Interactive Television Networks, Inc. Announces Successful Launch of New IPTV Platform Nationwide
Thursday November 9, 8:30 am ET
New TV Platform Adds Movies From Universal Pictures, Starz and Encore With More Than 150 Titles on Demand per Month
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Interactive Television Networks, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ITTV - News; ITVN), a leader in Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), today announced an agreement that will make Universal Pictures movies available to ITVN subscribers through their proprietary and award-winning IPTV set-top box beginning in December. On demand titles will be available for a 24-hour viewing period after rental.
"We're excited that viewers will now have another way to enjoy our award-winning films," said Jean-Briac Perrette, Senior Vice President, New Media and Chief Financial Officer, NBC Universal Cable.
"In addition to the 15 recently launched Starz and Encore channels and up to 150 on demand movies per month, ITVN is excited to offer our subscribers classic films from Universal Pictures' extensive library as well as the most recently released theatrical hits," said Charles Prast, CEO of ITVN. "This has been an exciting time for ITVN with the integration and launch of multiple services aimed to provide entertainment, quality and value to our growing subscriber base. At ITVN we are 'Making TV Smarter' by providing true a la carte services including on-demand feature films, music videos, sports and niche programming. We are proud to be delivering real choice and value to an ever growing number of households for whom on demand and interactive entertainment over IP represents a better television experience. We look forward to announcing additional mainstream content partners as well as niche programmers who can take advantage of our 'narrowcast' capability to reach fans and monetize their content."
Joseph Scotti, Executive Vice President of ITVN stated, "We are delighted to see the tremendous response ITVN is getting from our friends in the content community who increasingly see the added value that comes from a relationship with our company. In our fast changing world, the need to adopt new revenue distribution platforms is not only good business, but essential to maintaining brand equity. ITVN is proud to provide a successful and profitable IPTV platform for our content partners."
ITVN's service now includes:
Universal Pictures will be available to ITVN subscribers beginning in December. On demand titles will be available for a 24-hour viewing period after rental.
Pulse(TM), a network exclusive to ITVN, featuring thousands of music videos from most of the top recording labels. Subscribers can enjoy a number of commercial-free genre specific networks as well as search for individual music videos and create their own play lists.
ITVN's Silver Screen Network featuring thousands of classic movies from the golden age of cinema programmed into more than twelve commercial free networks and available on demand.
ITVN Radio featuring commercial free music as well as hundreds of radio stations from across the country and around the world. With ITVN Radio subscribers can also submit their favorite stations to ITVN and have them available to enjoy at no extra charge.
ITVN Karaoke featuring thousands of individual song titles from industry-leader Sound Choice, with titles spanning over 100 years of music. Subscribers can enjoy individual titles or compose their own play lists.
Commercial-free movies from Starz Entertainment including:
- Fifteen, 24/7 commercial free movie channels including Starz, Starz
Cinema, Starz Comedy, Starz Edge, Starz InBlack, Starz Kids & Family,
Encore, Encore Action, Encore Drama, Encore Love, Encore Mystery, Encore
Wam, Encore Westerns, IndiePlex and RetroPlex as well as;
- Starz on Demand and Encore on Demand with always up to 150 on demand
movies and content refreshed weekly.
Setanta Sports featuring no less than 1,000 top-quality, live and short delay sports productions including more than 90 live matches this season from the Barclays English Premier League, the world's most prestigious soccer league. The network also telecasts the Euro 2008 qualifying matches; the UEFA Cup, the secondary, Europe-wide knock-out competition for Club sides; The Coca-Cola Cup; The French and Dutch national soccer leagues; and exclusive programming from Manchester United Television and Chelsea Television. Setanta Sports also has extensive rugby coverage, including Six Nations, Tri-Nations, and Super 14.
LacrosseTV, the official network of the National Lacrosse League, including live games and archived footage as well as portals for teams to communicate directly with their fan base.
Union On Demand, the first premium action sports media platform that offers the best action sports films and lots of other youth lifestyle content, such as the newest independent music videos, interviews and behind-the-scenes video with action sports athletes like Kelly Slater and Bam Margera.
ITVN is making IPTV relevant to the everyday consumer by offering an increasing amount of programming available at affordable prices. Current and future content offerings include Movies, TV Programming, Sports, Music, and Specialty Programming. ITVN promises to enhance the subscriber's overall viewing experience with its true interactivity.
