Mark Dawson Named Vice President, Programming Services for ICTV ActiveMedia Group

Mark Dawson Named Vice President, Programming Services for ICTV ActiveMedia Group

SAN JOSE, Calif., April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- ICTV(R), which provides ActiveVideo(TM) solutions that infuse TV with the best features of the Web, announced today that Mark Dawson, a veteran new media executive with experience across a wide array of platforms and genres, has joined the company as Vice President, Programming Services of the company's ActiveMedia Group.

Dawson joins the ActiveMedia Group from Gemstar-TV Guide International, where he served as Director of Cross Platform TV Guidance Product Management, with responsibility for the successful launch of the My TV Guide suite of services. With ActiveMedia Group, he is responsible for driving the creation and launch of ActiveVideo programming by such major brands as HSN, Fox, CNN, Reuters and others, including original programming.

ActiveVideo significantly expands the opportunities for programmers, service providers and advertisers to generate new revenues by allowing viewers to define what they want from TV and share it with others in a fully interactive environment that combines high quality video, clickable advertisements and responsive remote control navigation of TV screens. Based on standard web technologies for authoring and delivery, ActiveVideo increases the immediacy of TV by creating an absorbing experience that is frequently and fluidly refreshed. ActiveVideo is currently deployed using existing cable and IPTV infrastructure and standard remote controls, requiring no new investment in digital set-top boxes.

"ActiveVideo's ability to combine Web and broadcast video elements enables programmers and operators to expand the equity of their brands through innovative programming, navigation and advertising," said Robert Gonsalves, senior vice president and general manager of the ActiveMedia Group, "Mark Dawson's creativity and expertise in bringing content to multiple platforms is uniquely suited to helping our customers and our partners to use ActiveVideo to develop and deliver channels that maximize the value of the viewer experience."

"The widespread deployment of interactive services to the television has been limited by fragmented approaches available to content providers, advertisers and ultimately the consumers," said Dawson. "ActiveVideo is unique in its ability to offer a standards-based, end-to-end intuitive experience: programmers can author content once for every set-top box and Web-connected device, and viewers can personalize, navigate through and interact with television content just as they would on the Web."

Prior to Gemstar-TV Guide, Dawson was involved in the launch of new products for Helio, a joint venture of SK Telecom and Earthlink to deliver video, music, data and community applications to mobile customers. He also has worked for companies such as FOX Sports Interactive Media, Microsoft, News Corporation and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment's FOX Interactive gaming division.

About ICTV

ICTV(R) delivers ActiveVideo(TM), a dynamic viewing experience that brings broadband choice and control to the television. ActiveVideo combines interactive elements and targeted, clickable advertisements with the high-quality video, immediate responsiveness and remote control navigation of TV. The ActiveVideo platform requires no new customer premise equipment and utilizes existing Web and video standards, enabling network operators, programmers and advertisers to create content once for real-time delivery to any digital set-top box. ICTV is based in the heart of Silicon Valley, with offices in Los Angeles, Baltimore, Beijing and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit http://www.ictv.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: ICTV

CONTACT: Paul Schneider, +1-215-702-9784 (Office), +1-215-817-4384,
(mobile), pspr@att.net, for ICTV

Web site:

http://www.ictv.com/

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