From: Ramon Chen
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2000 8:56 AM
To: *ALL MetaTV
Subject: Hot News Alert: MetaTV launches Portal Partner Program (P3)
We have announced our Portal Partner Program on the PRNewswire at 7:01am PST today. Please point your partners, prospects and customers to our web site at www.metatv.com to share the excitement.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-03-2000/0001328614&EDATE=
This marks a historic high visibility stake in the ground for MetaTV to launch a program which enrolls content, platform and solution partners who will form the most complete TV portal solution for network operators in the industry today. We have already received more great interest around eBusinesses, media companies and other platform and solution partners who want to enroll, so you will be seeing a steady diet of marquis companies joining the MetaTV party.
Thanks and congratulations to everyone who made this possible; the Biz Dev Group (John E, Greg and Peter – and Andrew S) who’s efforts brought these companies to MetaTV and their agreement to participate, the Engineering teams who integrate the platform technology and syndicate the business sites and a personal thanks from me to Peter Coleman, Jim Gold and the msrdotcomm PR team for coordinating the 5 companies to release in conjunction with us.
The announcement and our new P3 page is up on our web site. Note that only Adforce has put out their press release so far (as of 9:00am PST). We will enable the links to Pittard and E! Online once their releases cross the wire.
Ramon
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MetaTV Teams With eBusiness Content, Technology Platform, and Solution Partners to Deliver Content and Services Through Interactive TV Portals
E! Online, iSyndicate, AdForce, Loudcloud, and Pittard Sullivan Join MetaTV
Portal Partner Program
SAUSALITO, Calif., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ — Demonstrating its leadership as
the first global provider of broadband portals and applications for
interactive television (iTV), MetaTV today introduced its new Portal Partner
Program, (P3). P3 is designed to bring the foremost eBusiness, technology
platform, and solutions-based services companies together with network cable
operators and satellite system providers to deliver entertainment-rich content
and services through interactive TV portals. This announcement marks the first
in a series of strategic alliances that MetaTV is forming with industry
leaders such as E! Online and iSyndicate; technology platform companies
AdForce and Loudcloud; and solution partner Pittard Sullivan.
(See announcements released on the newswires today by MetaTV Portal Partner
Program participants.)
The MetaTV Portal Partner Program
The MetaTV Portal Partner Program, (P3), is comprised of three types of
partners that complement MetaTV’s technology for delivering robust,
interactive TV portals: content, technology infrastructure, and
solutions-based services. The cornerstones of P3 are the MetaTV Universal
Portal(TM) Platform and the Company’s strategic, professional services.
P3 leverages the strengths of each partner and unites them in an effort to
provide network operators and satellite broadcasters with the most
entertainment-rich, revenue-generating iTV services. The end result is a
faster, easier way to bring to market customized, compelling broadband TV
portals.
Content partners, such as eBusinesses and media companies, will be able to
deliver a robust offering of web-based content and services designed
specifically for iTV. MetaTV enables content partners to dynamically
re-purpose their existing Internet content into TV-centric designs. This
process is accomplished without requiring any changes to existing web-based
interfaces or back-end publishing systems. The content can then be easily
deployed in cable or satellite operator portals that run across major iTV
set-top box platforms. This enables consumers to interact with content and
services, and conduct transactions directly through their television sets.
Platform partners are select companies with technology that complements
the MetaTV Universal Portal(TM) Platform. Infrastructure partners collectively
provide a secure, robust portal platform. Other partners provide a wide
variety of additional technologies such as e-commerce, advertising, and
personalization that extend the richness of the interactive TV experience.
Solution partners are select services organizations that are an important
part of the MetaTV ecosystem. These partners provide value-added services that
extend the reach of MetaTV’s portal platform to network operators,
eBusinesses, and media companies.
“With the MetaTV Portal Partner Program, we have created a robust
initiative designed to leverage our industry-first iTV portal technology while
uniting all of the key components needed to enable the rapid development and
deployment of compelling, revenue-generating iTV offerings,” said Andrew Lev,
president of MetaTV. “Our ability to take existing web-based content and
services and make them TV-centric will enable partners like E! Online and
iSyndicate to extend their brands to consumers like never before,” Lev added.
“Platform partners such as AdForce and Loudcloud help to further enrich the
iTV experience by providing complementary technology that supports the
deployment of secure, scalable portals. Moreover, our solution partners, such
as Pittard Sullivan will provide design skills that help deliver the value of
branded, customized portals to the global television audience.”
About MetaTV
Headquartered in Sausalito, California, MetaTV is the first global
provider of integrated, broadband TV portals and applications that enable
content, community and commerce. The Company’s technology, products and
services enable network operators and eBusiness companies to deploy robust iTV
content, applications and portals. Comprised of world-class offerings, the
MetaTV Universal Portal(TM) Platform provides broadband e-commerce,
syndication, advertising, personalization, and content management solutions
that exploit the benefits of all major iTV set-top box application platforms.
The result is an innovative way for customers to rapidly bring to market
customized, revenue-generating TV services. For more information, visit
MetaTV’s website at http://www.metatv.com.
MetaTV Portal Partner Progam
Quote Addendum
iSyndicate
“iSyndicate is pleased to participate in MetaTV’s Portal Partner Program,”
said Joel Maske, president and CEO of iSyndicate. “Broadband applications and
delivery systems are key to our growth, and given that MetaTV is a clear
leader in providing broadband portals and applications for interactive
television, this partnership ties nicely with our business objectives. By
combining Meta TV’s experience in iTV portals, with iSyndicate’s vast network
of content on the Web, we are able to provide Web-based content and services
for iTV set-top box platforms — enabling consumers to access dynamic content
and services and perform transactions through their televisions.”
AdForce
“MetaTV is a leader in the design and development of iTV portals,” said
Dee Cravens, executive vice president of AdForce. “Our relationship with
MetaTV” builds on our momentum in the interactive television space by making
our technology available to help network operators tap into new advertising
revenue streams through their MetaTV enabled custom-branded portals. The
interactive television market is a key component of our AdForce EveryWhere
program, enabling advertisers to reach the digital audience in any medium.”
Loudcloud
“We are delighted to be a charter member of the MetaTV Portal Partner
Program,” said Ben Horowitz, president and CEO of Loudcloud. “MetaTV has
established a leadership position through their enabling technology for iTV
broadband portals and applications. Just as Loudcloud’s Internet
infrastructure services offer businesses reliable, high-quality and scalable
operations, interactive television must provide high-quality services to
manage the critical up-time necessary to deliver a fulfilling iTV experience
to the consumer. We believe that this strategic relationship will be enhanced
by the 100% scheduled up-time guarantee that we provide our customers, and
will set the bar for the deployment of scalable, robust iTV applications.”
Pittard Sullivan
“With the phenomenal growth rate of interactive television, this
partnership is a natural progression for us,” said Stephanie Otto, executive
vice president, Interactive and Convergent Media Group, Pittard Sullivan.
“Pittard Sullivan has long recognized the value of branded custom solutions to
help entertainment media connect with target audiences. MetaTV’s Universal
Portal(TM) Platform was designed to meet the challenge of creating and
enabling scalable applications and content services for eBusinesses, and
custom-branded portals for network operators. We’re delighted to combine our
marketing skills with MetaTV’s first-rate technology to provide compelling,
adaptive iTV services for network operators and content partners.”