "Our interactive television content creation and production tools easily integrate with the Liberate platform, offering a powerful and robust solution for the professional television environment."
"Mixed Signals is excited to be working in yet another capacity with Liberate to spur and enhance the content development of interactive television," said Alex Thompson, CEO of Mixed Signals. "Our creative and comprehensive iTV technology and services have already been integrated on the Liberate platform and we're eager to work with additional Liberate partners and network operators to realize the full potential and revenue opportunities of interactive programming and advertising on the television."
Liberate has established a proven record of success with leading cable, telecommunications, satellite and Internet service provider companies. Standards-based, the Liberate TV Platform provides enhanced TV capabilities that offer maximum flexibility, letting network operators select from a broad range of not only content and applications, but the types of devices to which they are delivered. As a leading Internet-based platform for interactive television, Liberate continues to drive open standards.
About Liberate Technologies
Liberate Technologies is a leading provider of a complete software platform for delivering Internet-enhanced content and applications to information appliances, such as television set-top boxes and game consoles. Liberate's Internet-based client and server software allows network operators to provide consumers access to network operator-branded applications and services. Headquartered in San Carlos, California, the company has sales offices in the U.S., Canada, Japan and the U.K.
NOTE: Liberate, Liberate TV Platform, PopTV and the Liberate logo are trademarks of Liberate Technologies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Information in this release that involves Liberate's expectations, beliefs, hopes, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to Liberate as of the date of the release, and Liberate assumes no obligation to update them. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results could differ materially form Liberate's current expectations. Liberate's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) (including its Form 10Q filed on January 12, 2001) discuss factors that could contribute to such differences and describe other risks of Liberate's business.
About Avid Technology
Avid Technology, Inc. delivers the solutions that Make, Manage and Move Media(TM). As the recognized digital standard for professionals who Make the world's media -- from video, audio and film to animation, special effects and streaming media -- Avid's products are used to make more television and news shows, commercials, music videos and CDs, corporate/industrial productions and major motion pictures combined than any other nonlinear editing manufacturer in the world. Now, building on its Oscar(R) and Emmy(R) award-winning heritage in creating content, Avid is extending its reach by redefining how digital media is shared, stored and distributed. To manage today's increasingly rich collection of dynamic media, Avid provides powerful servers, networks and media tools to help customers search files, share media and collaborate on new productions, both locally and globally. Avid's solutions also empower users to easily move media, whether on air, over cable or satellite or through the Internet. Like no other media company today, Avid's end-to-end solutions span the continuum of media creation, management and distribution. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Tewksbury, MA. More information about the company is available at www.avid.com.
About Chyron Corporation
Chyron Corporation is the world leader in the development and delivery of products and services in the media casting market -- an area which delivers media to consumers that includes high definition TV, standard definition TV, interactive TV or any form of broadband. The Company provides broadcast graphics, high bandwidth and multi media signals, streaming media technology and content management. Chyron is the only global company with 30 years of expertise and technology to provide the services and solutions for streaming media, interactive television, enabling the highest quality experience to be delivered to consumers.
Chyron Corporation's existing customer base is comprised of nearly all television stations and TV networks throughout Europe and North America. With offices in the U.K., France, Hong Kong and U.S., and a client list that includes the world's leading broadcasters, Chyron has been providing the owners of content with value-added products and services for over 30 years.
About Mixed Signals Technologies
Founded in 1997, Mixed Signals Technologies (MST), an all-encompassing solution for intelligent TV, is the world leader in advanced Interactive TV technologies, service and content development. In 1999/2000, MST defined the state-of-the-art in intelligent interactive television with its production of two full seasons of "JEOPARDY!" Interactive and "WHEEL OF FORTUNE" Interactive, enabling viewers with interactive-enabled set-top boxes (e.g. WebTV, AOLTV, Liberate, Microsoft TV) to play along with on-screen contestants five days a week. MST interactive partners and/or clients include Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment, USA Networks, E!, HBO, The Weather Channel, Microsoft/Web TV, Liberate Technologies, Rainbow Media, Walt Disney Company, Viacom, Oxygen Media, EchoStar, Microsoft Japan, KCTS, Game Show Network, and Turner Networks.
CONTACT: Tom Neumayr of Liberate Technologies, 650-701-4065, or tneumayr@liberate.com.
Source: Liberate Technolog |
