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Screenwriters | Video Networks Inc. Forms Key Alliance With Avid Technology,
Inc. to Seamlessly Link VNI's NewsTracker With Avid's Nonlinear Editing Systems ATLANTA Interface Will Allow Broadcasters to Receive and Edit Content Digitally Video Networks Inc. (VNI), a leading business-to-business provider of digitized video and e-commerce services for the media industry, today announced an agreement with Avid Technology, Inc. that will allow VNI's NewsTracker(TM) news-on-demand system to seamlessly link to Avid'S NewsCutter(R) and Media Composer(R) nonlinear editing systems. VNI's NewsTracker system allows news producers to quickly and easily access and manage broadcast-quality digitized news content. Newsrooms no longer have to roll tape constantly to record news feeds. NewsTracker's Java-based interface allows news producers to review categorized regional, national and breaking news stories. With the NewsTracker system, they can browse through content and select broadcast-quality video clips and associated scripts right from their desktop. NewsTracker has dramatically changed news feed operations for NBC NewsChannel and all 215 NBC News affiliate stations nationwide by eliminating time-consuming and inefficient videotape processes. The Avid(R) NewsCutter system is used by more broadcast editors than any other nonlinear news editing system. The first nonlinear Windows NT-based editing system designed specifically for news editing, the NewsCutter system is built on Avid's intuitive user interface and award-winning system design. The NewsCutter system eliminates the linear restrictions of tape-based systems and offers unparalleled editing flexibility on an affordable PC platform. When combined with VNI's NewsTracker system, it is expected to allow broadcasters to receive and edit content without dubbing to tape. NewsTracker will also interface with the Avid Media Composer family, with products spanning from television offline and film editing to mainstream television online. More Media Composer systems are used for television offline/online editing and broadcast bumper/promo creation than all other digital nonlinear systems combined. The new Avid Media Composer XL products add bold new innovations in networking, collaboration, uncompressed image quality, performance, features and Avid's unique Universal Offline editing. "We are thrilled to announce this relationship with the largest provider of nonlinear editors," said Mike Eckert, chief executive officer of VNI. "By moving content directly from NewsTracker to Avid's NewsCutter or Media Composer systems, we meet the needs of our customers for easy access to nonlinear editing of the content they receive through our complete Media Commerce Network." "At Avid, we understand that the majority of the industry is migrating toward a tapeless environment, or wants to. Avid has been spearheading that move for the past 11 years. We see an opportunity with VNI to be able to move toward elimination of videotape for handling major server-based news feeds. If we can eliminate the headaches of having to have multiple recordings, and put it directly to a disk drive for editing, it's going to streamline the system for everybody," says Richard Keilty, director of partner programs for Avid. About Avid Technology, Inc. (www.avid.com) Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID) is an international, industry-leading provider of digital audio and video solutions for information and entertainment applications. The company's products are used by a variety of customers worldwide including film, television and interactive content producers, TV news broadcasters, corporate communicators and consumers. Avid, Media Composer and NewsCutter are registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. About Video Networks Inc. (www.vninet.com) Video Networks Inc. (VNI) leverages the power of the Internet and satellite technologies with B2B application services for managing digital content distribution as well as related e-commerce transactions. VNI's Media Commerce Network and our applications for the broadcast, cable, Internet, media, entertainment and information industries streamline and automate the media distribution process and facilitate end-to-end media transaction management and broadband content delivery. Our customers include NBC NewsChannel, National Cable Communications (NCC), Across Media Networks (AMN) and Charter Communications. NewsTracker is a trademark of Video Networks Inc. KEYWORD: GEORGIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: E-COMMERCE COMPUTERS/ELECTRONICS CABLE TELEVISION/RADIO PRODUCT ©2000 |