MediaSite Launches Automated Products for
Putting Searchable Video on the Web

MediaSite AutoLogger and BuilderNT Make Internet and Intranet Video as Searchable as Text

Las Vegas, NV—NAB ’99—April 19, 1999—MediaSite, Inc., the leading developer and supplier of software, systems and services to create searchable, Web-based video and audio Media Sites, today announced the launch of MediaSite AutoLogger (tm) and MediaSite BuilderNT (tm), the first fully-automated video cataloging and post-processing software that enables content providers, such as news broadcasters, stock footage houses, and corporations to put searchable video on the Web.

Convergence of Video and the Web Creates Need for Video Search Engines
As the Internet increasingly becomes multimedia-based, video search engines are becoming as necessary as text-based search engines. Over 50 million streaming media players (i.e. RealPlayer and Microsoft NetShow) are installed with more added daily. With this convergence of video content and the Web, technology to find the specific video content you want, when you want it, without having to sort through and play multiple video clips, is becoming increasingly important.

MediaSite AutoLogger and BuilderNT Automatically Create Web-based Searchable Video

MediaSite AutoLogger automatically digitizes and encodes video as it is broadcast or played from a tape. AutoLogger uses sophisticated technology that goes beyond video streaming to make Internet video searchable. AutoLogger automatically creates scene changes, using time-based image and motion analysis, and captures closed caption information so users can search the text and images of TV and video content. This information can then be posted immediately to the Web or submitted to MediaSite BuilderNT software for more advanced processing.

"IBM is excited that these new products are available – we have seen a demand for both the MediaSite AutoLogger product and a Windows NT-based version of the Builder product," said Phil Ruggieri, director, IBM Media and Entertainment Solutions. "We view the functionality of both products as a vital part of an overall media asset management solution incorporating IBM DB2 Digital Library-based products for the broadcasting, publishing, advertising, sports and entertainment industries."

MediaSite BuilderNT is the next generation of the MediaSite Builder (tm) software (introduced in 1997), which was previously available only on high-end UNIX computers. BuilderNT brings the most sophisticated video cataloging and indexing technology available to the Windows NT platform.

Builder’s advanced creation tools integrate MediaSpeak (tm) speech recognition, as well as image and language understanding technologies based on one-of-a-kind tools developed by Carnegie Mellon University, which enable video to be searched with a high degree of accuracy.

"Our new automated creation tools were designed specifically to provide our customers the tools to put their searchable video on the Web in a way that is automatic, easy-to-use and cost-effective," said Mark Juliano, president and CEO of MediaSite.

Automatic Video Processing Tools Used on MediaSite.net
MediaSite AutoLogger, MediaSite BuilderNT, and the entire MediaSite System (tm) are also used to process content hosted on MediaSite.net (www.mediasite.net). MediaSite.net is the first Web site offering online search, preview and purchase of stock footage, TV news and education content. Users can search keywords, transcripts, closed captioning, images, or visual criteria, such as color or camera angle to return the exact content they need. They can then quickly skim through the results using storyboards with descriptions and stream the video and audio clips to their desktop. `They can also place their video clip choices into a shopping basket to purchase content online using MediaSite.net’s unique V-commerce (tm) (video e-commerce) process.

"Automated MediaSite AutoLogger and BuilderNT make MediaSite.net the most cost-effective way to host, search, view and purchase video on the Internet," said Krishna Pendyala, executive vice president of MediaSite.

About The MediaSite System
The MediaSite System includes creation and search tools as well as the database, video and Web server components necessary to manage, retrieve and play video over Internet and intranet-based Media Sites. MediaSite System components can be purchased as a complete system or individually, depending upon user requirements.

The MediaSite System includes MediaSite AutoLogger, MediaSite Logger (tm), MediaSite Builder and MediaSite WebFinder (tm) for cataloging, indexing, search and retrieval of video and audio content. Together, Logger and Builder offer the most advanced creation tools available, integrating speech recognition, image recognition and language understanding technologies. MediaSite Web Finder is MediaSite’s leading search and retrieval system.

The MediaSite System also includes the database, video and Web server components necessary to manage, retrieve and play video and audio technologies over the Internet. MediaSite Database Server (tm) is MediaSite’s Oracle, Informix or IBM Digital Library-based system for managing metadata, key information extracted from video and audio. MediaSite Video Server (tm) includes RealNetworks or Microsoft NetShow Streaming Media technologies. MediaSite Web Server (tm) contains Web, WebFinder and V-commerce (tm) (video e-commerce) software and hardware.

Pricing and Availability
MediaSite AutoLogger and MediaSite BuilderNT are currently available. Pricing for MediaSite AutoLogger and MediaSite BuilderNT varies upon configuration.

About MediaSite
MediaSite, Inc. is the leading developer of software, systems and services to create searchable video and audio Media Sites. MediaSite operates a Web site (www.mediasite.net), which offers searchable video with e-commerce purchasing. MediaSite also offers the MediaSite System, a core set of software, systems and services required to develop a superior Media Site. With the MediaSite System, video becomes as searchable as text. The unique feature of MediaSite technical approach is the integrated application of speech recognition, language understanding and image understanding technologies based on software components of Carnegie Mellon University's Informedia Digital Video Library Project, an $8 million public-private sponsored research project. For more information, visit www.mediasite.com.