Broadcast.Com and National Media Sign Agreement to Broadcast The First 24-Hour Video
Shopping Channels Via the Internet
PR Newswire - August 24, 1998 08:13
National Media Becomes Exclusive Provider of Direct-Response Television And Radio Programming on the Broadcast.Com Site
DALLAS and LOS ANGELES, Aug. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadcast.com (Nasdaq: BCST), the leading aggregator and broadcaster of streaming media
programming on the Web, and National Media Corporation (NYSE: NM), the world's largest publicly held direct response television company, today announced an
exclusive agreement in which broadcast.com will provide complete Internet broadcasting services for National Media Corporation's direct response programming.
The alliance will create the first 24-hour per day live and on-demand streaming video shopping channels on the Internet.
National Media's direct response television will be available in a variety of programming formats:
-- Live shopping programming digitally streamed over five video channels, 24 hours per day, seven days per week;
-- "Live on Tape" programming digitally streamed over five themed video channels (e.g., health & fitness, beauty & cosmetics, housewares; automotive,
motivational), 24 hours per day, seven days per week; and
-- "On-Demand" audio and video programming enabling consumers to call up their chosen products or programs.
Additionally, broadcast.com and National Media will cross-promote each other via their existing media. The broadcast.com web site currently receives over
460,000 daily average unique visitors; National Media currently spends in excess of $100 million annually on television advertising.
"This alliance will establish the first step in creating our new platform, transitioning from a television-only direct-response company to a leading electronic commerce
company, which is vertically-integrated and leveraged by television, radio, and the Internet. Our exclusive agreement with broadcast.com will act as a catalyst for the
future of electronic commerce as television and computers are rapidly converging into a single box", said Stephen C. Lehman, Acting Chief Executive Officer of
National Media Corporation. "We expect to access millions of new shoppers on-line who can watch our programming on their computers as a result of this alliance."
"We are very excited to partner with National Media to create the next generation of on-line shopping and membership services. Broadcast.com's ability to reach the
largest streaming media audience on the Internet, our implementation of broadband video, and future personalization services will create a compelling alternative to
traditional media," said Mark Cuban, president of broadcast.com.
Broadcast.com will deliver National Media's video programming at transmission rates ranging from a standard 28.8Kbps to 56.6Kbps, 100Kbps and 300Kbps,
giving users with varying speeds of Internet access the ability to experience the highest quality streaming video programming possible. Users will be able to access
National Media's programming via a "Shopping Channel" link from the broadcast.com home page. The programming should be available to consumers for viewing
within 90 days.
National Media Corporation (NYSE: NM) is the world's largest publicly held direct response television company and is an innovative leader in the growing world of
electronic commerce. The Los Angeles-based company broadcasts more than 3,000 half-hours of programming each week, reaches 90 percent of television homes
in the United States, and brings its programming to more than 370 million television households in more than 70 countries worldwide.
Broadcast.com (Nasdaq: BCST) is the leading aggregator and broadcaster of streaming media programming on the Web with the network infrastructure and
expertise to deliver or "stream" hundreds of live and on-demand audio and video programs over the Internet or intranets to hundreds of thousands of users. The
broadcast.com Web sites offer a large and comprehensive selection of programming, including sports, talk and music radio, television, business events, full-length
CDs, news, commentary and full-length audio books, serving an average of over 460,000 unique users per day. Broadcast.com broadcasts on the Internet 24 hours
a day, seven days a week, and its programming includes more than 355 radio stations and networks, 21 television stations and cable networks, and game
broadcasts and other programming for over 400 college and professional sports teams. Broadcast.com also provides Internet and intranet broadcasting services to
businesses and other organizations, including turnkey production of live and archived press conferences, earnings conference calls, investor conferences, trade
shows, stockholder meetings, product introductions, training sessions, distance learning telecourses and media events. For more information on broadcast.com and
its live and on-demand programming, visit broadcast.com.
Broadcast.com is a trademark of broadcast.com inc. National Media is a trademark of National Media Corporation.
This news release contains statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future financial performance of
broadcast.com inc. and National Media Corporation. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties detailed in
the Companies' periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
|
