JCN and ME U to air special news segments examining virtual reality and cybersexism.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 1995--New Media News, a daily news program for and about new technology with an emphasis on computer users, will air news segments examining virtual reality and cybersexism.

The segments, produced by Broadcast News Networks, will air the entire week of Monday, Jan. 23 through Friday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET on both Jones Computer Network (JCN) and Mind Extension University (ME/U). Highlights will air on New Media News on both ME/U and JCN on Saturday and Sunday at 8 and 10 p.m. ET.

The first two segments, which air on Monday and Tuesday, focus on the newest and most exciting virtual reality technologies. A virtual "Mark Twain" guides the viewer through a tour of the latest virtual reality machines, games and applications. These segments show how virtual reality is being used today to hang-glide with monsters, build space stations, and train police officers and surgeons. In addition, the virtual reality segments will demonstrate network-virtual reality applications which allow more than one player to go "inside" video games to battle or compete in various scenarios.

The new technology and the technology in the works for the near future will allow virtual reality technology to become even more realistic by adding smell and limited touch to the applications.

The last three segments airing Wednesday through Friday, cover the interactive, raw, and real world of cybersex and cybersexism. Using computers and modems, some computer users are going on-line through special "red light district" chat services to have sexual encounters in cyberspace. The information being fed back and forth, in full-view of other on-line users, has become so graphic that some parents chaperone their children when their children are on-line in computer chat rooms.

The cybersexism segments focus on how a majority of women are less likely than men to use chat on bulletin board services because the women are being sexually harassed by men on-line. Many men, on the other hand, believe they have the freedom of speech amendment to back-up the language and topics they choose to use on-line. In other words, if people don't like it, they can turn their computer off or find another room to chat on-line.

Jones Computer Network (JCN), a subsidiary of Jones Education Networks Inc., is a cable television channel devoted to providing entertaining and educational programs about computers and other forms of information technology. JCN, launched in May of 1993 as a prime time programming segment on ME/U, launched as a full-time network on Sept. 6, 1994, and currently reaches approximately 1 million television households.

Mind Extension University (ME/U): The Education Network, a subsidiary of Jones Education Networks Inc., is the only basic cable televsion network devoted to distance education and currently reaches approximately 26 million households in nearly 9,000 communities. ME/U works in conjunction with more than 30 universities and the nation's leading providers of distance education, offering a broad range of professional development, skills based and college credit programming, including a choice of eight degree programs, language and cultural programming, computer literacy classes and programming for personal enrichment.

Jones Education Networks (JEN), a subsidiary of Jones International Ltd., operates Jones Computer Network and Mind Extension University. The JEN networks, which will include additional channels addressing health care and languages/cultural topics, are dedicated to increasing educational and learning opportunities.

CONTACT: Jones Computer Network, Englewood

Jeff Baumgartner, 303/792-3111

meupr("at" symbol)meu.edu