MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and NEW YORK (October 20, 1997) - Netscape Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:NSCP) and N2K Inc. (NASDAQ:NTKI) today announced an agreement under which the two companies will offer a co-branded music retail service to members of Netscape Netcenter through Netscape's new online commerce offering -- Netscape Marketplace. N2K has been selected as the premier music partner for Netscape Netcenter, providing the millions of visitors to Netscape's Internet site with access to N2K's leading music content and retail services.
Under the agreement, N2K will manage and produce the co-branded Music Boulevard service. Through Netscape Netcenter, Netscape and N2K's Music Boulevard will offer Internet users an opportunity to purchase over 185,000 music titles and related products, and access information from N2K's award-winning music genre sites including Rocktropolis.com, Jazz Central Station.com and Classical Insites.com. The service will be customized for Netscape Marketplace users.
"This significant partnership will enable us to work with Netscape to provide its vast user base with the most compelling music content and one of the best retail experiences," said Larry Rosen, chairman and chief executive officer of N2K Inc. "We know that music is one of the most popular subjects on the Web with over 85,000 sites devoted to it. As Netscape's premier music partner, we are looking forward to using Netscape's leading technologies to create what we believe will be a total music experience."
"N2K is the ideal company to serve as the premier music retailer for Netscape Netcenter's new Marketplace," said Jennifer Bailey, vice president, Web site at Netscape. "We look forward to providing N2K's cutting-edge technology and music entertainment through Netscape Netcenter. N2K's ability to produce a content-rich and customized Music Boulevard retail service for Netscape Netcenter will advance our strategy to provide busy Internet users with a one-stop shop to meet their online needs, including music entertainment."
N2K's Music Boulevard will also be featured on a button on Netscape's popular Netscape Search page to provide users with the ability to search for Music Boulevard's more than 185,000 CDs and cassettes which span every music genre: rock, country, jazz, hip-hop, folk, classical, electronica and more. Users will also be able to download individual music tracks using the music boulevard e_mod system. In addition, Netscape and N2K will engage in ongoing joint online promotions.
Netscape Netcenter is Netscape's new free online service for busy professionals. In a related announcement today, Netscape expanded its commerce strategy for Netscape Netcenter with the launch of Netscape Marketplace. With the addition of Netscape Marketplace, Netscape Netcenter will now include services in four key areas: Commerce, Content, Community and Software.
Based in New York City, N2K Inc. is the first music entertainment company to successfully merge online technology with original music and entertainment content. With a wealth of experience in the music and technology industries, N2K Inc. is creating a new model for entertainment companies, utilizing all forms of interactive media and the Internet to create compelling music programs and retail opportunities. N2K runs several award-winning, genre-specific music Web sites, including: Rocktropolis, which hosts N2K Entertainment's groundbreaking online music magazine, allstar, Jazz Central Station, Classical Insites, which hosts The Official Leonard Bernstein Site . In addition N2K operates many major artist Web sites, including Stones World, Rolling Stones' Web site, and The Official Web Site for David Bowie. Each of N2K's music genre and artists sites are linked to Music Boulevard, the World Wide Web's ultimate online music store. Trading on Nasdaq under the symbol "NTKI," N2K Inc. is based in New York City.
Netscape Communications Corporation is a leading provider of open software for linking people and information over enterprise networks and the Internet. The company offers a full line of clients, servers, development tools and commercial applications to create a complete platform for next-generation, live online applications. Traded on Nasdaq under the symbol "NSCP," Netscape Communications Corporation is based in Mountain View, California.
Additional information on Netscape Communications Corporation is available on the Internet at http://home.netscape.com, by sending email to info@netscape.com or by calling 650/937-2555 (corporations) or 650/937-3777 (individuals).
Netscape, Netscape Navigator, and the Netscape N logo are registered trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other Netscape logos, product names, and service names are also trademarks of Netscape Communications Corporation, which may be registered in other countries.