From: Tri-Vision International <tri-vision@tri-vision.ca>
Subject: Tri-Vision News Release March 13, 1998
Date: Fri, 13 Mar 1998 14:50:28 -0800
TRI-VISION INTERNATIONAL Ltd./Ltee. News Release
TRI-VISION HAILS PIVOTAL FCC ANNOUNCEMENT
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 1998 - TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA - As a result of
yesterday's pivotal decisions and announcements made by Federal
Communication Commission (FCC) officials and Congressional leaders, the
v-chip will be available this Spring to help U.S. parents manage the TV
programs their children watch in the home. This is to coincide with the
encoding of television broadcast programs with the TV rating system, which
is necessary to enable use of this proprietary
v-chip V-gis(tm) technology, invented by Tri-Vision International Ltd./Ltee
Director Tim Collings.
After attending the FCC's announcement, as well as Congressman Ed Markey's
(D-MA) press conference in Washington, D.C. yesterday, Tim Collings said,
"We applaud the tireless efforts of Congressman Ed Markey, Senator John
McCain (R-AZ) and all the other U.S. officials who have championed this
cause on behalf of America's families. This is a day we had only dared to
dream about and we are proud to be a part of it for the benefit of the
nation's children."
The FCC yesterday approved the TV Parental Guidelines, the television
program ratings system designed specifically for the v-chip. The FCC also
adopted the technical requirements for consumer electronic equipment which
had been developed by a sub-committee of the Electronics Industry
Association with the help of Tim Collings.
In addition, the FCC announced it is requiring that manufacturers include
v-chip technology on at least half of their product models sold in the U.S.
with a picture screen 13 inches or greater by July 1, 1999, and the
remaining half by January 1, 2000.
Following the announcements, the "father of the v-chip law" Congressman
Senator Ed Markey said, "The (television) industry has indicated its full
intent to encode TV signals with the ratings promptly - within 30 days in
some cases, and in no less than 90 days in all cases."
"We are very pleased with the positive and significant messages and
decisions that the FCC has delivered," said Najmul Siddiqui, Tri-Vision's
President & C.E.O. "The FCC has set the stage for Tri-Vision to move to the
next phase in its growth and ramp up its product marketing efforts."
Tim Collings and Tri-Vision have taken all best-efforts to protect the
technology developed by Mr. Collings. Patent applications in the United
States were submitted to the United States Patent & Trademark Office in June
and December of 1996. The normal turnaround time between application for a
patent and issuance of a patent is three years. Tri-Vision has retained a
major patent counsel in the United States which has performed an
infringement analysis on
the Company's behalf. The Company is confident that patents with respect to
its technology will issue.
Tri-Vision has signed distribution agreements with two major, leading
distributors Ingram Entertainment Inc. and Telewire Supply Division of ANTEC
Corporation (NASDAQ:ANTC) to deliver its V-gis(tm) set-top box v-chip
products to U.S. consumers.
Important to parents, V-gis(tm) technology is as easy to use as an ATM
providing on-screen instructions to walk parents through the selection of
programming suitable to the needs of their family. Uniquely, it can block
or select television programs based on content. This means that shows can
be selected based on varying levels of violence, sex, language and dialog
which can
be important when children of different ages are in the home.
"It's the parents new, best friend." said Najmul Siddiqui. "As a passive,
programmable device it relies upon their wisdom and standards to enable it."
Tri-Vision International Ltd./Ltee. holds the exclusive global rights to the
v-chip technology, V-gis(tm), invented by award-winning Canadian engineer
Tim Collings. Tri-Vision is a publicly-held company founded in 1986 and
trades on Canada's Alberta Stock Exchange under the symbol TVL.
For more information contact Century Communications Corporation at [888]
298-8551 (toll free) or by e-mail to tri-vision@tri-vision.ca or visit
Tri-Vision's Internet site at "http://www.tri-vision.ca".
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Tri-Vision International Ltd./Ltee.,
Najmul H. Siddiqui, Chairman, President & CEO [416-298-8551].
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