Steeplechase Media and Big Ticket
Television Announce Deal to Produce
Enhanced Version of Judge Judy
TV's Hottest Syndicated Series Leads the Way into the Convergence of New
Media and Television
Santa Monica, CA—March 16, 1999—Leading new media production company
Steeplechase Media Inc. has signed a deal with Spelling Entertainment's Big
Ticket Television to produce enhanced television content to accompany the
Emmy-nominated syndicated courtroom series, JUDGE JUDY. Once a week
commencing April 16, 1999, viewers will have the unique opportunity to watch
and interact with the enhanced version of the program.
"We're thrilled to be working with Steeplechase Media on this innovative
project," comments Bill Sanders, executive vice president, Big Ticket Television.
Sanders added, "In just three years, JUDGE JUDY has become a bona fide
phenomenon. Interactivity can only encourage greater involvement, enthusiasm
and a sense of community among the show's viewers. As Judge Judy Sheindlin's
dynamic personality has taken the courtroom show genre to the next level, so
will interactivity take television itself to the next level."
Enhanced television, the convergence of Internet content and traditional
television programming, refers to interactive television systems that can display
graphics on top or alongside of a broadcast video image. Viewers can access
enhanced programming through interactive television systems that seamlessly
integrate standard television shows with Internet content for a more
interactive and in-depth viewing experience. The programs will have an added
edge with the addition of digital enhancements via WebTV Plus Network service
and the WebTV for Windows feature of Windows 98.
"The WebTV Network subscriber is an active and engaged viewer who enjoys
entertainment and information of broadcast television and the Internet, in one
seamless experience," says Joe Poletto, vice president of network media group,
WebTV Networks. "By developing interactive TV for the WebTV Network and
WebTV for Windows, Big Ticket Television and Steeplechase Media will extend
JUDGE JUDY beyond the traditional confines of broadcast TV."
"Steeplechase Media and Big Ticket Television's pioneering efforts in this new
medium provides a glimpse of what television viewing will be like in the
twenty-first century," comments Rick Portin, executive vice president of
Steeplechase Media. "We believe that JUDGE JUDY is a perfect vehicle to
showcase the many possibilities of enhanced TV."
Viewers with interactive television systems can interact with Judge Judy by
selecting interactive TV links coded within enhanced programming to retrieve
additional information about a specific case or learn interesting facts about the
judge. Viewers will be able to directly participate in the program by taking part
in polls and voting for the outcome of a particular case. They can also
communicate with other JUDGE JUDY fans during the broadcast via e-mail or
chat or even purchase one of Judge Sheindlin's best-selling books - all without
taking their eyes off their television sets.
The enhanced program will adhere to industry standards established by the
Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF), an organization created to
set standards necessary to create HTML-enhanced television content that can
be uniformly broadcast across any network to any compliant receiver.
"The addition of interactive enhancements to JUDGE JUDY will deliver a deeper
television experience to the viewer," says Larry Namer, president of
Steeplechase Media Inc. and co-founder of E! Entertainment Television. "The
active viewer will get the best of television's ability to deliver both
entertainment value and the interactivity of the Web."
About Steeplechase Media Inc.
Steeplechase Media Inc. was formed in 1995 to create content and technology
for PC/TV convergence and is one of the only new media production companies
specializing in creating interactive programming. SMI is headed by Larry Namer,
founder of the immensely popular E! Entertainment Television Inc., Comspan
Communications and Recovery Network and several other new cable networks;
and Rick Portin, executive vice president, who has a 25 year background in the
area of television production with E! Entertainment Television and Viacom. SMI
was the primary consultant to Microsoft interactive television team, MiTV.
Steeplechase Media and Internet Cable Corporation (OTC: Bulletin Board ICBL
NEWS) recently signed an agreement to test PC/TV convergence and
broadband content development activities at the Keswick Project, a
state-of-the-art apartment complex located in South Carolina.
About Big Ticket Television
Big Ticket Television's primary directive is to develop and produce series
programming for network, first-run syndication and cable. Over the past four
years, Big Ticket has taken three unknown syndicated shows ("Judge Judy,"
"Judge Joe Brown" and "Night Stand with Dick Dietrick") to tremendous ratings
success. Big Ticket Television also produces the top-rated comedy "Moesha"
for the UPN network and is about to begin production on its next series "Gary
and Mike," a stop-motion animated comedy for Fox Broadcasting Company
written by Fax Bahr and Adam Small.
Big Ticket Television is a subsidiary of Spelling Entertainment Group Inc.
(NYSE:SP), which also comprises Spelling Television, Worldvision Enterprises
and Hamilton Projects. Through its combined libraries, Spelling Entertainment
controls 10,000 hours of programming for worldwide distribution. Viacom Inc.
(AMEX: VIA and VIAB) owns approximately 80% of Spelling's common stock.
About ATVEF
ATVEF is a group of companies representing broadcast and cable networks,
television stations, cable and satellite service providers, and the consumer
electronics PC and software industries that have come together to create
common standards for creating and delivering enhanced TV programs. ATVEF
members include: Cable Labs, DCI Telecommunications, Inc. (OTC BB: DCTC -
news), CNN, DirecTV Inc., Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS - news), Intel
Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC - news), Microsoft/WebTV Networks (NASDAQ:
MSFT - news), NBC, Network Computer Inc., Public Broadcasting Service, Sony
Corporation (NYSE: SNE - news), Tribune Company, and Warner Brothers.
Note: Microsoft , WebTV, WebTV Network, and Windows are either trademarks
or registered trademarks of Microsoft in the United States and/or other
countries.
For information, contact:
Nicole Goesseringer, Steeplechase Media Inc., Ph: 310-394-0010 ext. 106, Fax:
310-393-1147
Lou Casale, Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, Ph: 310-274-7800, Fax: 310-274-7838
Doug Piwinksi, Bragman Nyman Cafarelli, Ph: 310-274-7800, Fax: 310-274-7838
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