Austin Powers Makes Entertainment History With Feature-Length TV/Web Convergence Programming.Entertainment Editors & Television Writers NOTE TO MEDIA: Photo available on BW PhotoWire/AP PhotoExpress, NewsCom, PressLink and on Business Wire's Web site at www.businesswire.com NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Dec. 27, 1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged shag 1 n. 1. A tangle or mass, especially of rough matted hair. 2. a. A coarse long nap, as on a woolen cloth. b. Cloth having such a nap. 3. A rug with a thick rough pile. Me on Pay-Per-View to be Enhanced with Smashing Web Content, Groovy groov·y adj. groov·i·er, groov·i·est Slang Very pleasing; wonderful. groov  i·ness n. Chat Features & Shagedelic Interactivity New Line Television and HyperTV Networks, a subsidiary of ACTV ACTV Active ACTV Activate ACTV Azienda del Consorzio Trasporti Veneziano (Venice Public Transport Company, Italy) ACTV Advanced Compatible Television , Inc., will enhance the pay-per-view airings of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me with an unparalleled, feature-length TV/Web convergence experience, powered by HyperTV(R). From January 1, 2000 through February 29, 2000, people nationwide who buy Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me on pay-per-view will be able to simultaneously "play along" with the movie on their computer while they watch it on their TV. The Austin Powers/HyperTV experience will be available free-of-charge to pay-per-view consumers by downloading the free HyperTV plug-in from the official Austin Powers Web site (http://www.austinpowers.com). Once viewers register and download the plug-in, they will be able to log-on to automatically receive and interact with Web content that is synchronized syn·chro·nize v. syn·chro·nized, syn·chro·niz·ing, syn·chro·niz·es v.intr. 1. To occur at the same time; be simultaneous. 2. To operate in unison. v.tr. 1. to correspond with any pay-per-view airing of Austin Powers between January 1 and February 29, 2000. HyperTV will provide a synchronized interactive experience regardless of which cable or satellite pay-per-view provider delivers the movie into the home. The Austin Powers/HyperTV content will enhance and complement the viewing experience with online games, factoids and interactive trivia that humorously play off the plot, characters, cast and numerous pop culture references as they appear in the movie. See top-secret profiles of Dr. Evil; find out the origin of the Fembots; and read memos only Virtucon employees have ever seen...until now! In addition, viewers will be able to chat, in real-time, with other fans that are part of the Austin Powers HyperTV online community. Viewers are expected to receive special offers and discounts from sponsors of the pay-per-view airings, along with e-commerce opportunities for products related to the film. To experience Austin Powers/HyperTV programming, consumers need to have a television set with access to pay-per-view programming via cable or satellite, and a computer with an Internet connection located in the same room. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a survey by Paul Kagan Associates, nearly one in five U.S. households currently exhibits convergent behavior, simultaneously viewing television and accessing the Internet. This represents more than 20 million convergent households in the U.S. "The pay-per-view launch demanded something worthy of Austin Powers. We needed to offer something outside-the-box that will give viewers a first-of-its-kind experience," said David Spiegelman, Executive Vice President Domestic Television Distribution, New Line Cinema. "By incorporating a compelling interactive element via the Web in real-time, our viewers will experience a motion picture at home from an entirely new perspective. HyperTV and Austin Powers bring an exciting new entertainment platform to pay-per-view and to television in general." Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me had the most successful opening weekend in history for a comedy, and has proven to be a marketing phenomenon, generating over $205 million at the box office. New Line Television is backing the January 1, 2000 premiere of their blockbuster block·bust·er n. 1. Something, such as a film or book, that sustains widespread popularity and achieves enormous sales. 2. A high-explosive bomb used for demolition purposes. 3. with the biggest pay-per-view promotion ever. The Austin Powers/HyperTV pay-per-view experience has received unprecedented support from Mike Myers Mike Myers may refer to:
This article is about the wine. For the Austin Powers character, see Fat Bastard (character). ) and Michael York Michael or Mike York may refer to:
Basil works for British Intelligence in an indeterminate role as Austin Powers controller. ). Never in the history of pay-per-view has a producer/star been so intimately involved in every aspect of a promotion, from inception to final execution of the HyperTV experience. To date, Mr. Myers and his management team have been enthusiastic and supportive, offering fast and valuable feedback and creative direction at every turn. Mr. York serves as the on-camera host for the five minute HyperTV introduction, as well as the voice-over talent for the TV and radio spots for the promotional campaign. Bruce Crowley, President, HyperTV Networks, Inc., said: "The synchronized Web content and other interactive HyperTV features will provide Austin Powers fans with the most exciting TV/Web convergence experience ever offered, and provide substantial added value Added value in financial analysis of shares is to be distinguished from value added. Used as a measure of shareholder value, calculated using the formula:
About HyperTV(R) ACTV's patented HyperTV software solution enables TV networks, programmers and advertisers to automatically deliver to consumers compelling interactive Web content, Web-based advertising messages, e-commerce, and community chat features that are synchronized to correspond to a live or pre-recorded television program. The HyperTV software is a free browser plug-in A third-party software product, such as a search toolbar, that is integrated into a Web browser to extend its capabilities. A "helper application" provides similar capabilities to a browser plug-in, but runs as an external application and typically launches another window for viewing. for newer versions of either Netscape Navigator An earlier Web browser for Windows, Macintosh and X Windows from Netscape that provided secure transmission over the Internet. Soon after its introduction in 1994, Navigator, or just "Netscape," as it was commonly called, quickly became the leading browser on the Web. or Microsoft Internet Explorer See Internet Explorer. , the most popular web browsers The following is a list of web browsers. Historical Historically important browsers In order of release:
Currently, HyperTV offers a "two-screen" solution for TV/Web convergence, targeting the more than 20 million convergent households in the U.S. today -- people who watch TV while they surf the Web on their computer. As next generation digital set-top boxes The cable TV box that sits on "top" of the TV "set," although it is often located several feet away in an equipment rack. The set-top box descrambles the premium channels and provides a tuner for the higher cable numbers that very old TVs did not support. , cable modems cable modem Modem used to convert analog data signals to digital form and vise versa, for transmission or receipt over cable television lines, especially for connecting to the Internet. and other consumer devices are deployed, viewers will be able to enjoy a HyperTV experience with each of the elements -- video, audio, synchronized Web content, Web-based ads, e-commerce and chat -- simultaneously delivered directly to their television screen or to their desktop computer. HyperTV provides viewers with a richer interactive experience and allows them to become part of a dynamic virtual community, while allowing TV networks, programmers and advertisers to leverage the power of the Web to extend their brand identity, access lucrative e-commerce revenue streams, develop one-to-one relationships with viewers, and differentiate their program offerings today. HyperTV also has a database capability that captures valuable permission-based marketing information. About New Line Cinema Founded in 1967, New Line Cinema is the entertainment industry's leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical motion pictures. New Line licenses its films to ancillary markets including cable and broadcast television as well as to international venues. The company, which is a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., operates several divisions including in-house theatrical distribution, marketing, home video, television, acquisitions, production, licensing and merchandising units. Disclaimer: This news release contains forward-looking statements forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements which are other than statements of historical facts. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, product and service demand and acceptance, changes in technology, economic conditions, the impact of competition and pricing, government regulation, and other risks defined in this document and in statements filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All such forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, and whether made by or on behalf of the Company, are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. In addition, the company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. NOTE TO EDITORS: Interviews with executives from New Line and HyperTV Networks are available. Camera-ready color screen grabs of the Austin Powers HyperTV Web interface are available by calling Bratskeir & Company at 212-679-2233. |
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