I was surfing around when I checked out the ACTV home page. ACTV is the company QSTI is doing the internet deal with based on the December release. IN the ACTV homepage, they have releases they have posted. ONe of those release talks about a deal they cut with FOX BAY area last year. SO I'm thinking...... We have been hearing about a FOX deal in the works, we know we are doing business with ACTV for the '99 season, ACTV is doing business with FOX..... maybe what we are about to get is a combined FOX AND INTERNET deal..... THe text of that release is at the end of this B.S.
On another note, I've just got to respond to the negative vibes being thrown around by certain shareholders. WHile I respect your right to have a difference of opinion and believe that important, hard questions should always be asked in order to have a proper check and balance, I can't understand why, if you're negative and the stock price is finally up to a profit position, you don't sell you shares, take a profit, and walk away. The only reason to stay on board is if your believe. It seems ridiculous to me to think the company can't do it, that management can't put it together, but yet sit there and hope the price will get even higher. Based on my watching of the trading over the last few weeks, if you want to sell your shares there seem to be plenty of people that will buy it. I'm a believer, and if you stay in, you better be a believer also, or why stay in if you're sure they will fail?
Anyway, here is the ACTV release from last year. I have a feeling it is a sign of things to come:
Company Press Release
Rainbow Sports & ACTV to Launch Digital Network Featuring Fox Sports Bay Area Programming
"Individualized" Sports Programming to be Offered
to Digital Subscribers in the Bay Area
Technology to be Previewed at Rainbow Sports' Booth #4106
During National Cable Television Association's Annual Convention
ATLANTA, GA -- May 4, 1998 -- Rainbow Sports and ACTV today announced that they have reached an agreement to offer FOX Sports Bay Area's live event programming on a new digital network, featuring ACTV's ''individualized'' programming technology. The network will be offered through participating cable operators serving FOX Sports Bay Area's customers. ACTV will preview its individualized sports programming technology at Rainbow Sports' Booth No. 4106 during the National Cable Television Association's 47th Annual Convention from May 3 through May 6 in Atlanta, GA.
ACTV's individualized programming technology will allow viewers to enhance and augment their sports television experience by offering a selection of custom viewing options. For example, the individualization of basketball will include unique features like Jam Session - an on-demand recap of the game's most exciting baskets. Hockey coverage will feature Goals-On-Demand - a compilation of all of the goals scored during the game. Baseball coverage will include Hit Parade - all of the game's key hits available at the touch of a button. Other innovations, such as Star Cam - which provides an isolated view of the featured player of the game; Instant Replay - anytime, any play; and in-depth Stats are all part of the enriched coverage which will be provided by ACTV's proprietary programming software for all sporting events.
FOX Sports Bay Area is the region's premier sports network. FOX Sports Bay Area provides live coverage of the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, and San Jose Sharks, as well as a variety of other Bay Area sporting events and programming including coverage of University of California and Stanford University athletics. In addition, the network offers a full lineup of national sporting events and programming from FOX Sports Net. FOX Sports Bay Area is presented on expanded basic cable, serving 2.8 million customers in Northern California and Northern Nevada.
''ACTV's cutting edge programming technology will provide sports fans with a true one-of-a-kind television experience,'' said Daniel Ronayne, Vice President, Marketing, Rainbow Sports. ''We expect our agreement with ACTV in the Bay Area will be the first step in bringing this innovative technology to sports fans in all of the regions in which we operate.''
''Digital television, which will soon be available to many of our viewers, offers exciting possibilities for enhancing the sports television experience,'' said Jeff Krolik, Senior Vice President and General Manager, FOX Sports Bay Area. ''ACTV's digital network will offer our viewers unrivaled sports programming options and fortifies our place as the region's premier sports network.''
''Our agreement with Rainbow Sports is a significant addition to our FOX Sports Net relationship as it expands the breadth of that relationship to include one of the nation's premier regional sports suppliers,'' said Dave Alworth, ACTV Entertainment executive vice president. ''We look upon our relationship with FOX Sports Bay Area and Rainbow Sports as a great opportunity to offer our service in a market with great teams and great home-team fans. It is also not insignificant that the dominant MSO in the Bay Area is TCI, with whom we are introducing the first of our digital regional services in the Dallas/Houston area.''
The agreement with FOX Sports Bay Area will bring the total potential reach of ACTV digital networks to approximately 22.5 million customers. ACTV, FOX Sports Net, and Rainbow Sports plan to roll out a number of additional digital regional networks over the next two years.
FOX Sports Bay Area is part of FOX Sports Net, the first national cable network built from America's most-watched regional sports channels, consisting of 22 owned-and-operated and affiliated regional sports networks nationwide. FOX Sports Net is a service of ''National Sports Partners,'' a joint venture between Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and FOX/Liberty Networks. Equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and FOX/Liberty Networks, FOX Sports Net reaches more than 58 million homes nationwide.
Rainbow Sports, a division of Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., has dedicated itself to ''Home Team'' fans for more than 20 years. Rainbow Sports manages the operations of FOX Sports Bay Area, FOX Sports Chicago, FOX Sports New England, FOX Sports New York, and FOX Sports Ohio, which are part of FOX Sports Net. Rainbow Media also owns a majority stake in the Madison Square Garden Properties which includes the Madison Square Garden Arena complex, the Knicks and Rangers professional sports teams, and MSG Network, a FOX Sports Net affiliate.
ACTV, Inc. (NASDAQ: IATV) is headquartered in New York. The company's subsidiary, ACTV Entertainment, also has offices in Los Angeles and Dallas.
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Contact:
Mike Rosen Stu Ginsburg
Bratskeir & Company Bender, Goldman & Helper
(for Rainbow Sports) (for ACTV)
212-679-2233 212-371-0798
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