Geraldine Laybourne, Oxygen Media's Chairman and CEO, has announced that
Oxygen Media has signed a carriage agreement with MediaOne, a domestic
cable operator, to distribute Oxygen's cable network. The new Oxygen
network, which is scheduled to launch on 02/02/2000, will be integrated
with Oxygen's existing online properties to create a "home base" for women
on cable and the Internet. Oxygen's carriage agreement with MediaOne will
deliver Oxygen to over 1 million subscribers at launch. Under the terms of
the agreement, MediaOne will guarantee distribution of Oxygen to its
subscribers primarily as an analog channel on a basic or expanded basic
tier. MediaOne is a broadband services company, providing more than 5
million subscribers in 17 states with basic and premium cable television
services; last month, AT&T agreed to acquire MediaOne. MediaOne was born in
1996 when MediaOne Group (formerly U S WEST Media Group) united with
entertainment provider Continental Cablevision. Oxygen was founded in 1998
to create a media brand that serves women by combining the best qualities
of the Internet and television. Since its inception, Oxygen has acquired
and developed several online sites, entered into a multi-year anchor
tenancy, programming and promotional partnership with America Online, and
is partnering with Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner, Caryn Mandabach and Oprah
Winfrey to develop and launch a new cable network. Programmed by the
principals of Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, the Oxygen cable network will launch
on 02/02/2000 and be integrated with Oxygen's successful and growing
network of online sites. These sites include Oxygen.com (the Oxygen home
page and network hub); Thrive, the healthy living site; Moms Online, a
parenting site on AOL; Electra, a full service site; ka-Ching, resources to
help women better manage their financial lives; and thelab, Oxygen's
high-octane streaming media site. Oprah Online will join Oxygen's stable of
online properties in August 1999.