CEDAR KNOLLS and WEST TRENTON, N.J., April 26, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- MediaBay Inc. (Nasdaq:MBAY), a leading digital media and publishing company specializing in spoken word and premium audio entertainment, and dotPhoto Inc., a leading photo-sharing and wireless application developer, today announced they have entered into an agreement to offer content from MediaBay's extensive classic radio show library through dotPhoto's Ringtalker ringtone service.
Through the deal, mobile users will be able to select ringtone audio clips from MediaBay's library of more than 50,000 hours of classic old-time radio programs, including Abbott & Costello, The Jack Benny Show, Dimension X, Duffy's Tavern, The Great Gildersleeve, Lights Out and Sorry Wrong Number. These classic radio ringtones will complement the pre-recorded spoken phrases and sounds currently offered through Ringtalker, available to more than 60 million phones with carriers including Alltel, nTelos, Midwest Wireless, Verizon Wireless and Verizon Wireless Puerto Rico. Some MediaBay snippets include: Superman's "It's a bird, it's a plane," the intro to "The Inner Sanctum," Richard Diamond's famous whistle; and the intro to "The Green Hornet."
"MediaBay is committed to revitalizing interest in classic American radio shows with a new generation, and the mobile ringtone market is the perfect platform to help accomplish this," said Jeffrey Dittus, CEO of MediaBay Inc. "Classic audio clips as ringtones will also resonate with an older demographic of mobile users who are hungry to reconnect on a nostalgic level. By extending our content to mobile users, we are reaching a broad, as well as active audience who is always looking for new and exciting mobile content offerings."
"dotPhoto is excited to feature content that is still as fun and compelling today as it was when it captured the imaginations of millions of radio fans in its heyday. Cell phone users of all ages will enjoy customizing their ringtones with this classic content," said Samuel Kolodney, dotPhoto's VP of Wireless Product Management.
MediaBay also offers its library of classic radio shows via Radio Spirits, the world's largest seller of old-time radio shows available on cassette and compact disc through direct mail and online, and through Radio Classics which distributes MediaBay's radio content across multiple distribution platforms including traditional radio, cable television, satellite radio through services like XM and Sirius Satellite Radio Networks and on the Internet through services like MSN Music.
Ringtalker will begin to offer MediaBay radio content starting on April 28, 2005. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. A sample list of ringtones initially available can be found at www.radiospirits.com/sample/ringtones.html.
About MediaBay Inc.
MediaBay Inc. (Nasdaq:MBAY) is a leading digital media and publishing company specializing in spoken word and premium audio entertainment. The company maintains a library consisting of over 75,000 hours of content, including audio books from best-selling authors and the history of American Radio. Some of MediaBay's digital content partners include Simon & Schuster, Random House, Harper Collins, Penguin Group (USA) Audio, Hay House, Sound Room Publishers, Oasis, Zondervan, BBC, Blackstone, and CBS Radio. In addition to its popular Audio Book Club, MediaBay distributes its content through proprietary web sites including audiobookclub.com and radiopsirits.com as well as through partner channels including Loudeye, MSN Music, Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio. For more information on MediaBay, please visit www.mediabay.com
About Ringtalker
Ringtalker, the premier talking ring tone application, makes cell phones talk, sing and razz when they ring! Ringtalker was developed by dotPhoto for Qualcomm's BREW platform that enables participating wireless carriers to offer services beyond messaging to their customers. Ringtalker allows consumers to set pre-recorded spoken phrases and fun sounds as their phone's ringer. The Ringtalker library consists of 100s of fun spoken phrases and sounds from which to choose, including famous quotes, popular parodies, animals, UFO's and much more. Ringtalker talking tones give a phone personality and offer personal alerts with hilarious results.
About dotPhoto, Inc.
Launched in 1999, dotPhoto is a privately held digital multimedia distribution company that offers wireless cell phone applications and its online photo service (www.dotPhoto.com) where members share, preserve and profit from their digital photos. dotPhoto.com offers a variety of products and services ranging from inexpensive photo prints and custom photo gifts to free personal photo web sites. dotPhoto's applications enable consumers and business users to store their digital images online and view and share them through a variety of devices and distribution methods including cell phones and other wireless devices through its Pictavision(r) application.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding MediaBay's future financial position, business strategy, budgets, projected costs and plans and objectives of management for future operations are forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," or "continue" or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, without limitation MediaBay's ability to implement its new strategy and transition its business and the risks related thereto: its history of losses and declining revenue; its ability to license and sell new spoken word content, anticipate and respond to changing customer preferences, license and produce desirable content, protect its databases and other intellectual property from unauthorized access, and collect receivables; dependence on third-party providers, suppliers and distribution channels; competition; the costs and success of its marketing strategies; product returns; member attrition; and risks relating to its capital structure. Undue reference should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. MediaBay undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.