I'll go ahead and post the announcement:
Wednesday January 21, 4:06 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Excite and Prodigy Announce Broad Alliance to Give Consumers Easy Web
Experience
Customized Versions of Excite's Leading Web-Based Content and
Services to be Provided to Prodigy's Subscribers
Bringing consumers a simple and personalized front end to the Internet, Prodigy Services Corporation and Excite, Inc. (NASDAQ: XCIT - news) today announced a broad alliance where Excite will provide customized co-branded versions of its award-winning content and services to Prodigy Internet subscribers as the start page and throughout Prodigy's service.
Excite and Prodigy will offer Prodigy's subscribers Excite's
personalized My Excite Channel, to let Prodigy subscribers personalize
their individual Web experiences at the desktop. Excite offers an easy
interface that can be personalized to deliver user-selected information such as sports scores, stock quotes, TV listings, daily horoscopes and local weather. Prodigy subscribers will also have access to custom versions of Excite's search service and topically-organized channels. The relationship focuses on each company's respective strengths, letting Prodigy Internet capitalize on the tremendous growth it has enjoyed over the last year by focusing on its core competency as an ISP, and Excite extends its easy-to-use online service to more consumers. Excite and Prodigy are scheduled to begin offering new services to Prodigy subscribers in April.
''The Prodigy Experience is all about providing our subscribers with
best-of-breed solutions,'' said Russ Pillar, Prodigy Internet's
President and Chief Executive Officer. ''By working with an industry
leader like Excite on content, we're able to focus our efforts on
providing superior connectivity and customer support, hallmarks of the
SuperISP,'' Mr. Pillar continued. ''This is just the beginning of a long and important relationship that our two companies will share.''
''Becoming the premier content provider for Prodigy subscribers is a win for everyone,'' said George Bell, President and CEO, Excite, Inc. ''By focusing on our strengths, I expect Excite and Prodigy will redefine the notion of an online partnership and provide an Internet experience for consumers that is simple to use, personalized and comprehensive.''
Delivering a personalized Web experience for each subscriber Subscribers using Prodigy Internet as their Internet Service Provider
will be encouraged to customize their default home page as a personal
Excite Channel. Users can put their name on the Channel and input
relevant information such as one's birthday, zip code, and interest in
stocks. The Channel then serves up related information such as personal horoscopes, local weather and up-to-the-minute stock analysis of one's portfolio. |
