REDMOND, Wash., and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 6, 1997 — Microsoft Corp. and Infoseek Corp. today announced agreement on the principal terms of several promotional and revenue-sharing arrangements that will integrate Microsoft® Investor, tools and content from Microsoft Money Insider
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interactive financial guide, Microsoft Expedia
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.com travel services, Microsoft CarPoint
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online automotive service and MSNBC on the Internet with Infoseek’s award-winning Internet service. Infoseek consumers will benefit from quick access to Microsoft’s leading online content and transaction-capable sites, while Microsoft will significantly widen its Internet audience reach. Both companies expect to gain from additional advertising and transaction-related revenue opportunities.
Through the arrangements, Infoseek will feature Microsoft’s leading Internet news, personal investment, travel and automotive sites as Anchor Channel Partners within Infoseek’s new intelligent channel format. “MSNBC, Expedia.com, Investor, Money Insider’s financial tools and CarPoint all provide top-of-the-line content and services,” said Infoseek President and CEO Harry Motro. “Infoseek is committed to working with the best of the best, and each of Microsoft’s products will make important additions to our intelligent channels by providing fast, easy access to resources and services that will enhance the quality of the Infoseek consumer’s online experience.”
These arrangements with Infoseek represent Microsoft’s broadest move to date to increase online presence. “Infoseek is consistently ranked as one of the most popular navigation hubs on the Net,” said Pete Higgins, group vice president of the interactive media group at Microsoft. “Expanding the reach of our leading online services with content aggregators such as Infoseek will help grow our online businesses by exposing our brands to more and more people, making it easier for online users to take advantage of the best of the Internet.” Higgins and Motro indicated that Microsoft and Infoseek will work as quickly as possible to finalize these agreements.
The distribution and commerce arrangements are part of a series of similar relationships Infoseek has announced since unveiling its intelligent channel format just two weeks ago, and are another indication of industry acceptance of Infoseek’s new channel strategy. Further terms were not disclosed.
The newly redesigned MSNBC on the Internet ( http://www.msnbc.com/ ), rated the No. 1 online news source for reach, frequency and gross audience by Media Metrix, will be a key news content provider for Infoseek’s News and Sports channels. Infoseek users will receive MSNBC’s free, up-to-the-minute, in-depth coverage of news events. MSNBC’s ease of navigation and enhanced personalization tools make MSNBC on the Internet the world’s leading provider of news made for the Net.
Microsoft Investor ( http://investor.MSN.com/ ), an Internet resource created to help users easily track their investments and make investment decisions, will go live as the Anchor Channel Partner on Infoseek’s Personal Finance Channel. Microsoft Investor is a free, Web-based service, providing personal investors with portfolio tracking, original editorial content, business news, stock quotes, historical data and access to online trading. In addition to its broad range of free services (connect-time charges may apply), Microsoft Investor now offers subscribers unlimited access to valuable premium services for a monthly charge of $9.95 (members of MSN
™
, The Microsoft Network pay only $6.95).
The Microsoft Money Insider ( http://moneyinsider.MSN.com/ ) interactive financial guide will also offer its financial planning tools and content through Infoseek’s Personal Finance Channel. Microsoft Money Insider helps consumers make smart financial decisions by providing current information on a variety of financial topics, directories of financial planners and online banking services, and answers to frequently asked personal finance questions.
Microsoft’s leading travel site, Microsoft Expedia.com, will be the Anchor Channel Partner and exclusive travel booking engine on Infoseek’s new Travel Channel. Microsoft Expedia.com ( http://expedia.com/ ) is the place to go on the Web to plan and purchase travel, and to make air, car and hotel reservations. Expedia.com offers in-depth destination content and travel news as well as mapping, address finding and direction services. By its first anniversary in October, Expedia.com had become one of the Web’s most successful electronic-commerce sites in the travel category, consistently topping $2 million in weekly travel sales.
Microsoft CarPoint ( http://carpoint.MSN.com/ ), one of the most heavily trafficked automotive sites on the Web, is now a co-anchor on Infoseek’s new Automotive Channel. CarPoint version 2.0, announced Oct. 23, is the Internet’s first automotive supersite, offering users a comprehensive source for car-buying information, including Kelley Blue Book information, used-car reliability ratings, dynamic side-by-side comparison tools and up-to-date interest rate information. CarPoint offers new- and used-car shoppers support throughout the entire car-buying process.
This press release contains forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results of Infoseek’s arrangements with Microsoft may differ materially as a result of a number of factors, including Infoseek’s ability to successfully finalize and execute the agreements with Microsoft, integrate third-party services into Infoseek’s services, and gain from additional advertising and transaction-related revenue opportunities.
About Infoseek
Based in Sunnyvale, Calif., Infoseek Corp. (NASDAQ “SEEK”) is a connected media company that provides a leading, free award-winning Internet navigation service. Infoseek is one of the most frequently visited sites on the Internet because its easy-to-use product allows new as well as experienced users to find the information they need on the Web quickly and easily.
With intelligent channels and one of the world’s largest directories of Web sites organized by topic, Infoseek provides consumers with meaning and context in addition to high-quality search results. Infoseek has commerce and content arrangements with entities including Ameritrade (NASDAQ “AMTD”), Auto-By-Tel, Borders Group Inc. (NYSE “BGP”), CMP Media Inc. (NASDAQ “CMPX”), Datek Online, DLJ direct , Microsoft, PeopleLink Inc., Reuters and Talk City.
About the Interactive Media Group and Microsoft
The mission of the Microsoft Interactive Media Group is to engage the home computer user with products and services that make the PC an integral part of people’s everyday lives. The interactive media group’s businesses comprise The Microsoft Network; interactive service businesses, including Expedia.com and the Mungo Park
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online travel magazine, CarPoint and Sidewalk
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city guide; news and commentary products MSNBC on the Internet and Slate
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interactive magazine; multimedia games and The Internet Gaming Zone; consumer CD-ROM titles in the kids, reference and mapping categories; desktop finance products and services including Microsoft Investor; and a variety of hardware offerings.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Money Insider, Expedia, CarPoint, MSN, Mungo Park, Sidewalk and Slate are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Infoseek, the Infoseek logos and the phrase, “Once you know, you know” are trademarks of Infoseek Corp., which may be registered in certain jurisdictions.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
The Microsoft Network is operated by Microsoft Corp. on behalf of Microsoft Network LLC.
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. For information about Infoseek, please visit the Infoseek corporate information pages at http://info.infoseek.com/
