Archive
| EDITORIAL CONTACTS: | |
|---|---|
| James Scampavia | Jeanette Gibson |
| BTG, Inc., FedCast | PointCast Public Relations |
| 703-383-8952 | 408-777-2364 |
| fedcast@btg.com | jgibson@pointcast.com |
WASHINGTON, DC, June 17, 1997 -- A new government edition of the PointCast Network; was unveiled by PointCast; Incorporated and BTG, Inc. during a news conference at the 1997 Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) TechNet show in Washington, DC. The new edition, the PointCast Network Government Insider, is a free news and information service that will bring the latest news to computers on the desktops of anyone who deals with the federal government. The Government Insider is available immediately as a free download from both companies' Web sites at www.fedcast.com and www.pointcast.com.
Potential users of the Government Insider include federal civilian workers and military personnel, federal contractors and vendors, local and state government officials, legislative analysts, educators and trade associations. The Government Insider is based on the existing PointCast Network, which has more than one million active viewers. Each viewer can tailor the service to individual preferences, choosing among news, stock information, industry updates, weather, sports and more from news sources such as CNN, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Reuters, AccuWeather, Business Wire, PR Newswire, and SportsTicker.
PointCast, a leader in broadcast news via the Internet and corporate intranets, pioneered this unique service with the PointCast Network. It developed the Government Insider edition in partnership with BTG, one of the leading providers of information technology services and products to the federal governement.
"PointCast is pleased to offer a free service that will empower government professionals with the information they need to better serve their constituencies," said Brian MacDonell, vice president of integrator sales at PointCast. "By aggregating and broadcasting meaningful, industry-specific news alongside world and company news, government professionals will have immediate access to the most current and comprehensive information."
BTG Vice President Paul Collins said, "As the government focuses on smaller, more efficient operations, its employees are required to do more with fewer resources. At the same time, there is a drive to make public information more easily accessible to citizens and organizations. Government Insider is the most efficient and cost-effective way to meet that mandate, allowing agencies to establish rapid, interactive communication with their employees and with citizens."
Collins referred to the Access America report, published recently by the National Performance Review (NPR), which describes the "re-inventing government" activities undertaken by NPR and Vice President Al Gore. The effort aims to empower federal workers and improve productivity through information technology. NPR is interested in establishing a channel on Government Insider as a tool to accomplish this goal.
MacDonell and Collins said Government Insider will begin with channels on defense, legislation, and Government Executive, a well-known publication in the federal sector. It offers the same features and channels as the PointCast Network plus the additional channels of information focused on the government, including:
Agency-specific and topical channels are under development and will be released over the next few months. For example, government contracting officers will be able to communicate their purchasing procedures and requirements more effectively to vendors. Federal officials involved with law enforcement, health, education, transportation, and human services will be able to convey information more rapidly to the state and local level.
BTG provides information technology services and products to government and commercial clients. The company specializes in systems engineering, integration and network systems, Internet/intranet access and services, community networks, custom computer manufacturing, and the reselling of hardware, software and services. The company is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia. Additional information on BTG is available on the Internet at www.btg.com, by e-mail at info@btg.com, or by calling 703-383-8000. Government Insider can be downloaded free at www.fedcast.com.
Company Backgrounder
PointCast Incorporated was founded in 1992 to provide current news and information services to viewers and corporations via the Internet and corporate intranets. Since PointCast launched the PointCast Network in February 1996, the Company has won more than fifty industry awards and honors, including CNET's Best Internet Application, PC Magazine's Technical Excellence award and PC Computing's Most Valuable Product award. The PointCast Network can be downloaded for free at www.pointcast.com.
PointCast, the PointCast Network and The PointCast Network Government Insider are trademarks of PointCast Incorporated. All other names and trademarks are property of their respective owners.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A copy of this press release can be found at www.pointcast.com/releases and at www.btg.com.