What is IPTV?
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol TV, which is broadcast-quality television delivered over standard home broadband Internet. While offering the same quality as satellite or cable, IPTV has many advantages, such as virtually limitless programming and on-demand content because only channels selected by consumers are delivered over home broadband networks. All content -- including HDTV -- can be distributed on a subscription or pay-per-view basis with content promotion integrated into the user experience. Best of all, IPTV offers true interactivity for the customer, allowing two-way communication with services comparable to the Web, creating a better environment for users, programmers and advertisers.
About NBC Universal Cable
NBC Universal Cable, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's preeminent media companies, drives the company's cable strategic development and growth including video-on-demand, pay-per-view, HDTV, TV EST (electronic sell-through), TV Wireless distribution and retransmission consent, and oversees the cable distribution, marketing and local ad sales of fourteen properties (Bravo, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, mun2, NBC Weather Plus, SCI FI, ShopNBC, Sleuth, Telemundo, Telemundo Puerto Rico, Universal HD, USA and the Olympics on cable). NBC Universal Cable also directs and manages the company's cable and new media investments including A&E, The History Channel, History Channel International, The Biography Channel, National Geographic International, the Sundance Channel and Tivo.
About ITVN
Interactive Television Networks Inc. is a vertically integrated provider of interactive content networks delivered to the television over home broadband. ITVN owns or controls all aspects of its business from content licenses, management, billing, and streaming software to the set-top-box installed in the consumer's home. Determined to remain the leader in IPTV, ITVN has invested heavily into making this a global product for people around the world. With its versatility and portability, ITVN will remain the customers' choice for IPTV entertainment. For more information visit www.itvn.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results described in the forward-looking statements, including risks or uncertainties related to the release of ITVN's network and products, the market acceptance of its products and services, competition from companies that provide, or have announced an intention to provide IPTV, the need for subsequent substantial additional financing, and the company's ability to successfully market ITVN's products and services. Additional uncertainties and risks are described in ITVN's most recently filed SEC documents, such as its most recent current reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to ITVN on the date the statements are first published. ITVN undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Thursday November 9, 8:30 am ET
New TV Platform Adds Movies From Universal Pictures, Starz and Encore With More Than 150 Titles on Demand per Month
IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Interactive Television Networks, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: ITTV - News; ITVN), a leader in Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), today announced an agreement that will make Universal Pictures movies available to ITVN subscribers through their proprietary and award-winning IPTV set-top box beginning in December. On demand titles will be available for a 24-hour viewing period after rental.
"We're excited that viewers will now have another way to enjoy our award-winning films," said Jean-Briac Perrette, Senior Vice President, New Media and Chief Financial Officer, NBC Universal Cable.
"In addition to the 15 recently launched Starz and Encore channels and up to 150 on demand movies per month, ITVN is excited to offer our subscribers classic films from Universal Pictures' extensive library as well as the most recently released theatrical hits," said Charles Prast, CEO of ITVN. "This has been an exciting time for ITVN with the integration and launch of multiple services aimed to provide entertainment, quality and value to our growing subscriber base. At ITVN we are 'Making TV Smarter' by providing true a la carte services including on-demand feature films, music videos, sports and niche programming. We are proud to be delivering real choice and value to an ever growing number of households for whom on demand and interactive entertainment over IP represents a better television experience. We look forward to announcing additional mainstream content partners as well as niche programmers who can take advantage of our 'narrowcast' capability to reach fans and monetize their content."
Joseph Scotti, Executive Vice President of ITVN stated, "We are delighted to see the tremendous response ITVN is getting from our friends in the content community who increasingly see the added value that comes from a relationship with our company. In our fast changing world, the need to adopt new revenue distribution platforms is not only good business, but essential to maintaining brand equity. ITVN is proud to provide a successful and profitable IPTV platform for our content partners."
ITVN's service now includes:
Universal Pictures will be available to ITVN subscribers beginning in December. On demand titles will be available for a 24-hour viewing period after rental.
Pulse(TM), a network exclusive to ITVN, featuring thousands of music videos from most of the top recording labels. Subscribers can enjoy a number of commercial-free genre specific networks as well as search for individual music videos and create their own play lists.
