Yahoo! Unveils Live Financial News Network

Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com) introduced FinanceVision ( http://financevision.yahoo.com), an interactive, financial news network broadcast live in streaming video.

The new venture resembles the busy, multi-window view of Bloomberg TV. It features a video window (with anchors reporting on news and talking to analysts and reporters on Wall Street), a synchronized browser video (that updates automatically as stories and stocks are mentioned), a stock portfolio view (from My Yahoo!) and a larger browser window (using Internet Explorer).

"The launch of Yahoo! FinanceVision is an evolutionary step in distributing the aggregated content and information we have been successful in providing to our users," said Jeff Mallett, president and chief operating officer, Yahoo!. "Yahoo! FinanceVision represents the full integration of video streaming expertise we have developed as a leading provider of broadcast services on the Web, and is a natural extension of our powerful digital distribution network. As the leading aggregator and distributor of audio and video content on the Web, Yahoo! has witnessed the increased appetite that consumers, merchants and advertisers have for rich media content, and we are proud to deliver it to them."

The live video portion of Yahoo! FinanceVision is streamed eight hours a day from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, Monday through Friday (that's 9-5pm EST). Typical content includes live stock updates, live analyst morning calls and features about up-and-coming companies. Broadcasts originate from studios in Santa Clara, California.

Yahoo! didn't do this all themselves however. They have relations with MarketWatch.com, TheStreet.com, Forbes.com and Business Week. It also broadcasts audio morning analyst calls from Wit SoundView and E*OFFERING.

Yahoo! says FinanceVision has been in development since October 1999. It is lead by executive producer and director, Eric J. Scholl, formerly an executive producer at CNNfn.Additionally, it uses technology and services provided by PSMG's (Play Streaming Media Group) (http://www.psmg.net).

To experience FinanceVision, you need to have Internet Explorer on your computer and must download the free software that uses Windows Media as its default player.