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MEDIA RELEASE - 26 April, 2001 ITVWORLD MERGES WITH URBAN CINEFILE, PREEMINENT AUSTRALIAN CONTENT SITE. TRANSACTION FURTHER STRENGTHENS ITVWORLD'S POSITION AS A LEADING PROVIDER OF CONTENT, ITV TOOLS AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
SYDNEY April 26, 2001 - itv|world, Australia's leader in interactive television (iTV) development, today announced that it has merged with Australia's award winning Internet movie magazine and content syndicator, Urban Cinefile. The merger significantly enhances itv|worl's position as Australia's leading developer and provider of integrated technical and creative services, tools and products for the deployment of iTV. "This merger is a perfect fit" said Jason Romney, itv|world CEO. Urban
Cinefile brings experienced content creators and a culture that embraces innovation. itv|world can bring that together with new technologies for distribution and interactivity, with continued growth in profits and market share. Our combined strengths and deep customer relationships will fuel the development of new interactive services and enable tools that speed up the Australian iTV rollout.
The merged entity offers:· Authoritative multi-voiced film reviews
· Exclusive broadband interviews with film and TV personalities
· Film and TV news and gossip
· TV and Movie Guides
· Weekly highlights in film and TV
· Film, video and DVD release dates, trailers and special streaming presentations
· Video previews of new TV programs, exclusive interviews, original content
· Weekly box office reports and TV ratings
· Weekly news reports on the world of film in Australia
· Online community-enhancing content
itv|world is a leading provider of cross platform technology and engineering services for the interactive television market. Its position as a pioneering builder of iTV and rich media has made it an important partner to leading network operators, infrastructure suppliers and content providers. itv|world's role within the emerging local market is set to expand as the digital TV and datacasting industries gain momentum. itv|world's skills and experience allow it to play a key role in the end-to-end design and development of technology-neutral iTV architectures and systems. It has been instrumental in the integration and deployment of iTV content across multiple broadband networks. Its portfolio includes the development of iTV portals, "walled garden" content, enhanced television programs, EPG and VOD systems, DVB-MHP development and interactive advertising for clients including Microsoft, Telstra and Excite@home.
"It is more important than ever to continue to innovate and offer new andexciting services and applications to the marketplace", said Andrew L. Urban, Editor of Urban Cinefile. "itv|world's content management technology and broadband content offerings are the means to retain and build on Urban
Cinefile's position as Australia's premier Internet movie site. Working together we can create better managed content solutions for our existing andnew media and corporate clients. At the same time, it will enable Urban Cinefile to draw upon the technological support afforded by itv|world's advanced iTV and streaming digital broadband platform".
itv|world has recently secured a grant of AUD $1.4 million from AusIndustry to develop a multi-platform content and service management system.
Urban Cinefile will operate as a unit of itv|world, working closely with itv|worl's existing team and extensive resources. Urban will become itv|world's Creative Director and Louise Keller will assume the position of Editorial Operations Director.
About itv|world
itv|world is an interactive and digital media technology company providing software and integration solutions across all televisual media platforms including Internet/broadband and digital television. Assembling the best of media and engineering, it combines the production values of television with
fit-for-purpose software tools for interactivity. It provides technical and creative services and proprietary products for enhanced media, interactive TV advertising and personalised programming applications. itv|world's innovative and flexible cross-platform approach creates infrastructure,
content and tools for broadband network operators, content providers and advertisers looking to gain a competitive edge in the emerging interactive and digital television market. Regarded as an industry leader, itv|world remains platform independent, allowing optimal delivery of customised iTV solutions to its customer base of broadcasters, network operators and media companies throughout the Asia-Pacific region. itv|world has built relationships with key players in Internet, television and digital technology, including Microsoft, OpenTV, Telstra and Apple Computer Corp. Its recent acquisition of Urban Cinefile allows it to further extend its offering of Web-based, platform independent solutions for development,
management and distribution of enhanced and interactive television content with Australia's premier broadband online TV and movie guides. Headquartered in Sydney, itv|world is a privately held company that has been in operation since 1999. Additional information can be found at: www.itvworld.com.
About Urban Cinefile
Launched in February 1997, urbancinefile.com.au is Australia's premier Internet movie magazine and winner of the 1998 AFR Internet Awards "Best Arts & Entertainment Site Award". It was again judged among the top three Entertainment sites in the 2000 Awards. Edited by film journalist Andrew L. Urban, it is updated weekly, with a comprehensive menu of reviews (usually with three critics‚ opinions) covering all new film releases, selected DVD and VHS releases, plus star interviews and behind the scenes features, news and box office reports. Streaming audiovisual content includes star interviews, location reports, movie reviews, trailers & clips. Urban Cinefile syndicates editorial and/or streaming content to Telstra.com, AOL Australia, Yahoo Australia & NZ, Excite Australia and OzEmail (from June 2001); review extracts are available on Telstra's WAP service for mobile phones. Regular competitions (for movie tickets, videos, merchandise) and a DIY film event listing service complete the site. Urban Cinefile content will now help power itv|world's premier broadband online TV and movie guides.
Visit Urban Cinefile on the web at: www.urbancinefile.com.au
For further information contact: Charlotte Faunce, itv|world
charlotte@itvworld.com
Phone: (02) 9288 4704
Mobile: 0407 009217
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