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JumpTV Launches New Web Services
Unveils Enhanced Video-On-Demand, Digital Rights Management, Video Advertising, and Social Networking Functionalities; JumpTV's IPTV Network-Utilizing Microsoft Windows Media Protocol-Provides the Highest Quality Streaming Video Experience and an Industry Leading Copyright Compliant Network Infrastructure
| Source: JumpTV Inc.
TORONTO--(CCNMatthews - November 02, 2006) - JumpTV (AIM: JTV) (TSX: JTV), a leading broadcaster of ethnic television over the Internet, has launched a series of new and enhanced services, known as version 3.0 at www.JumpTV.com. The offerings will provide powerful new ways to discover, consume, and share live television programming from around the world on the Internet.
JumpTV's new services will allow subscribers to deepen the personalization of their viewing experience by providing access to previously unavailable programming through video-on-demand and pay-per-view options, including live sporting events, children's programming, concerts, movies and other television content. Additionally, the Company has strengthened its Digital Rights Management (DRM) capabilities, and has launched its video advertising platform.
Complementary Social Networking Services
Beyond the live TV programming from more than 230 channel partners and new content options, JumpTV will now highlight popular social networking features including user-generated blogs and online community forums, and has introduced an entirely new look and feel that will ease the viewing experience for subscribers.
"JumpTV reconnects our subscribers with their native homeland through live broadcast television delivered over the Internet. With our new social networking functions, our subscribers can become active participants in their global communities through this rapidly adopted technology. Millions of people around the world will be able to connect and interact with others within their community," said Alex Blum, president and chief operating officer of JumpTV.
Blum continued, "By providing a forum to communicate and share in the context of subscribers' JumpTV 3.0 experience we've now taken a one-way broadcasting experience and made it social, taking full advantage of the power and functionality the Internet provides."
"With new features and powerful partners -- in both content and technology -- such as Microsoft and Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc. and more than 230 channels from around the globe, JumpTV 3.0 is transforming the IPTV viewing experience. The service provides subscribers with the flexibility to watch top-name content and share their experiences, no matter where they are in the world."
Pay-Per-View and Video-On-Demand
By the end of 2006 the service will commercially launch its video-on-demand feature with popular children's television programming from Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc., the producers and marketers of quality children's content including "Paddington Bear." Subscribers can choose to purchase individual series for US$4.95 or bundled packages like the "Ultimate Kids Pack," featuring eight different titles for US$12.95. Along with "Paddington Bear," other titles in the package include: "Astro Farm," "Wimzie's House," "Huxley Pig," "Simon in the Land" and "Mona the Vampire." Cookie Jar's programming will initially be available in both Spanish and Portuguese.
"Until now, we have not made Cookie Jar's foreign language formats available to the 100 million first generation immigrants who have settled in countries where there are high rates of broadband adoption. We realized that they are a huge untapped market that until now remained un-monetized. JumpTV has attracted more Portuguese and Spanish television viewers on the Internet than any service we explored and feel they're an ideal partner to distribute our content to these sizeable diaspora communities," said Michael Hirsh, chief executive officer of Cookie Jar Entertainment Inc.
Digital Rights Management
As part of the company's commitment to delivering a world class IPTV network that provides the highest quality video experience and is copyright compliant, JumpTV has standardized its streamed television offering on Microsoft's Windows Media Platform.
"The Windows Media Player and DRM License Server provide the world's leading digital rights management technologies. JumpTV's commitment to our channel partners is to seamlessly manage their streamed broadcasts to ensure they are globally rights compliant. Working with Microsoft's solution significantly eases this process for JumpTV and provides an industry leading level of security for our channel partners," said Blum.
Commenting on the integration of the Microsoft offering on JumpTV's platform, Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of consumer media technology group-Microsoft Corporation, stated, "JumpTV's online broadcast offering is the ideal proving ground for our Windows Media technologies. The complexities involved with streaming live television from around the world to a global audience is a sophisticated software challenge. We are thrilled that JumpTV has integrated our media player, our audio and video codecs and our Windows Media DRM solution into their offering."
Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, president and chief executive officer of JumpTV International, stated, "Jump 3.0 represents the living extension of our brand promise to the hundreds of channel partners we work with around the world. There is no length we will not go to, to ensure our partners security, integrity and ease of use."
Streaming Video Advertising
With JumpTV 3.0, the company will begin to deliver Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) standard video advertising targeted to specific regional programming or user communities. JumpTV's video advertising inventory will initially be available through Advertising.com's video network and through direct sales on a limited sponsorship basis.
"Streaming video advertising is the fastest growing segment of the online advertising market, and JumpTV's new service offering and focus on international programming represents a tremendous addition to the fast growing Advertising.com video network," said James Smith, senior vice president Publisher Services. "We look forward to our partnership with JumpTV on our continued efforts to satisfy the ever increasing demand for targeted and interactive streaming video advertising."
JumpTV 3.0 became available Oct. 13th, 2006.
About JumpTV
JumpTV (AIM: JTV) (TSX: JTV) is the world's leading subscription-based broadcaster of ethnic television over the Internet. With over 200 channels from 65+ countries, JumpTV delivers its subscribers full-screen news, sports and entertainment content on a real-time basis from all corners of the globe. JumpTV has subscribers from over 80 countries who view channels on the JumpTV online network via high-speed Internet connections on their home computers, laptops, Internet-enabled televisions and mobile phones.
Forward looking statement
Certain statements herein may constitute forward-looking statements, including those identified by the expressions "may", "will", "should", "could", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "potential", "expect", "intent" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Company or its managements. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations and are based on information currently available to management. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including the matters discussed under "Risk Factors" contained in the Company's prospectus (admission document) dated August 1, 2006. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.