Today, Salon.com (Nasdaq: SALN) (http://www.salon.com), a leading Internet media company, announced that it will partner with Pseudo Programs, Inc. (http://www.pseudo.com), the world's largest original Internet TV network, to bring Internet users comprehensive coverage of the Republican and Democratic conventions held in Philadelphia (July 31 to Aug. 4) and Los Angeles (Aug. 14 to Aug. 18) respectively. The partnership combines Salon's award-winning political reporting with Pseudo's live streaming video programming to offer Internet users entertaining and interactive ways to experience one of the biggest political events of the year.
Salon and Pseudo Programs will co-produce the "Salon.com News Hour," a live, hour-long program broadcast from Pseudo's skybox. The interactive show, hosted by Salon reporters, will feature discussions about the day's news and events; interviews with candidates, keynote speakers, delegates and pundits and questions from the online audience. The "Salon.com News Hour" will be webcast at 7 p.m. EDT daily throughout both conventions. Internet users will be able to watch the program and interact, using real-time chat, on Salon's Politics 2000 site (http://www.salon.com/politics).
As part of its comprehensive package, five of Salon's seasoned political correspondents and editors will provide gavel-to-gavel coverage of "the first virtual conventions." Reporting from the much-talked-about "Internet Alley" at the First Union Center in Philadelphia and "Internet Avenue" at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the team -- Washington bureau chief Kerry Lauerman; highly acclaimed correspondent Jake Tapper; associate editors Anthony York and Daryl Lindsey; and assistant editor Alicia Montgomery -- will post breaking news, analysis and interviews with key convention players to Salon Politics 2000 throughout each day. In addition, Salon will cover the events happening beyond the convention walls where alternative conventions and potentially explosive protests will be staged.
"As the networks have cut back on their commitment to convention coverage, they've left a vacuum that we on the Web are happy to fill," said Joan Walsh, vice president of news for Salon.com. "Our gavel-to-gavel coverage and partnership with Pseudo will give political junkies and casual observers alike a one-stop-shop for all the convention events."
In addition to participating in the "Salon.com News Hour," Salon users will be able to immerse themselves in the conventions' events 24 hours a day via Pseudo's webcams, including several 360-degree cameras. By featuring a variety of perspectives on the convention halls -- the podium, the crowd, the skybox and more -- and allowing the user to focus on the areas of his choice, the webcams put the user in control of the experience.
"Our aim is to puncture conventional wisdom and inject fun, intelligence and voter participation back into politics," said David Bohrman, CEO of Pseudo Programs, Inc. "Together with Salon, we will be serving up an immersive experience and leveraging the immediacy and interactivity of the Web to define a medium that transcends television."
ABOUT SALON
Salon.com ( http://www.salon.com ) is a leading Internet media company that produces a network of 11 award-winning, original content sites; maintains Salon Shop, an e-commerce gateway; and hosts two communities -- Table Talk and The WELL. In May 2000, Salon acquired MP3Lit.com, the pioneering Web site offering quality spoken word and audio literature recordings in MP3 and Real Audio formats. Salon.com currently has relationships with more than 325 advertisers including industry leaders such as IBM, Lexus, Microsoft, EDS, Virgin Megastore Online and Intel. In December 1999, Salon.com announced a content and equity agreement with Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation and NBC. Strategic distribution partners include Lycos, AltaVista, Reuters, CNN.com and CNET as well as wireless innovators AvantGo and Rocket eBooks. Salon.com content is also syndicated to print publications through United Features Syndicate. The site had 3.7 million unique visitors in March 2000.
ABOUT PSEUDO
Pseudo Programs, Inc., established in 1994, is an original, interactive broadband entertainment network. Each week, Pseudo produces live, interactive programming from its 34,000 square foot studios in downtown New York City. The company is defining a new kind of medium by building viewer participation in each show and by combining three powerful elements: streaming video, real-time chat and a constantly updated feed of corresponding multi-media content. Show topics range from professional wrestling, fashion and music to business, computer games and celebrities. Pseudo's investors include LVMH media unit Desfosses International, Intel Capital, Tribune Ventures, Prospect Street Ventures, FD5 and Sycamore Ventures. More information on Pseudo Programs, Inc., is available on the Web at http://www.pseudo.com.
SOURCE Salon.com
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