DIRECTV, Wink and THOMSON Multimedia Present Sneak Preview of New Interactive Channels

NEW YORK, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire/ — Demonstrating that mass-market
interactive television is now a reality, DIRECTV, Inc.,
Wink Communications (Nasdaq: WINK), and THOMSON multimedia (NYSE: TMS) today
unveiled DIRECTV INTERACTIVE(TM) Powered by Wink. The service includes
program-related interactive enhancements from America’s top networks and new
dedicated interactive television channels from DIRECTV, Barnes & Noble.com,
ESPN, NBC and The Weather Channel.

Available to
over one million households by the end of October, and over
five million households by the end of 2001, DIRECTV INTERACTIVE(TV) delivers
information and t-commerce on demand at no additional cost to DIRECTV
customers.

New DIRECTV INTERACTIVE(TM) services include:

– Interactive enhancements to television programming and advertising from
America’s leading broadcast and cable networks, including CBS, CNBC,
CNN, E!, ESPN, FOX, NBC, TBS, TNT, TWC, USA and others.

– New dedicated interactive information and news channels from leading
content providers: The first three providers announced today are ESPN,
NBC and The Weather Channel. Each will provide a full screen
interactive channel that viewers can access 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week for up-to-the-minute information and entertainment.

– Dedicated interactive shopping channels from leading merchants:
The first merchant to announce a store is Barnes & Noble.com, which
will initially offer popular books for viewers to purchase using a
remote control.