24-hour kids' radio signs on in San Diego; KidStar Interactive Media also offers online, magazine and phone connections.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 24, 1996--KidStar(r) Interactive Media today will sign on San Diego's first radio station broadcasting music, news, sports and weather just for kids, on KDDZ-AM/1240.

KidStar Radio will combine with a quarterly magazine, interactive phone system, computer web site and free membership club to comprise a dedicated media network uniquely linking together kids from ages 6 to 11.

The official San Diego station turn-on will be commemorated with a "Switch-On Celebration" at 12:40 p.m. today at the San Diego Zoo, hosted by KidStar and local Boys and Girls Clubs. In attendance will be local kids, KidStar executives, on-air celebrities and California PTA President Carol Ruley.

"KidStar is unique in its dedication to kids, by encouraging them to use a variety of integrated media to interact with each other and the world around them," said Ruley. "The existing San Francisco station and now, the new San Diego station give California kids a fun and safe way to express themselves about issues that touch their lives -- or just be entertained."

"This latest expansion is a tribute to the incredible sense of empowerment for kids we've already generated by KidStar in Seattle and San Francisco. It's extraordinary to facilitate the opportunity for kids to connect with each other and our content by listening, calling, reading and `logging on' to KidStar," said Jodell Seagrave, president and founder.

"There is no question that kids everywhere are excited about the opportunity to have a `voice' in their community, and we are moving aggressively toward our goal of establishing the KidStar network in most of the top 15 metro markets by early next year."

In the Seattle market, more than 155,000 kids, or nearly 50 percent of KidStar's target audience, have signed up to become KidStar All-Stars.

All KidStar stations are managed and fully programmed by KidStar through LMAs (Local Marketing Agreements). The existing KidStar station in Seattle is endorsed by the Washington State PTA, and the San Francisco station works in partnership with the California State PTA.

In addition, KidStar was recently awarded Gold and Silver awards at the prestigious 1996 New York Festivals International Competition for Radio Media for "Waft in Space," an interactive science adventure program, and "Change Machine," a program focusing on social issues of interest to preteens.

Among the most popular of KidStar network programming are "The Cool Show," in which four teenagers "take over" the station and dictate programming; the "Top Ten Countdown," where the daily list of hottest music is determined by call-in voting via the PhoneZone; and "Friday Night Fright Night," in which KidStar DJ Annie Rae takes her listeners on a terrifying tour of mystery and suspense.

KidStar's investors include: Bandai America Inc., one of the world's most successful toy companies; NTT America Inc., a subsidiary of Nippon Telegraph & Telephone; CSK Venture Capital, the largest share-holder of Sega Corp.; Benesse Corp., the largest publisher of educational materials in Japan; and the Washington state-based venture capital group, Vulcan Ventures Inc., the investment organization for Paul Allen.

KidStar advertisers include Nike, Disney Interactive, Nestle USA, Nordstrom, Warner Lambert (Bubblicious) and Nickelodeon.

CONTACT: GOLIN/HARRIS

Julia Dube or Eileen Tanner, 206/462-4220

or

KidStar

Julie Lewitt Diamond, 206/382-1250, ext. 249