Showtime Networks and Apple Computer, Inc. have announced that the Showtime New Media Group and Apple Computer's Interactive Media Group have agreed to collaborate on a broad range of interactive media activities. These include advanced technology and equipment seeding, development of media tools and webcast technologies, and sponsorship of Showtime World Wide Web programming.

Showtime will be utilizing Apple's interactive media technologies, such as QuickTime, QuickTime VR and QuickDraw 3D to integrate web coverage of premium and pay per view programming with real-time, viewer interactive participation. QuickTime media technology permits Showtime to take broadcast-quality digital images directly from Showtime's live video feeds and convert theme into dynamic video, 3-D images, and virtual reality panoramas for distribution and user interaction via Showtime's premiere Web sites ShowtimeOnline, and MTyson.

"With Apple's support, the transition from an analog intensive production process to an integrated digital process is now complete," said Jeff Morris, Showtime's senior vice president of New Media & Technology Development. "Production costs are down, programming cycle times have been reduced and our programming content is now 'web-ready.' This digital environment is permitting Showtime to make the World Wide Web a direct extension of our premium and pay-per-view television viewing experiences."

Beginning with the November 9 Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield pay per view fight, Showtime programmers and media engineers began using Apple's IMG Telecast to interweave and to extend real time ringside action directly with the fight's official World Wide Web site, MTyson.com. MTyson.com brought the global boxing audience ringside long before the first punch was ever thrown.

With QuickTime technology and the World Wide Web, the fighter's locker room, weigh-in, face-off, pre-fight interviews, training equipment, even the post fight-festivities all came alive via full color digital movies and realistic virtual reality panoramas available on MTyson.com. Once the actual fight began, viewers were able to download and capture real time ringside events and score the fight, round by round. The interactive experience, coupled with rich, continuously updated content on MTyson.com, generated 6 million hits during fight week.

This collaboration is a natural extension of on-going efforts by Showtime and Apple to develop digital desktop video editing and broadcast production areas at Showtime Networks. Showtime and Apple have integrated Macintosh 8500 and 9500 systems and QuickTime pro-media technologies to develop a fully digital desktop studio environment for the production and broadcast of programming.

"We are extremely excited about what is taking place at Showtime," said Carlos Montalvo, vice president, Interactive Media Group, Apple Computer, Inc. "Showtime's unique audience demographics and proven premium and pay per view program strategies provides the ideal 'digital laboratory' for creating user interactive and multicast entertainment programs. The work that Showtime is doing with its Mike Tyson and original SNI program assets is redefining and accelerating the advent of interactive television and audience interactive programming."

Showtime Networks Inc., is wholly owned and operated by Viacom Inc. SHOWTIME owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME, THE MOVIE CHANNEL and FLIX, as well as Showtime Satellite Networks. SNI operates and manages the new premium network SUNDANCE CHANNEL, which is owned by SNI, Robert Redford and Filmed Entertainment. SNI also manages, through a joint venture, ALL NEWS CHANNEL. Showtime en Espanol, a separate audio feed on SHOWTIME, is also available for the Spanish-speaking audience.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, personal digital assistants and Internet content. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple develops, manufactures licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific and engineering and government customers in more than 140 countries.