Progressive Networks Launches Timecast: The RealAudio Guide

The First Service to Deliver Customized Multimedia News and Information
over the Internet

INTERNET WORLD, SAN JOSE, CALIF., APRIL 29, 1996 -_ Progressive Networks
(PN), developers of RealAudio, the leading streaming multimedia delivery
system for the Internet, today announced the World Wide Web publication of
Timecast: The RealAudio Guide. Timecast enables users to customize their
own daily news broadcast with time-sensitive, audio content on the
Internet and have it pushed back to them. Timecast, delivered over the
World Wide Web, is the first end-user service to deliver customized
multimedia news and information.

Progressive Networks will demonstrate a beta version of Timecast in booth
#1647 at Internet World, being held here through Thursday, May 2nd, at the
San Jose Convention Center.

"Timecast is a breakthrough in the delivery of multimedia information,"
said Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO of Progressive Networks. "Timecast makes
it easy for Net users to find, select and immediately listen to the
multimedia news, information and content that's available today at
hundreds of Web sites."

The cornerstone of Timecast is the Daily Briefing feature which allows
users to build a custom newscast with stories from a dozen well-known news
and entertainment organizations such as ABC, c|net, Entertainment Tonight,
CBC, Fortune, Web Review, ComputerWorld, Industry.Net and TST-Taylor
Subscription Talk. Individual user selections and preferences can be saved
for use upon repeat visits, so return users are just one click away from
the daily audio news they want.

"Timecast tackles two compelling issues facing cybercitizens. Not only does
it make their time on the World Wide Web efficient by aggregating those
that produce audio content, it levels the playing field so that small
entrepreneurs with innovative ideas can be listed alongside major media
developers," said Allen Weiner, director and principal analyst, online
strategies, Dataquest. "Timecast allows end users to efficiently select
content based on interest producing the ultimate information utility.
Progressive Networks has shown it not only understands the needs of
developers, but also the needs of the growing number of consumers using
the Internet as a news, information and entertainment source."

Timecast optimizes a user's entire world of RealAudio content, indexing a
huge collection of third-party and branded audio content with an array of
other "one click away" features. The Live Now feature _ updated every ten
minutes _ takes users immediately to live events, such as rock concerts,
professional sports games, political speeches and talk-radio programs. The
Live Radio Stations feature connects users to one of over 50 radio
stations throughout the world that are currently broadcasting their radio
programs using RealAudio technology. In addition to numerous U.S.
stations, radio stations from Canada, Italy, France, Australia, Malaysia
and Hong Kong are broadcasting their programs via the Internet using
RealAudio.

"As more and more audio becomes available on the Internet, the need for an
online guide becomes essential," said Eric Canale, director of online
programming at Entertainment Tonight & Premiere Radio. "Timecast is that
guide and the Daily Briefing is key."

"The new Timecast section makes it clear that audio programs have made that
vital transition from Net gimmick to Net mainstay, " said Brian Cooley,
director of c|net Radio at c|net. "At c|net Radio we're pleased to be
partnered with the people at RealAudio, who move forward as fast as we
do."

Timecast will also include a fully-categorized search facility where users
can run Boolean searches by keyword, title or capsule description on a
comprehensive database of third-party sites enhanced with RealAudio.
Timecast lists over 600 World Wide Web sites delivering audio content via
the Web.

Every week Timecast's New Sites feature will highlight the newest additions
to the 600+ list of places to hear RealAudio, while the New Sounds feature
will point to the latest audio on established sites. Timecast will also
publish a weekly feature story which cites how the Internet and RealAudio
amplify and embellish topical human interest issues and playful
distractions.

ABOUT THE REALAUDIO SYSTEM

Progressive Networks' RealAudio client-server software system enables
Internet and online users equipped with conventional multimedia personal
computers and voice-grade telephone lines to browse, select and play back
audio or audio-based multimedia content on demand, in real time. This is a
real breakthrough compared to typical download times encountered with
delivery of audio over conventional online methods in which audio is
downloaded at a rate that is five times longer than the actual program;
the listener must wait 25 minutes before listening to just five minutes of
audio. Since its introduction last April, over four million RealAudio
Players have been distributed with over 25,000 being downloaded from the
RealAudio Web site daily. Thousands of RealAudio Servers are currently
delivering audio and streaming multimedia content on the Web.

The RealAudio System consists of the RealAudio Player, a client-based
software enabling Internet/online users to access existing audio for
instant playback, and the RealAudio Server, which enables major media
content providers to distribute audio or audio-based multimedia streams
over the Internet to a broad base of consumers and end users. A RealAudio
Encoder allows individuals to encode their audio programming for nearly
any analog or digital source.

ABOUT PROGRESSIVE NETWORKS

Progressive Networks (http://www.realaudio.com), based in Seattle, develops
and markets software products and services designed to enable users of
personal computers and other digital devices to send and receive audio and
audio-based multimedia services using the existing infrastructure.
 
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