Music Choice(R) Joins Forces With never.no for SWRV(TM), the New Interactive
Music Video Network

OSLO, Norway, April 12 /CNW/ - never.no today announced that its Interactivity Suite is a key technology component of SWRV(TM), a 24/7 interactive music video network launched this year by Music Choice(R). SWRV features an expanding portfolio of interactive shows that offers viewers the opportunity to submit content, vote for and rate videos, and even take over an entire programming block. Viewers can participate by sending text, photos, and video, either using their mobile phones or by going online at http://www.swrv.tv.

VIDEO: Follow the link for a special behind the scenes look at the Music Choice SWRV project - http://www.never.no/music-choice-video-case-study/

"With SWRV, Music Choice has taken dynamic scheduling and playout based on user interaction to a level never before seen in broadcasting," said Stu Farber, Music Choice vice president of engineering, operations, and information technology. "The technical considerations were extremely complex and ambitious, and we took very seriously the task of finding the right partner to help us. In the end, we determined that never.no's Interactivity Suite was the best selection, based on its ability to combine the power, flexibility, and reliability we needed to make SWRV a reality."

Based in the United States, Music Choice is an award-winning, multiplatform video and music network. In partnership with Cox Communications, Music Choice is making SWRV available to Cox Digital Cable customers on Channel 900 in New England and Virginia. All Cox broadband subscribers nationwide can stream the network live at http://www.swrv.tv. In the coming months, SWRV will continue to be rolled out by multiple providers to millions of homes nationwide.

Key to Music Choice's selection of the never.no Interactivity Suite for SWRV was its Dynamic Content Scheduler (DCS), an advanced tool for configuring, deploying, and scheduling interactive automated TV graphics.

Within the context of SWRV's floating dynamic schedule, the Interactivity Suite performs a complicated array of tasks, including scheduling content based on voting results and handling user-submitted text, images, and various types of metadata-to-screen by effecting control of broadcast equipment like video servers and graphics systems. In addition, Interactivity Suite manages dynamic video squeeze-back and automatically controls audio volume for parallel video signals. Many of these features are broadcast-industry firsts.

"Music Choice had a bold and ambitious agenda - the creation of a music network with unprecedented options for viewer engagement," said Lars Lauritzsen, president and CEO of never.no. "In order to fulfill this dream, our technology had to satisfy the demands of a fully automated, 24/7/365 operation. We believe the successful launch of SWRV represents the advent of a new and promising era for Music Choice, for interactive television, and for never.no."

never.no is a technology company that connects broadcasters, brands, outdoor media owners, and digital screen networks with online and mobile consumers by means of a unique and sophisticated interactive video platform that modifies the video stream based on live, user-submitted opinions and content. The company's Interactivity Suite is an array of software applications that together empower participation television by enabling viewers both to influence a broadcast in real time, and to interact with one another and the world.

More information about never.no products is available at http://www.never.no or by phone at [phone].

About Music Choice

Music Choice, the award-winning, multiplatform video and music network, delivers its music programming to millions of consumers nationwide through their televisions, computers, and cell phones. Music Choice programs dozens of uninterrupted music channels; produces Music Choice Originals that feature today's hottest established and emerging artists; and offers thousands of music videos. Music Choice is a partnership among subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation, Motorola, Inc., Sony Corporation of America, EMI Music, and several leading U.S. cable providers: Comcast Cable Communications, Cox Communications, and Time Warner Cable. Music Choice(R) is a registered trademark of Music Choice. More information about Music Choice is available at http://musicchoice.com or contact Josefa Paganuzzi by phone at [phone] or via e-mail at [email protected]

About never.no

never.no's award-winning interactive technology connects broadcasters, brands, outdoor media owners, and digital screen networks with online and mobile consumers. By dynamically modifying playout, schedules, and graphics based on viewer-generated or other internal and external inputs, the Interactivity Suite is ideal for the converging digital media market. The versatile never.no product suite works with traditional TV, Web TV, IPTV, digital signage, and mobile platforms. never.no technology powers a variety of high-profile interactive formats, including entire TV channels. In operation since 1999, never.no has data centers in Oslo, Norway; Los Angeles; and Dubai; and a global customer base including top brands such as Active Loop Television, Aspiro, CTVGlobeMedia, Etisalat, Music Choice, MyThum Interactive, Rubicon TV, TV Norge, TV2, and Viasat. More information about never.no products is available at http://www.never.no.

All trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

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VIDEO: Follow the link for a special behind the scenes look at the Music Choice SWRV project - http://www.never.no/music-choice-video-case-study/

Photo Link: http://www.wallstcom.com/neverno/SWRV.zip

For further information: Agency Contact: Marguerite Clark, Wall Street Communications, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; never.no Contact: Lars Lauritzsen, CEO, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]