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"Monday June 11, 7:00 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Discovery Channel, ACTV Inc. and Liberty Livewire Corporation
Discovery Channel Selects ACTV and Liberty Livewire Corporation For Synch-to-Broadcast Event
Discovery Channel Teams With HyperTV(R) With Livewire to Create 'Deeper Discovery,' an Online Complement to Television Programming
CHICAGO, June 11 /PRNewswire/ -- (NCTA 2001) Discovery Channel, ACTV Inc. (Nasdaq: IATV - news) and Liberty Livewire Corporation (Nasdaq: LWIRA - news) today announced an agreement to create an interactive, web-based complement to the Discovery Channel's upcoming animated specials, ``When Dinosaurs Roamed America'' and ``Walking with Dinosaurs.'' The five hours of enhanced content, part of Discovery Channel's ``Deeper Discovery'' interactive programming initiative, will broadcast on July 15-18.
Discovery Channel will utilize ACTV's and Liberty Livewire's joint venture, HyperTV® with Livewire, to create the Internet component to its dinosaur programming. HyperTV® with Livewire is a comprehensive, joint offering combining ACTV's patented, convergent media technology, HyperTV®, with Liberty Livewire's superior content creation services to generate compelling interactive programming. AT&T Business Services provides the hosting and dedicated bandwidth in support of HyperTV® with Livewire.
HyperTV® with Livewire will utilize ACTV's HyperTV® 3.0 enhanced media application to create real-time, Internet-based trivia, games and information, showing viewers how the animated dinosaurs were created, all synchronized to the television programs. Liberty Livewire will create and produce the Internet-based content.
``HyperTV® with Livewire offers a comprehensive solution for enhanced programming,'' said Abby Greensfelder, Director, New Media Development, Discovery Channel. ``Discovery Channel is committed to extending its powerful brand and content to the Internet and we're excited to work with HyperTV® with Livewire to bring our compelling dinosaur specials to our viewers not only through their televisions, but also through their computers.''
``Discovery Channel has built an extremely powerful brand on television and we are pleased they have selected HyperTV® with Livewire to extend their programming to the Internet,'' said Bill Airy, Vice President, Interactive Services, Liberty Livewire Corporation. ``Coupled with ACTV's HyperTV®, Livewire's Internet content production capabilities and comprehensive post production facilities offer program suppliers, networks and advertisers a one-stop solution for enhanced media services.''
``This agreement is the perfect example of the true potential of our collaboration with Liberty Livewire,'' said Kevin Sheridan, Executive Vice President, ACTV. ``We are looking forward to providing the 52 million homes with a computer and television in the same room with compelling, enhanced content to one of America's premier cable networks.''
Discovery Channel's ``Deeper Discovery'' programming event begins with the premiere of ``When Dinosaurs Roamed America'' on July 15th, from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. EDT, followed by three nights of ``Walking with Dinosaurs,'' from 8 p.m. - 9 p.m. EDT on July 16th, 17th and 18th. Viewers will be able to access interactive program enhancements on Discovery.com. Enhancements include ``Dino Trivia,'' ``Dino Games'' and ``How Did They Do That?,'' which showcases the digital animation techniques that enabled the dinosaurs to come to life.
About ACTV
ACTV, Inc. (Nasdaq: IATV - news) is a digital media company providing proprietary products, tools, technical and creative services for interactive TV advertising, personalized programming applications, and enhanced media. Based in New York City, ACTV's brands include SpotOn, One to One Television, Advision, Intellocity, HyperTV® with Livewire, and Bottle Rocket. For more information, visit actv.com.
About Liberty Livewire
Liberty Livewire Corporation (Nasdaq: LWIRA - news) provides a wide range of content preparation, management and distribution services to worldwide clients in the feature film, television and advertising industries. The company also provides interactive television services under the brand name HyperTV® with Livewire. Livewire conducts business in five countries, including substantial operations in the entertainment centers of Los Angeles, New York and London. Liberty Livewire is a subsidiary of Liberty Media.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is one of the United States' two largest cable television networks, serving 82.3 million households across the nation with the finest in informative entertainment. Discovery Networks, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc., operates and manages Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids Channel, Discovery Science Channel, Discovery Home & Leisure Channel, Discovery Civilization Channel, Discovery Wings Channel and Discovery en Espanol. The unit also distributes BBC America.
SOURCE: Discovery Channel, ACTV Inc. and Liberty Livewire Corporation"
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