ITVN's Silver Screen Network featuring thousands of classic movies from the golden age of cinema programmed into more than twelve commercial free networks and available on demand.
ITVN Radio featuring commercial free music as well as hundreds of radio stations from across the country and around the world. With ITVN Radio subscribers can also submit their favorite stations to ITVN and have them available to enjoy at no extra charge.
ITVN Karaoke featuring thousands of individual song titles from industry-leader Sound Choice, with titles spanning over 100 years of music. Subscribers can enjoy individual titles or compose their own play lists.
Commercial-free movies from Starz Entertainment including:
- Fifteen, 24/7 commercial free movie channels including Starz, Starz
Cinema, Starz Comedy, Starz Edge, Starz InBlack, Starz Kids & Family,
Encore, Encore Action, Encore Drama, Encore Love, Encore Mystery, Encore
Wam, Encore Westerns, IndiePlex and RetroPlex as well as;
- Starz on Demand and Encore on Demand with always up to 150 on demand
movies and content refreshed weekly.
Setanta Sports featuring no less than 1,000 top-quality, live and short delay sports productions including more than 90 live matches this season from the Barclays English Premier League, the world's most prestigious soccer league. The network also telecasts the Euro 2008 qualifying matches; the UEFA Cup, the secondary, Europe-wide knock-out competition for Club sides; The Coca-Cola Cup; The French and Dutch national soccer leagues; and exclusive programming from Manchester United Television and Chelsea Television. Setanta Sports also has extensive rugby coverage, including Six Nations, Tri-Nations, and Super 14.
LacrosseTV, the official network of the National Lacrosse League, including live games and archived footage as well as portals for teams to communicate directly with their fan base.
Union On Demand, the first premium action sports media platform that offers the best action sports films and lots of other youth lifestyle content, such as the newest independent music videos, interviews and behind-the-scenes video with action sports athletes like Kelly Slater and Bam Margera.
ITVN is making IPTV relevant to the everyday consumer by offering an increasing amount of programming available at affordable prices. Current and future content offerings include Movies, TV Programming, Sports, Music, and Specialty Programming. ITVN promises to enhance the subscriber's overall viewing experience with its true interactivity.
What is IPTV?
IPTV stands for Internet Protocol TV, which is broadcast-quality television delivered over standard home broadband Internet. While offering the same quality as satellite or cable, IPTV has many advantages, such as virtually limitless programming and on-demand content because only channels selected by consumers are delivered over home broadband networks. All content -- including HDTV -- can be distributed on a subscription or pay-per-view basis with content promotion integrated into the user experience. Best of all, IPTV offers true interactivity for the customer, allowing two-way communication with services comparable to the Web, creating a better environment for users, programmers and advertisers.
About NBC Universal Cable
NBC Universal Cable, a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's preeminent media companies, drives the company's cable strategic development and growth including video-on-demand, pay-per-view, HDTV, TV EST (electronic sell-through), TV Wireless distribution and retransmission consent, and oversees the cable distribution, marketing and local ad sales of fourteen properties (Bravo, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, mun2, NBC Weather Plus, SCI FI, ShopNBC, Sleuth, Telemundo, Telemundo Puerto Rico, Universal HD, USA and the Olympics on cable). NBC Universal Cable also directs and manages the company's cable and new media investments including A&E, The History Channel, History Channel International, The Biography Channel, National Geographic International, the Sundance Channel and Tivo.
About ITVN
Interactive Television Networks Inc. is a vertically integrated provider of interactive content networks delivered to the television over home broadband. ITVN owns or controls all aspects of its business from content licenses, management, billing, and streaming software to the set-top-box installed in the consumer's home. Determined to remain the leader in IPTV, ITVN has invested heavily into making this a global product for people around the world. With its versatility and portability, ITVN will remain the customers' choice for IPTV entertainment. For more information visit www.itvn.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results described in the forward-looking statements, including risks or uncertainties related to the release of ITVN's network and products, the market acceptance of its products and services, competition from companies that provide, or have announced an intention to provide IPTV, the need for subsequent substantial additional financing, and the company's ability to successfully market ITVN's products and services. Additional uncertainties and risks are described in ITVN's most recently filed SEC documents, such as its most recent current reports on Form 8-K. All forward-looking statements are based upon information available to ITVN on the date the statements are first published. ITVN undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
