Advanced Television Enhancement Forum Releases Royalty-Free License For Development of Enhanced TV Content
Spec Availability and New Adopters Add Momentum for Enhanced Content And Services for 1999 and Beyond
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- The Advanced Television
Enhancement Forum (ATVEF) announced today the availability of a royalty-free
license for its enhanced content specification to its more than seventy-five
worldwide ATVEF founders and adopters.
The ATVEF, a global, cross-industry alliance, was formed to accelerate the
creation and distribution of enhanced television programs to consumers in the
least expensive and most convenient way possible. To achieve this, the ATVEF
has developed a baseline specification using existing Internet standards and
technologies, and broadcast extensions that content providers can use to
develop programming enhanced with other data, such as Internet and Web
content.
"Write Once," Compatibility Key Attributes of ATVEF
Once content based on the ATVEF specification is written, it can be
delivered by analog and digital terrestrial, satellite and cable systems and
received on any ATVEF-compliant set-top box, digital television, or PC,
eliminating the need for content creators and providers to develop multiple
versions of their programming. The specification enables the incorporation of
existing Web and broadcast content, which will help streamline content
development.
The specification builds on existing industry standards, such as HTML 4.0,
ECMAScript and Multicast IP, with added extensions that allow receivers to
recognize enhanced content, prepare it for viewing, and transfer files. The
Forum founders are working with worldwide standards organizations, including
Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), Digital Video Broadcast (DVB),
IETF and W3C to ensure compatibility. The specification also defines
compliance.
"With the massive acceptance of the Internet, it's only a short time
before the Internet and interactivity become integrated with television
content. The specification, created and adopted by those responsible for
creating TV programming, provides an easier, faster and more cost-effective
way to add the interactivity consumers demand to both content and products
that enable delivery of enhanced content," said C.J. Fredricksen, director,
ATVEF.
New Adopters
The pace of industry adoption is increasing, including 21 companies that
have adopted since May of this year. The newest adopters include Avid,
Bertelsmann Broadband, BillP Studios, CTV.Net Ltd, Deutsche Telekom, DiviCom,
FAST Multimedia AG, iXL, Maginet Corporation, MONKEYmedia, Inc., Nokia, Pace
Micro Technology PLC, Peach Networks, R/GA Broadband, Scripps Network, Sonic
Solutions, Spyglass, Inc., Telecruz Technology, Inc., Telewest Communications,
Two Way TV Ltd. And Unique Vacations.
Enhanced Content to Create New Business Opportunities
For content providers, transport service providers and receiver
manufacturers, ATVEF-compliant content is anticipated to create new business
opportunities.
"Adding enhanced content to TV programming and commercials opens up a wide
range of new business models," notes interactive analyst Gary Arlen, president
of Arlen Communications Inc., a Bethesda, Maryland, research firm. "For the
first time, advertisers can supplement their linear video commercials with
detailed or customized information and even enable viewers to order on the
spot."
"At the same time, advertisers can leverage their existing Web sites by
combining them with enhanced advertising, and programmers can develop enriched
content that draws new viewers, while retaining old ones," Arlen continued.
Examples of enhanced content include the addition of player information
and statistics to sports programs; more detailed pictorial and text
information, such as maps and biographies, to supplement news coverage;
interactive content that enhances educational and entertainment value of
programs; and the ability to order online goods and services featured in
programming.
About ATVEF
The Forum has 14 founding members and more than 60 adopters globally,
representing broadcast and cable networks, television stations, cable and
satellite service providers, consumer electronics and PC and software vendors
(see attached list). The specification and more information about the Forum
are available at atvef.com . Additional information on recent
ATVEF founder and adopter announcements is available at
www.atvef.com/press/news.html .
NOTE: All trademarks and brands are the property of their respective
owners.
Forum Founders
CableLabs
CNN
DIRECTV, Inc.
Discovery Communications, Inc.
Intel
Liberate Technologies (formerly Network Computer Inc.)
Microsoft & WebTV Networks
NBC Multimedia
NDTC Technology (a unit of AT&T BIS)
PBS
Sony
The Walt Disney Company
Tribune Company
Warner Bros.
Forum Adopters
American Film Institute (AFI) Norpak Corporation
APL Digital NTL Digital Services
Avid Pace Micro Technology
PLCBertelsmann Broadband Panasonic AVC American
BillP Studios Laboratories, Inc.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Peach Networks
Broadcast.com Inc. Pittard Sullivan Inc.
BroadLogic Inc. Playboy Enterprises Inc.
Cable & Wireless Communications Primestar Inc.
Chronicle Publishing ProSieben Digital Media
Citytv/MuchMusic Pushy Broad
CTV.Net Limited R/GA Broadband
Dentsu USA Regent Electronics Corporation
Deutsche Telekom Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
DiviCom Screamingly Different
E! Entertainment Television Entertainment
Extend Media (formerly Digital Scripps Networks
Renaissance) Sharp Corporation
FAST Multimedia AG SkyStream Corporation
The Fantastic Corporation Sonic Solutions
Hitachi America Ltd. Spyglass, Inc.
Imedia Corporation Steeplechase Media Inc.
InnovaTV.com (formerly HoTV) Stellar One Corporation
Intertainer Inc. Tektronix Inc.
iXL Telecruz Technology, Inc.
LG Electronics Inc. Telewest Communications
Lysis S.A. Thomcast Communications Inc.
Macromedia Inc. Thomson Multimedia
Maginet Corporation TVN Entertainment Corporation
Mixed Signals Technologies Two Way TV Ltd.
MONKEYmedia, Inc. Unique Vacations
MoreCom Inc. Wavo Corporation
National Geographic Ventures (Formerly WavePhore WaveTop Inc.)
NetGem S.A. The Weather Channel Enterprises
Nokia Multimedia Terminals Wink Communications
WYSIWYG Diseno Digital
SOURCE Advanced Television Enhancement Forum
CO: Advanced Television Enhancement Forum
ST: Netherlands
IN: ENT CPR
SU: LIC
09/10/1999 08:00 EDT prnewswire.com
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