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Selected by leading innovative Broadcaster to Create Interactive TV content for Game Shows and Children's Channel

Interactive game shows are about to hit the screens for the first time, following the purchase of vizrt (vizrt) rendering and control products by ZOE, a privately held company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. The pioneering programming will use the vizrt products to create high-quality original content for digital TV networks and broadband web sites around the world. ZOE will provide its customers solutions including vizrt tools, allowing them to instantly customize the look and feel of their content. ZOE, a subsidiary of Ananey Communications Ltd., is rapidly becoming one of the leading international New Media content providers specializing in interactive game shows and children's programs.

According to Nira Poran, ZOE VP International Business Development, the decision to go with vi[z]rt solutions was simple. "viz modeling™ and vizcontent pilot™ are absolutely the best solutions for our application," said Poran. "Not only are they user-friendly, but they provide us with the best end-product. The software allows us to develop a superior design and greatly reduce the time involved in our production cycle." Poran also cites the customer support from vizrt as excellent. "The people there have been wonderful to work with," she added. "They act quickly and are behind us every step of the way."

Shlomo Nimrodi, vizrt President and CEO, said of the relationship, "We are already engaged in the development of interactive TV tools as part of our strategic relations with Microsoft (MSFT; NASDAQ). Leveraging the know-how from such relationships is a natural outcome. We are excited to be part of such ground breaking programming by ZOE. Ananey, ZOE's parent company, is well respected for its critically acclaimed shows, and we are certain ZOE's new interactive game shows will prove just as successful for Ananey, as it will for vizrt by providing us a new revenue stream going forward."

vi[z] modeling™ and vi[z]content pilot™ will be used to create, render and control the real-time execution of graphics for ZOE's new interactive game and children's show channel called The Bubble Gum Channel, which will be offered worldwide to digital television networks. The Bubble Gum Channel will be offered with the Bubble Box, an editing tool based on vizrt software that enables networks to independently update graphic design, data, animation and content. The first joint product will be introduced on October 2, 2000 at the MIPCOM conference in Cannes, France.

Viewers of the Bubble Gum Channel will be able to participate, real-time, in television games using their remote control. They will be able to compete in the studio or play from home to win prizes. The two flagship stations of ZOE's parent company, Ananey - the "Children's Channel" and the "Documentary Channel" - are two of Israel's highest rated cable channels.