ATLANTA, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- A company long known for its tradition of
embracing new media, Cox Enterprises, Inc., stepped to the forefront of the
Internet when it created Cox Interactive Media (CIM).  Just one year after
opening its offices with a staff of two people, CIM ranks as the nation's
largest provider of comprehensive local content on the Internet, surpassing
every traditional media company and online provider.
    To date, CIMnet, the name of this network of sites, includes 14 city sites
and six specialty web sites.  By Dec. 31, 1997, CIMnet will include more than
30 web sites.  CIM has hired 225 people and by mid-1998 will employ 450
people.
    "We are moving and growing at a blistering pace," said Peter Winter,
president of CIM.  "Cox Enterprises has invested heavily in 25 media markets
around the country to build No. 1 ranked newspapers, TV and radio stations,
and cable systems.  Our job is to protect and grow that franchise by creating
a network of local Web sites that the 60 million consumers in Cox markets
return to again and again."
    Winter also stressed that CIM's city sites are different from the many
city guides springing up on the Web.  "We are building comprehensive media
sites that inform, entertain and stimulate online conversation.  Online
directories such as restaurants are just one spoke on our product wheel.  On
their own, they cannot drive the high-frequency visits we need to create a
viable media business," he said.
    "We use the knowledge we've developed over 100 years of serving our media
markets to evolve sites that have real utility and high entertainment value.
When you visit our sites, you will not see a cookie-cutter format repeated in
each market.  Our sites reflect the unique characteristics of the cities they
serve," said Winter.
    The Web addresses for CIMnet sites already launched in 1997 include:

    Primary City Sites                                  Specialty Sites

    http://www.AccessAtlanta.com     http://www.SoFla.com                http://www.fastball.com
    (Atlanta, Ga.)         (Miami/South Beach, Fla.)

    http://www.Austin360.com     http://www.InsideCentralFlorida.com     http://www.yall.com
    (Austin, Texas)     (Orlando, Daytona and Melbourne, Fla)

    http://www.ActiveDayton.com   http://www.SanDiegoInsider.com         http://www.gowest.com
    (Dayton, Ohio)           (San Diego, Calif.)

    http://www.BayInsider.com     http://www.RealPittsburgh.com          http://www.storm97.com
    (San Francisco, Calif.)   (Pittsburgh, Pa.)

    http://www.GoCarolinas.com      http://www.KFI640.com                http://www.hookem.com
    (Charlotte, N.C.)       (Los Angeles, Calif.)

    http://www.GoPBI.com                                          http://www.gobig12.com
    (West Palm Beach, Fla.)

    The next round of primary city sites to be launched include Seattle,
Wash.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Orange County, Calif.; and Hampton Roads, Va.
    To illustrate the difference between a city site and city guide, Winter
points to Austin360 on May 29, 1997 when killer tornadoes leveled the town of
Jarrell, Texas.  "By the end of the day, the local studio manager in Austin
had set up a computer and a server at the school where residents congregated
to find out how others had fared after the storm.  Messages between residents
of Jarrell and emails of condolences from around the world were posted to the
site.  Residents were seen crying as they read the prayers sent from people.
Residents also used the site to find out the status of friends and relatives.
It was very moving and a perfect example of how the web can perform as a
community facilitator.  In contrast, a local city guide in the area was still
listing movies at the theater."
    David Easterly, president and chief operating officer, Cox Enterprises,
Inc., said, "The Internet is an important focus for our company because it is
no longer a fad, but a new medium with its own audience, just as radio had
been in the 20s, television in the 40s and cable in the 60s."
    CIM's role in creating local content sites also extends to its alliance
with @Home, providers of cable access to the Internet.  Cox Communications,
the broadband communications subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., is one of
several investors in @Home.  Through this unique alliance, CIM is positioning
itself for delivery of Internet services to users by both broadband and
narrowband.  Cox@Home sites are currently operational in Phoenix, Ariz.;
Orange County, Calif. and San Diego, Calif.  SanDiegoInsider.com
(http://www.sandiegoinsider.com) is the first Cox@Home site to launch with dual
access -- Internet users and @Home subscribers can both access the site.
    Cox Interactive Media, a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, Inc., is
headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.  A leading media company, Cox Enterprises, Inc.
includes Cox Newspapers, Inc. (newspapers, direct mail marketing, book
publishing), Cox Broadcasting, Inc. (TV, spot sales, television production,
research, publicly-traded Cox Radio, Inc. (NYSE: CXR)) and publicly-traded Cox
Communications, Inc. (NYSE: COX) (cable distribution, programming, broadband
communications) in addition to Cox Interactive Media.  The company is also the
world's largest operator of automobile auctions through Manheim Auctions,
providing financial services, government auctions, online services and price
guides.

Link to this page: