FreeMark Communications and SportsTicker enter online sports information distribution agreement; Popular sports content first of a series of innovative content offerings to be delivered free to email users.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 30, 1996--FreeMark Communications, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a contractual agreement with SportsTicker(R) under which FreeMark will deliver SportsTicker's sports stories, statistics and game results for free to members of its FreeMark Mail(TM) electronic mail (email) service.

The SportsTicker program will be tested in early 1996, concurrent with FreeMark's rollout of its national, free email service and will be the first of a series of packaged content offerings that FreeMark will provide its members at no cost. Other content types under FreeMark's consideration include daily horoscopes, local weather, syndicated movie reviews and more.

According to FreeMark President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Young, the traditional view of the online services industry is one which has consumers spending long hours browsing the Internet in search of desired information, or engaged in real-time communications with "cyber friends." FreeMark believes that there is another, increasingly popular "batching" behavior in which consumers spend limited time on the computer and use that time to download specific information that has been packaged and addressed to them according to their needs and desires. FreeMark focuses on meeting the needs of these consumers by delivering free consumer-requested content via an email envelope. This can be personal email messages, pre-packaged commercial content and, ultimately, personalized content searches performed by intelligent agents.

"Online activities such as Web surfing, chatting and bulletin boards are the traditional domain of the technical enthusiast," noted Young. "Email, however, appeals to the masses. Along with personal news from friends, colleagues and family members, consumers will find email an ideal delivery mechanism for much of their favorite daily information. We believe that for many, sports news will head that list."

"We are thrilled to work with FreeMark to offer up-to-the-minute sports content as part of this groundbreaking, free email service," said Rick Alessandri, vice president and general manager, SportsTicker. "FreeMark's email service is the perfect way for sports fans to get SportsTicker's timely online information. With FreeMark Mail, consumers worldwide can access updates on their favorite sports with their daily mail -- right from the desktop."

The FreeMark/SportsTicker content will be offered to FreeMark Mail members on a free subscription basis. The SportsTicker content will be delivered in the same format as personal mail: members will receive a special daily "SportsTicker" mail envelope affixed with a sponsoring advertiser's digital stamp (FreeMark will sell "sponsorship" of the sports content to national brand advertisers to whom the demographic and lifestyle characteristics of sports enthusiasts are attractive). Screens displaying the SportsTicker information will include an unobtrusive advertiser banner with buttons that consumers can click to access advertiser promotions including coupons, discounted offers and other product and service premiums. Members may start or discontinue their subscription to the SportsTicker service at any time and still maintain their ongoing personal email account. FreeMark maintains a strict privacy policy toward its members, guaranteeing that while advertisers may target them to receive promotional advertising, no individual member's identity is passed on to advertisers unless explicitly directed to do so by the member.

FreeMark is an Internet-based email service allowing its members to send and receive electronic mail from anyone with an Internet or other commercial online service email address. Only FreeMark Mail members, however, receive specialized content such as SportsTicker, as well as advertiser premiums and discounts. Current FreeMark advertisers include Radio Shack, Nabisco brands, Campbell Soup, Upjohn Pharmaceuticals and others. For a look at the FreeMark Mail service, visit http://www.freemark.com. FreeMark Communications is based in Cambridge, Mass.

SportsTicker delivers instant scores, breaking sports news, statistics, previews, recaps and features gathered by more than 700 event-site reporters. SportsTicker serves hundreds of radio and TV stations, broadcast and cable networks, daily newspapers, wire services, audiotex, videotext, cabletext, paging services, and interactive media and electronic publishing applications throughout the United States, Canada, South America and Japan.

SportsTicker is the instant sports news and information service of ESPN, Inc., in partnership with Dow Jones & Company, Inc., publisher of The Wall Street Journal and a leader in electronic information services. ESPN, Inc., synonymous with quality sports programming, includes ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN International, ESPN Radio Network, ESPNET and ESPN Enterprises. -0-

FreeMark is a trademark of FreeMark Communications. Inc.

CONTACT: FreeMark Communications Inc.

Dorothy Woglom, 617/492-6600

[e-mail]

or

SportsTicker

Lou Monaco, 201/938-4537