New Dial Up Internet Access Service Provides Fast, Easy Access To The Newspapers' Web Site And Other Value-Added Content; Stockton Record, Pacific Bell Internet Services Form Joint Marketing Alliance To Promote Online Service And Provide Users With Ready Internet Access

Business Wire, Dec 18, 1996

STOCKTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 18, 1996--The Stockton Record, which earlier this year debuted one of the most comprehensive Internet Web sites for online news and information, is teaming up with Pacific Bell Internet Services to promote its service and offer users fast, easy and reliable Internet access.

Under terms of a joint marketing and distribution agreement between the San Francisco-based Internet services company and the San Joaquin Valley's premiere newspaper, both companies will work together to attract new users and promote availability of affordable Internet access services for consumers and businesses in Stockton and other parts of San Joaquin County.

Recordnet.com, which was launched in February, is free of charge and located on the World Wide Web portion of the Internet at http://www.recordnet.com . Produced by The Record's New Media Department, Recordnet.com features top local news and business stories, columns and editorials from each daily edition of the newspaper.

In addition, Recordnet.com also offers upbeat and lively features from its lifestyle section, sports, classified listings for real estate, weather, automotive and job opportunities along with a special Marketplace section on area businesses.

"The Record has a rich tradition of serving the information needs of Stockton, San Joaquin County and the neighboring Mother Lode," said Ezell R. Cox, vice president of Marketing and New Technologies for The Record. "We view Recordnet.com as an extension of that tradition, as well as an opportunity to reach and serve new markets. This alliance with Pacific Bell Internet Services is an exciting venture and should provide significant benefits for the end-user."

Cox said Pacific Bell Internet's "strong, positive reputation" for high quality service was a key factor in the decision to forge an alliance with the company. "This agreement will help us achieve our goal of providing online computer users with timely and valuable news, information and features on a wide variety of topics that are of interest to residents and businesses throughout our region."

The agreement calls for Pacific Bell Internet to offer the Record's 61,000 subscribers and 115,000 Stockton area households basic and unlimited local dial up Internet access services at speeds up to 28.8 Kbps (kilobits per second) along with one-button access to Recordnet.com and a special San Joaquin Valley section, according to Mark Fisher, general manager and marketing vice president for Pacific Bell Internet Services.

As part of a special, limited time offer for those who register by February 1, 1997, the first 30 days of Pacific Bell Internet service are free of charge and the company is waiving the one-time $14.95 installation charge.

"This is a great alliance that leverages the strengths of both companies by giving users fast, reliable and affordable high performance Internet connections along with access to some of the best regional content on Stockton, the San Joaquin Valley and the Mother Lode," Fisher said, adding that users will have the convenience of adding monthly service charges on their Pacific Bell phone bill or by major credit card if they live outside of the company's service area.

With Pacific Bell Internet, Record readers, subscribers and area residents and businesses get:

-- High speed 28.8 Kbps access to every dial up point with upgrades to 33.6 Kbps planned for the first quarter by the first quarter of 1997 and 56 Kbps access by the second quarter of 1997.

-- Unlimited Internet access for $19.95 a month. Basic access is available for $9.95 a month for 10 hours.

-- Support for both IBM compatible and Macintosh personal computers

-- Free, customized version of the latest Web browser client software from industry-leading Netscape Communications

-- A customized version of the popular Internet directory Yahoo!

-- 24 hour, 7 day a week customer service and support

-- Unrestricted access to the World Wide Web, e-mail and 16,000 newsgroups

-- One-click access to the Record's Web site: http://www.recordnet.com

Cox said Recordnet.com, which already has been designated by one of the top search engine companies on the Internet as a "must see" site to visit, will launch a redesigned Web site on Jan. 1, 1997 that features Primo, a compilation of news, information and features on extreme sports, calendars, bulletin boards, virtual sites, reviews and games.

Fisher said that this is the fourth joint marketing and distribution alliance that Pacific Bell Internet Services has forged with major California newspapers. The other three are with the Los Angeles Times, the Sacramento Bee and the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

The Record plans to begin promoting the availability of Pacific Bell Internet through on-line publicity at its Web site and in display advertising in its daily newspaper editions. Pacific Bell Internet Services will provide its Internet access software and link the newspaper Web site to its "Starting Places" navigational directory and provide one-button access on its default home page for Stockton and San Joaquin Valley online users.