ACTV, Inc. Announces Successful Delivery of Digital "Individualized
Television" Programming
NEW YORK (June 29) BUSINESS WIRE -June 29, 1998--
Programming Technology Leader Prepares for Launch
By Delivering Live Digital Programming Via Cable & Satellite
ACTV, Inc. (NASDAQ: IATV) today announced the successful
delivery of the first digital "Individualized Television" programming
to a limited number of digital cable homes within TeleCommunications,
Inc.'s (TCI's) Dallas-area cable system. Working in conjunction with
TCI and FOX Sports Southwest, the company has produced and digitally
delivered more than 50 live, ACTV-enhanced professional sporting events
to date. In addition, the company announced that it has successfully
completed satellite delivery of its signal to cable operators,
demonstrating its ability to deliver ACTV-enhanced programming to
digital homes throughout FOX Sports Southwest's entire viewing region,
comprising approximately five million homes.
ACTV has built a multi-million dollar production facility
outside of Dallas which delivers an MPEG-2 digital program feed to TCI
Dallas through a direct fiber optic connection. The signal is received
by TCI using General Instrument head end reception equipment and is
then delivered as an integrated part of the TCI digital programming
package to digital cable homes. There, it is received through a GI DCT
1000 set-top box and subscribers access ACTV programming using their
standard DCT 1000 remote control. The company can also deliver this
MPEG-2 signal over satellite to any cable system in the FOX Sports
Southwest region.
"Over the past few months, we have demonstrated our ability to
produce and flawlessly deliver via cable and satellite the type of
differentiated programming that demonstrates the potential of digital
cable," said David Alworth, Executive Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer, ACTV Entertainment. "Our progress in Dallas, largely
made possible by the combined efforts of General Instrument, TCI, FOX
Sports Southwest and our other partners, is a major step toward making
television a more dynamic medium in the digital age."
ACTV's patented technologies empower viewers to be the director
of the programming they are watching. For sporting events, ACTV's
"Individualized Television" technology offers more than 60 viewing
options like Star Cam, which focuses on a featured player; Instant
Replay on demand; in-depth statistics; scoring summaries; and relevant
feature stories and interviews. At the touch of a button, a viewer can
seamlessly switch between game action and a multitude of options.
ACTV's programming technology can similarly enhance a variety of
television genres including, but not limited to, news, game shows,
educational programs, and even advertising.
"While we believe our patented digital technology will improve
the television experience for viewers, there are other significant
opportunities for our company," said Alworth. "For instance, we expect
to offer the advertising community an unparalleled media vehicle for
reaching the right consumers. In fact, we'll even offer consumers the
chance to choose the advertisements they see."
As the company makes final preparations for launch, ACTV will
continue to coordinate with FOX Sports Southwest on fine-tuning all
aspects of the live digital production and delivery of Dallas Stars
hockey, Dallas Mavericks basketball, and Texas Rangers and Houston
Astros baseball games.
ACTV has relationships with many of the dominant players in the
digital television and Internet fields, including two companies which
hold an equity interest, General Instrument Corporation (NYSE: GIC) and
The Washington Post Co. (NYSE: WPO). General Instrument is integrating
ACTV's patented software into all of its current and future digital
set-top boxes. No other equipment will be necessary.
The company has also developed strategic alliances with
Tele-Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCOMA), FOX Sports Net,
Cablevision's (AMEX: CVC) Rainbow Sports, and The Sarnoff Corporation,
a leading developer of digital technology.
ACTV, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, ACTV Entertainment and
ACTV Net, use patented software technologies to create state-of-the-art
programming for the emerging digital cable and Internet platforms.
Based in New York City, the company also has offices and production
facilities in Irving, Texas. The company's Web site can be found at
actv.com.
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