Mascot Network Names Exclusive Music Partner, LAUNCH.com; LAUNCH.com to Offer Music Content and Music Videos To Mascot Network Users

Business Wire, Nov 20, 2000

Business/Technology Editors

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2000

Mascot Network, Inc., the leading provider of higher education enterprise portals (HEEPs), today announced an agreement with LAUNCH Media, Inc., (NASDAQ: LAUN), making LAUNCH its exclusive partner in the streaming music category on the Mascot campus portal. The Mascot/LAUNCH agreement enables LAUNCH.com to reach hundreds of thousands of college students, of whom "63% are spending more time listening to downloaded music than one year ago," according to an eMarketer report of June 2000.

As the official communication gateway to the Web for over 85 institutions of higher learning, Mascot introduces over 600,000 students to broadband music and media service portals. Mascot will now provide users access to LAUNCH.com content, which includes a broad array of streaming audio and video, exclusive artist features, concert information, and chats covering all genres of music. LAUNCH.com is currently the Web's leader in music video content with over 6,200 videos on-demand in a variety of music genres.

In addition, college students will have access to LAUNCH.com's unique streaming radio and video player, LAUNCHcast. With LAUNCHcast, students can create their own streaming music station in high quality audio or video and experience a wide range of music while customizing their own play lists.

"This partnership allows us to provide LAUNCH.com's high caliber streaming media content to thousands of new music fans," said Briggs Ferguson, Executive Vice President, Product Strategy & Marketing of LAUNCH. "Mascot's service enables us to reach a vast network of college students in an effective and resourceful manner and helps us spread the word that LAUNCH.com is the premier destination for music discovery on the Web."

Mascot Network provides a gateway to Web-enabled campus information, student focused discount e-commerce, and distance learning. With a personalized start page and online student directory, Mascot Network has created an online student center, where students, faculty, and administration can meet, coordinate, and collaborate. Mascot Network is campus specific with content designed to strengthen and extend the college's community and deepen the students' relationship with the school.

"This partnership gives Mascot students' streaming radio and video player content from LAUNCHcast, the legal alternative to file sharing," said Jaja Jackson, President and Co-founder of Mascot Network. "We are excited to offer LAUNCHcast, which appeals to the institutions as well because it imposes less bandwidth constraints on schools and thus dramatically reduces their IT cost."

About Mascot

Mascot Network, Inc. (http://www.mascotnetwork.com ) is the leading provider of higher education enterprise portals for colleges and universities. Privately held and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Mascot is backed by Patricof & Co., Hollinger International, Arts Alliance, and Direct Equity Partners. Mascot's campus-specific, Web-based service helps colleges to attract and retain students by enabling students, faculty and staff to communicate more effectively and participate more fully in campus life. Over 85 higher education institutions representing over 600,000 students, have committed to using Mascot's ASP service, which can be easily interfaced with a school's existing IT infrastructure. Mascot clients include California State University-Stanislaus, Columbia University, Florida International University, SUNY Oneonta, University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa, Ithaca College, Morehouse College, Providence College, Union University, and College of DuPage.

About LAUNCH

Headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, LAUNCH Media, Inc. (Nasdaq: LAUN) is a media company dedicated to creating the premier Internet music site, LAUNCH.com, by providing music fans with the broadest array of music and music-related editorial content. LAUNCH.com provides visitors with a wide selection of streaming audio, the Web's largest collection of music videos, exclusive artist features and music news covering all genres of music.