Jeff, go to this link and look at the latest press releases regarding IATV:http://www.actv.com/newpage/press/middle.html
Pay particular attention to this one:
Companies to Integrate ACTV's Proprietary
Digital Programming Capabilities with
SkyConnect's Digital Programming Insertion
Technology
ANAHEIM, CA - December 3, 1998 - ACTV, Inc.
(NASDAQ: IATV) and SkyConnect, Inc. today
announced an agreement to integrate ACTV's proprietary
''Individualized Television'' digital programming
capabilities with SkyConnect's Digital Programming
Insertion (DPI) technology. As a result, the companies
plan to offer cable operators, advertising interconnect
services, and advertisers one of the most powerful
addressable media vehicles ever available: ''Individualized
Advertising.''
''Individualized Advertising'' by ACTV gives advertisers
the ability to effectively deliver their messages to
consumers in a fragmented digital cable environment,
while giving consumers a choice in the television
advertising they see. ACTV's patented software
technology makes possible the delivery of both
viewer-chosen and viewer-profiled commercials. ACTV is
demonstrating its digital programming capabilities at The
Western Show in Anaheim December 1-4 (ACTV Booth
#3262, Hall C).
SkyConnect offers the most advanced and complete
digital video management solutions in the industry, and
has installed video servers in over 300 cable television
headends. All interaction with SkyConnect's digital ad
insertion system is done through SkyVision, the
company's centralized system control, which provides a
smooth migration path to DPI. In addition, SkyVision's
centralized control allows customers to economically and
efficiently upgrade and expand server capability without
physically reconfiguring the system. Yesterday,
SkyConnect (Booth #152) unveiled the latest in DPI
technology.
''ACTV provides a forward-thinking, advertiser-friendly
solution for delivering targeted commercials via digital
cable, and we can offer it to our partners almost
immediately,'' said Michael J. Pohl, president,
SkyConnect. ''As an integrated part of our ad insertion
system, we will work together to make the advent of
digital cable a profitable experience for cable operators
and advertisers, and to help improve the television
experience for subscribers.''
David Reese, president of ACTV Entertainment, said,
''The emergence of digital cable offers an incredible
opportunity to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of
television advertising. We believe digital advertising
solutions like 'Individualized Advertising' will play a key
role in the success of the cable industry's digital initiative.''
Reese concluded, ''Working together, ACTV and
SkyConnect will give viewers and advertisers more
control than ever before, while helping cable operators,
programmers and marketers navigate the uncharted
waters of advertising in the digital world.''
The agreement provides ACTV with an opportunity to
enter the advertising business and provides SkyConnect
with a more compelling and valuable product to offer its
partners. The integration of ACTV's proprietary digital
capabilities with SkyConnect's DPI technology will offer a
direct mail- approach to television advertising, based on
viewers' demographic profiles. ACTV's software, when
included in digital set-top boxes, builds a profile of each
digital household. Profiles can be downloaded to
individual set-tops based on demographic information
supplied by the cable subscriber, or can be ''learned'' by
the software, based on responses to on-screen prompts
and other viewing habits.
Studies show ACTV increases a viewer's recall of
television commercials by 250 percent when compared to
a viewer watching the same programming and
commercials without ACTV's patented programming
enhancements. For example, rather than having every
viewer see the same commercial for a Toyota Camry
during a program, ACTV allows viewers to choose a
commercial from among a variety of Toyota models.
Prior to a commercial break, an on-screen prompt enables
viewers to choose which commercial they want to see by
pushing a button on their remote. During subsequent
commercial breaks, ACTV's software can remember
viewers' earlier choices and send another commercial with
additional information or an advertisement for other
relevant products based on each individual viewer profile.
ACTV uses patented software technologies to create
''Individualized Television,'' which takes traditional
television programming into the digital age. Using a
standard digital set-top box and remote control, a viewer
can switch between the regular programming feed and a
multitude of personal options and features. The
proprietary software remembers viewer commands and
responses to on-screen prompts, enabling the television to
''talk back'' to an unlimited number of viewers with
individually-tailored television programming and
advertising content.
''Individualized Television'' can enhance a variety of
television genres, including sporting events, news, game
shows, children's programming and advertising. ACTV
plans to launch enhanced regional digital cable networks
across the country under the FOX Sports Net Plus brand
name and expects to offer other marquee digital
programming via a joint venture with Liberty Media
Corporation.
Based in New York, ACTV uses patented software
technologies to create state- of-the-art programming for
the rapidly emerging digital cable television and Internet
platforms. The company has relationships with major
players in cable and television, and the leaders in digital
technology, including: Liberty Media Corporation
(NASDAQ: LBTYA, LBTYB); General Instrument
Corporation (NYSE: GIC); FOX Sports Net;
Tele-Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCOMA);
Cablevision's (AMEX: CVC) Rainbow Sports; The
Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO); and The
Sarnoff Corporation. ACTV Entertainment and ACTV
Net are subsidiaries of ACTV, Inc. ACTV Entertainment
and Liberty Media formed a joint venture, LMC/IATV
Events, earlier this year. |
