MICROSOFT, VIRTUALIZE BRING EXCLUSIVE WEB COVERAGE TO THE OSCARS

Web Site Extends World's Most-Watched TV Show From Three-Hour Program to
Six-Week Event; Made Richer by Microsoft's Web Server, Web Browser,
Cinemania Online and MSN

REDMOND, WASH. - JAN. 23, 1996 - In a strategic alliance announced today,
Microsoft Corp. and Virtualize, of Santa Monica, Calif., said they would
build a World Wide Web site that allows movie enthusiasts to get
up-to-date Academy Awards information.

The new OscarR site, http://oscars.guide.com, will be accessible from Feb.
13, the day the Academy Award nominations are announced, through the end
of March. It will allow computer users worldwide to enjoy six weeks of
buildup through the Oscar awards ceremony, broadcast March 25 on ABC-TV.
Full details about the Web site will be shared Feb. 8 in Los Angeles.

The deal is significant because it will promote and enhance the world's
largest TV event for millions of Web users. Microsoft has a similar
strategic deal with NBC and the NFL for another prominent TV event, the
Super Bowl, creating this year's "superbowl.com" Web site
(http://www.superbowl.com).

Virtualize has the exclusive worldwide license to create interactive titles
for the Academy Awards. Microsoft and Virtualize will work closely with
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Oscarcast producers
Quincy Jones and David Salzman in creating the content of the Oscar Web
site. Virtualize has done work for Disney, Castle Rock, Turner
Entertainment, NBC and Activision, a popular game maker.

As part of the agreement, Microsoft will provide technical support as well
as the products and technology to make the Oscar Web site as robust and
dynamic as possible. Microsoft also will provide site links to CinemaniaR
Online, a unique interactive source for movie history, video clips, and
up-to-date movie reviews. Other online links will allow Web users to tap
into the rich entertainment content on MSN, The Microsoft Network. The
engine for the Web site will be the MicrosoftR Internet Information
Server. This high-performance Web server, which is integrated into the
Windows NT Server 32-bit operating system, is scheduled to be available in
February. The Oscar site also takes advantage of the state-of-the-art
technologies in the Microsoft Internet Explorer version 2.0 Web browser.
Although any user connected to the Internet can access the Oscar site,
users of Internet Explorer 2.0 will have exclusive access to premier
sound, video and graphics.

"This relationship will demonstrate a unique TV-plus-Internet experience
for the first time," said Jonathan D. Lazarus, vice president of strategic
relations at Microsoft. "We hope this event will encourage other companies
to extend themselves to new multimedia platforms, reaching new audiences
and tapping into valuable marketing opportunities."

"More than 1 billion viewers watch the Oscars each year," said David
Mangone, president of Virtualize (http://www.virtualize.com). "We think we
can measurably enhance that TV viewing experience and make it more
meaningful for millions of Internet users."

Virtualize is a multimedia publisher that develops and produces interactive
programming and proprietary titles. Virtualize also develops and produces
interactive concepts and advertising-driven programming created in
conjunction with corporate sponsors.

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.

The Microsoft Network is operated by Microsoft Corp. on behalf of Microsoft
Network LLC.

FOR ONLINE PRODUCT INFORMATION:

Windows Internet Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on
Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft home page at
http://www.microsoft.com/corpinfo. To receive Microsoft press releases by
fax, please call (800) 859-5915 in the United States or (201) 333-0314
internationally.
 
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