Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : IATV-ACTV Digital Convergence Software-HyperTV -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Robert Cohen who wrote (1973)	4/13/1999 7:49:00 PM
From: Skip Jack	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13157

April 13, 1999 Broadcasting & Cable's PR Liberty increases investment in ACTV Liberty Media Group is boosting its investment in interactive TV company ACTV in a move that gives Liberty options to acquire a 25% stake in ACTV. Under the agreement in principle between Liberty and ACTV, Liberty will invest an additional $9 million by exercising options to buy ACTV stock. That's in addition to the 10% stake in ACTV Liberty acquired in September 1998 for $5 million. That deal gave Liberty options to up its ownership stake by investing an additional $5 million. In going beyond that in its latest move, Liberty signals a heightened interest in ACTV's ability to incorporate interactivity into sports, music, and other programming. If Liberty exercises all options it would gain with the latest investment in ACTV, it would eventually invest more than $100 million in ACTV. ACTV is one of the investment holdings Liberty intends to contribute to TCI Music as it transforms that company into Liberty Digital, a subsidiary focused on Internet and interactive TV investments.

To: Robert Cohen who wrote (1973)	4/13/1999 10:45:00 PM
From: Stealhead	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 13157

The garden… Last month Liberty Media invested in Interactive Pictures Corp., a firm that's turning two-dimensional photos into interactive, three-dimensional images delivered over the Internet. Liberty did not disclose the amount of its investment, although a spokesperson a Liberty was quoted as saying "it was small by Liberty standards, which means it was just a few million.". From the horse's mouth… An article in Broadcasting & Cables magazine dated 2/19/99 quotes John Malone as saying "In the technology world, you involve yourself in what you think are strong ideas. Some work out, some don't. The typical venture capital investment is a couple million bucks. Only when you have what you think is a home run do you start pouring capital in. Liberty is a great environment for this. Because of our financial position, there's not much we don't get to see." The purpose here is to illustrate the significance of Liberty's interest in ACTV. Today we learned that Liberty is investing an additional $9 million into our little company. In addition, they have the opportunity to put up another $86 million so they can enjoy a 25% interest in the company. Acknowledging these facts, you'll begin to understand that Liberty's interest in ACTV is an investment in a home run, versus some sort of risky venture capital investment. From today's release… Lee Masters, president and CEO of Liberty Digital, said: ''ACTV has continued to develop a suite of innovative applications which fit very well with Liberty Digital's strategy of bringing new digital and interactive applications to the marketplace.'' Considering some of the Liberty's holdings that have Interactive initiatives, like TCI Music, TV Guide Interactive, Discovery Channel, USA, QVC and News Corp. (Fox Sports Net), factor in Mr. Masters comments and it becomes abundantly clear that ACTV's technology will play a huge role in these ventures. Now consider the equipment manufacturers; Liberty recently upped its stake in General Instrument (an investor in ACTV) to 18%. Come on guy's this ain't rocket science! ACTV is on the radar screen at Liberty in a big, big way and we haven't even talked about value they see in HyperTV yet. There are several companies playing in the streaming video and audio world, but most notably is Real Networks who traded today as high as $263.75. A lot of their recent jump can be attributed to some key alliances with companies like Globix who produces and broadcasts live and on-demand content for the Internet and Intranets. HyperTV will become a major player in this market in the near future and will most likely form relationships of a similar nature. I say this because most of these companies who want to provide interactive programming content, like Discovery, Fox Sports Net and TV Guide Interactive will want to make sure that their respective programming efforts will not be interrupted due server availability issues like the Fiesta Bowl or the Victoria Secrets venue. So considering this, it's within reason that a relationship with a state-of-the-art hosting facility who can meet the unique demands of sophisticated, multi-vendor, mission-critical Internet operations is on the horizon. IMHO - SH P.S. If RNWK can hit 263, we can too! And another thought, remember the little investment in @Home!!!!!!!!!!!! (Bob, I know you see the big picture here)