Agreement Signed
e-district.net PLC
11 August 2000
E-DISTRICT.NET PLC SIGNS AGREEMENT
WITH THE WIRELESS GROUP PLC
E-district.net plc ('e-district'), the AIM-quoted owner and developer of
LeisureDistrict.net, a leading interactive family entertainment and community
channel, has signed an agreement with The Wireless Group to operate chat rooms
and games on behalf of talkSPORT.co.uk, the web site of talkSPORT Radio.
E-district will create, host, and maintain the co-branded chat and games areas
which will be linked to the talkSPORT web site.
talkSPORT.co.uk is the website of talkSPORT Radio and received 140,000 hits in
June 2000. talkSPORT.co.uk is owned by Kelvin MacKenzie's The Wireless Group,
which was recently listed on the London Stock Exchange.
The agreement is the latest in a series of ventures by e-district with high
profile organisations, including the provision of controlled community
internet access to cable platform subscriber services, including Cable &
Wireless Communications plc, and Telewest plc, and the provision of content to
ISPs, including Freeserve.
Steve Laitman, Chief Executive of e-district, said:
'Having established a highly successful infrastructure to manage, maintain and
monitor our own community chat rooms, offering this service to talkSPORT
allows us to leverage this investment while providing them with a successful,
tried and tested chat room format. talkSPORT is a high volume web site and we
expect the co-branded chat and games areas to drive increased traffic to our
community and e-commerce sites, as well as deliver additional advertising
revenues.'
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT :
e-district
Frank Lewis, Chairman / Steve Laitman, Chief Executive 020-8201-1915
Gavin Anderson & Company
Graham Prince / Rob Gurner 020-7457-2345
NOTES:
About e-district
e-district is quoted on the Alternative Investment Market. e-district is the
owner and developer of the LeisureDistrict global interactive entertainment
network, a family leisure environment capable of being delivered through
multiple platforms including the internet and interactive TV.
LeisureDistrict continues to attract significant numbers of new registered
users, with a total of 2.1 million as at 30 June 2000 with 60% in North
America, 28% in the UK and the balance in continental Europe and around the
world.
In addition to the distribution agreements with Cable & Wireless
Communications plc, Telewest plc and Worldgate Communications Inc.,
e-district has arrangements with a number of other strategic partners
including Unity Pictures, WH Smiths Online, Expedia Inc. and Remarq Inc.
LeisureDistrict is accessible via PC through www.LeisureDistrict.net. More
information on e-district.net plc is available through the company's web site
(www.e-district.net).
About The Wireless Group
The Wireless Group (TWG) is the UK's fourth largest radio group by number of
radio ownership points and has a national and regional presence. Major
announcements made to date include:
November 1998: consortium led by Kelvin MacKenzie acquired the national radio
station, Talk Radio, holder of one of only three national commercial analogue
radio licences, for £23.7 million.
July 1999: Talkco Holdings, subsequently renamed TWG, acquired the eight
wholly-owned and three partly-owned local radio stations of The Radio
Partnership, which broadcast in the North West of England and in South Wales,
for £47 million.
December 1999: TWG acquired Independent Radio Group for £21.4 million, adding
an additional three wholly-owned and four partly-owned local radio stations in
Scotland and North West England to the Group. January 2000: re-launch of Talk
Radio, one of only three national commercial analogue radio stations in the
UK, as talkSPORT - the only radio station in the UK dedicated to sports
coverage.
March 2000: TWG entered into a commercial partnership with Sports Internet
Group plc, a leading integrated Internet sports content, statistics and gaming
group, to develop www.talksport.net as a leading UK sports portal.
April 2000: Switchdigital consortium (TWG 42.5%) wins London's second digital
multiplex.
May 2000: TWG successfully completes its listing on the London Stock Exchange.