CityInteractive, Microsoft Join Forces On New MS
Streaming Media Player
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 23, 1999--
"The world's most interactive broadcaster" moves video
over the net for MSN.com
CityInteractive.com, a leader in pop culture entertainment on the Internet, has joined with
Microsoft to launch "MuchPresents", a series of "intimate and interactive" encounters
with many of the top names in contemporary music.
CityInteractive, the new media division of CHUM Television, will provide streaming video
optimized for the new Windows Media Player and the Internet Explorer 5.0 browser,
unveiled last week by Microsoft. Microsoft will feature "MuchPresents" on its MSN.com
Web site.
"MuchPresents" will draw from the resources of "the world's most interactive music video
channel", MuchMusic, to produce an on-going series of interviews from the Much
Environment that will premiere every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 PM EST on
MSN.com's "WebEvents" area. Featured artists already slated to appear on
"MuchPresents" include R.E.M, Lenny Kravitz, Offspring, Collective Soul, Barenaked
Ladies, N'Sync, SemiSonic, SilverChair, Matchbox 20, Soul Asylum, Zombie, Blondie,
Fastball, Blur, and Sky. On MSN, CityInteractive will also feature video highlights from
Chum's critically acclaimed series, "The NewMusic", television's longest-running journal
of pop music and youth culture, now in its 20th year.
"We built our reputation on bringing more interactivity to television," said Josh
Raphaelson, General Manager of CityInteractive. "Now, with Windows Media Player and
MSN, we can finally bring our television to the Internet."
The Microsoft relationship is the latest element in CityInteractive's strategy to reach new
audiences on the Internet through technology and portal alliances. An established leader
in interactive broadcasting and "convergence" programming, CityInteractive is extending
its worldwide reach through several new strategic alliances with AOL,
Altavista/Entertainment Zone, Intel and others.
CityInteractive, established in 1994, applies Chum Television's unique style of
presentation to the Internet, online services and multimedia, emphasizing "true
interactivity" with high levels of participation. CityInteractive is accessible on the Internet
at www.cityinteractive.com, www.muchmusic.com and www.citytv.com and on AOL
(Keywords: "Much" and "Citytv"). CHUM Television is a division of CHUM Limited, one of
Canada's foremost broadcasting companies and program providers.
In addition to its international joint ventures and partnerships in the U.S., Europe and
Latin America, CHUM currently owns and operates 24 radio stations, six local television
stations and eight Canadian specialty channels, including MuchMusic, MuchMoreMusic,
Bravo! -- Canada's NewStyleArtsChannel, Space -- The Imagination Station, Access --
The Education Station, MusiquePlus (50%), MusiMax (50%) and CablePulse24,
Canada's first 24-hour local and regional news service. Uniquely branded programming
produced by Citytv and MuchMusic, including FT:FashionTelevision, MovieTelevision,
Ooh La La, MediaTelevision and The NewMusic among others is distributed
internationally and can be seen in over 130 countries.
CONTACT: CityInteractive
Wayne Rosso, 757/422-4722
RLA/East Coast
wrosso@erols.com
or
Richard Lewis, 818/955-5481
RLA/West Coast
rlewis@abc.com |
