ZoomTown streams to Channel 225's rescue - by John Kiesewetter - Cincinnati
Enquirer 7/11/2001

UPN affiliate Channel 25, the lowpower station with limited distribution,
has found a high-tech solution to its problem - video streaming on
Cincinnati Bell's ZoomTown broadband Internet service.

WBQC-TV (Channel 25) can be seen in "real time" without any delay - in other
words - by 45,000 Zoomtown customers through its CoolCast streaming media
service.

"This is groundbreaking. I think we're one of the first to do this in the
country," says Elliott Block, Channel 25 owner and general manager.

ZoomTown executives contacted Channel 25 about video streaming last month
after reading Enquirer stories about Time Warner's refusal to carry the
low-power UPN affiliate. The Federal Communication Commission does not
require cable systems to carry low-power stations, although Northern
Kentucky and Delhi Township cable companies include channel 25 in their
lineups.

Mr. Block jumped at the chance to partner with ZoomTown, which competes with
Time Warner's Roadrunner Internet service.

"We're very happy we could work with UPN 25 with a partial solution to
getting them distribution, and it's good for us as well," says Kurt
Frehner, ZoomTown sales and marketing director.

UPN's weak signal here has troubled fans of Sarah Michelle Gellar's Buffy
the Vampire Slayer and Roswell, which move from WB to UPN this fall.

"Young people really like these shows, and they're Internet savvy, so
they're perfect users for this technology," says Tressie Long, a Cincinnati
Bell spokesperson.

CoolCast offers ZoomTown users the option of either watching UPN show on the
entire computer screen, or in a smaller picture in the corner of the screen
while doing other tasks on the computer, Mr. Frehner says.

ZoomTown will provide all Channel 25 programming around the clock in real
time, at no extra charge to customers, he says.

"For people who can't get (Channel 25), it's a way they can get us now,"
Mr. Block says. "It will be interesting to see the feedback on this.