AT&T Digital Media Centers Chosen as Mentor by The American Film Institute; Institute Recognizes Interactive Sandbox Capabilities.

Entertainment Editors

DENVER--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Nov. 26, 2001

The American Film Institute (AFI) has chosen the technology pioneers of AT&T Digital Media Centers' Interactive Sandbox to participate in their 2001 AFI Enhanced TV (eTV) Workshop.

The AFI eTV Workshop is an exclusive, production-based environment providing television producers with the opportunity to work with world-class technology innovators and designers to adapt their show for an enhanced TV platform. Producer Louis Alvarez and director Andrew Kolker will work with AT&T's Interactive Sandbox on "People Like Us: Social Class in America," a light-hearted but searching look at America's homegrown class system. The program, slated for the 2001/2002-network television season features its standard version for television. On November 27, 2001 at the AFI campus in Los Angeles, the prototype for an interactive version of the program will premiere. The program's enhancements, created and developed in conjunction with AT&T's Interactive Sandbox, will include program-specific quizzes, games and polls.

"Strong mentors are critical to the success of the Workshop productions," stated Marcia Zellers, AFI's director of Enhanced TV, "and AT&T's Interactive Sandbox is a fundamental contributor to 'People Like Us.' AT&T's precision set top box knowledge, top-notch interactive program development expertise, and production resources are a primary force on this team."

"We are honored AFI has chosen our Interactive Sandbox group to mentor an important PBS special," said Gary Traver, senior vice president, Video Services for AT&T Digital Media Centers. "It is thrilling to be on the AFI Mentoring Team that will create a prototype for the next generation of digital television."

AT&T's Interactive Sandbox joins mentors Trapeze, FutureBrand, producer Carolyn May, Second Story Interactive, and Aaron Sugarman, regional president of Agency.com on the "People Like Us" production team. Seven additional productions in the 2001 AFI eTV Workshop are staffed by more than 40 additional specially selected mentors.

Located at the AT&T Digital Media Centers headquarters in Denver, The Interactive Sandbox works with cutting edge interactive tool providers, including Intellocity USA, Chryon and Respond TV. Each provider has worked to design the tools needed to make iTV content development viable in the programming realm. AT&T's Interactive Sandbox facilities allow the transformation from passive, linear television viewing to become participatory, non-linear transmission of HTML data to television. Web sites also can be repurposed for the television medium, making it a viewer-friendly experience.

"AT&T's Digital Sandbox creates a place for the producers of interactive technology to develop iTV programming. This enhanced programming can then be passed to programming networks who will be among the first to offer various iTV platforms to their viewers," said Leslie Colacello, senior director of Sales and Marketing at ADMC.

Major funding for the 2001 AFI eTV Workshop is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with additional sponsorship by Microsoft TV and Liberate Technologies.

AT&T Digital Media Centers, a division of AT&T Broadband, provides network origination services, global transmission via satellite and terrestrial fiber optics, broadcast-quality studio, mobile and post-production services, interactive television applications, and streaming distribution capabilities. AT&T Digital Media Centers is based in Englewood (Denver), Colorado with additional facilities in Los Angeles, New York and Hong Kong. AT&T Broadband, a business unit of AT&T, is one of the nation's largest broadband services companies. AT&T Corp. (NYSE:T) is the world's leader in telecommunications services and technology.

AFI is the preeminent organization dedicated to advancing and preserving the art of film, television and other forms of the moving image. AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers, coordinates nationwide film preservation efforts and explores new technologies in moviemaking. AFI also presents the best of film through the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival, the AFI National Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and the annual AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor given for a career in film. More information about AFI can be found by visiting its award-winning Web site, located at www.AFIonline.org.

For more information about AT&T Digital Media Centers visit www.centers.att.com.

Interactive Sandbox Photos available on request. Gary Traver and Leslie Colacello available for interviews.