television.com Set to Launch in the Fall
Steeplechase Media and MarkeTVision Direct Team to Launch Interactive Television Portal Site
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 6, 1999--Steeplechase Media Inc., the country's leading interactive television content developer, and MarkeTVision Direct Inc. (MKT - Alberta Stock Exchange), a Boston-based Internet development and marketing company, today announced an agreement to create television.com, a new joint venture company that will create the television viewer's gateway to interactive television.
television.com is a corporation owned 75 % by Steeplechase Media Inc., 15 % by MarkeTVision Direct Inc. and 10 % by outside partners affiliated with MarkeTVision Direct Inc. television.com was formed with an initial investment of $ 4 million (USD) divided respectively.
television.com will enable its users to begin experiencing the television of the 21st century. With the installation of a tuner card in any PC with Windows 98 or technology such as WebTV and Intel's Intercast(tm) or digital settop cable boxes, many households will have the opportunity to customize their television viewing experiences via ''Television Homepages'' that surround their television screens with Internet-delivered information. Within three years, tens of millions of homes are expected to have this capability.
''For example, a tennis fan will be able to receive the latest tennis news and scores,'' explains Rick Portin, executive vice president of Steeplechase Media. ''This viewer might add to his or her custom homepage up-to-the-minute weather information about a favorite city, European news headlines or particular stock ticker information. All of this can be done without ever changing channels with our customizable television.com interface.''
''We're excited about working with MarkeTVision on this project,'' comments Larry Namer, chairman of Steeplechase Media. ''We do not believe that the majority of people want to interact with television most of the time, but do believe that all viewers at some point want customized information at their fingertips that they can access without leaving the program they are watching. television.com will give viewers this option.''
The company will launch immediately with a ''Television Homepage'' and will later expand to become a broader and more definitive television portal.
''We fully expect that television.com will become the first place that interactive television viewers will visit to get information about the latest products and services or special travel and hotel offers, similar to how Web surfers rely on Internet portals as their information source,'' adds Namer.
Steeplechase Media will produce the television.com's enhanced and interactive television-related content which will conform to all interactive television distribution platforms, such as the Microsoft® WebTV Network(tm) Plus, the WebTV® for Windows® feature of Windows 98, Intel's Intercast(tm), and Wink's Enhanced Broadcasting(tm). These services adhere to the Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) standards, an organization formed to establish common standards for creating and delivering enhanced television programs.
''television.com will really showchase the vast possibilities of PC/television convergence and enhanced television,'' explains Andrew Miller, president of MarkeTVision. ''The ability to combine television and the Internet is one of the most significant developments of the dawn of this new era. With Steeplechase Media's proven record as the leader in enhanced television production and our ability to build a brand name, drive traffic, and directly educate the consumer about this exciting development, television.com will help redefine the way the world watches television.''
What is Enhanced Television?
Enhanced or interactive television is the convergence of Internet content and traditional television programming. Television viewers can access enhanced programming through interactive television receivers. These interactive receivers (such as Microsoft's WebTV® Plus) seamlessly integrate standard television shows with Internet content for a more interactive and richer viewing experience. Interactive television systems owners can interact with these programs by selecting interactive television links within enhanced programming to retrieve additional plot information about a certain show, its cast and production team or even access information about its advertisers. Viewers can also offer feedback about the program via e-mail and chat rooms and purchase items like clothing, books or music related to the program -- all without taking their eyes off their television sets.
About MarkeTVision Direct Inc.
MarkeTVision Direct Inc. is a Boston-based Internet development and marketing company. MarkeTVision is in the business of developing and acquiring first stage entertainment properties and on-line communities that generate profits and create asset value for The Company. As a first-stage Internet developer, MarkeTVision creates the corporate structure, oversees the building of the Website, brings in the management team, and creates the marketing plan which builds the brand name of the business, drives traffic to the site, and generates advertising and e commerce revenue.
Properties currently in development are television.com, telephone.com, sportsfan.com, and college.com., as well as series of regional CD compilations, which can be seen and heard at the company's cityrocks.com Website.
About Steeplechase Media Inc.
Steeplechase Media Inc. was formed to create content and technology for PC/television convergence and is one of the only new media companies specializing in creating interactive programming. The company is headed by Larry Namer, founder of E! Entertainment Television Inc., Comspan Communications, Movies USA Magazine, 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.
Currently, Steeplechase Media and WebTV® Networks are working together to produce enhanced television programming for WebTV® Plus subscribers, WebTV® for Windows® and all other distribution platforms that conform to the Advanced Television Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) standards.
note: Microsoft, WebTV, WebTV Network, and Windows are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft in the United States and/or other countries. Intel and Intercast are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the Intel Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
THE ALBERTA STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN.
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Contact:
CONTACTS: Steeplechase Media Inc.
Nicole Goesseringer, 310-394-0010 ext. 106
nicoleg@comspan.com
or
MarkeTVision Direct
Andrew Miller, 617-236-0806
amiller@mktv.com |
