SIMON & SCHUSTER LAUNCHES SIMONSAYS.COM

Melissa_Blau@prenhall.com
Wed, 26 Jun 96 09:37:59 EST

SIMON & SCHUSTER LAUNCHES SIMONSAYS.COM WORLD WIDE WEB SITE

June 24, 1996- Simon & Schuster, the world's largest English
language book publisher, today announced the launch of a new World
Wide Web site, SimonSays.com (http://www.SimonSays.com). Cyber Events
with authors Bob Woodward and Betty Eadie and Star Trek cast kick off
the launch of the site, offering unparalleled reader interaction. The
site, a constantly changing community to readers drawn to Simon &
Schuster's vast library of books and authors -- will offer live author
events, reader reviews, subject and title-driven forums, and access to
and information about 11,000 titles published by Simon & Schuster's
Consumer Group.
SimonSays.com debuts with three major events demonstrating
the high level of reader interaction that will be its hallmark:
-- A live, one-hour auditorium chat with Bob Woodward,
author of "The Choice," Simon & Schuster's highly anticipated,
behind-the-scenes story of the 1996 presidential election. Woodward's
online talk is a unique co-venture with CompuServe, Infoseek and
Politics Now and will be broadcast on June 27 at 10 p.m.
simultaneously on CompuServe and the World Wide Web at Politics Now
(http://www.politicsnow.com) and accessible via Infoseek's Politics
Zone. Excerpts and other programming including ongoing discussions
and reviews will be at SimonSays.com.
-- A live, 45-minute America Online chat on June 26 at 9:00
p.m. with Betty Eadie, author of Pocket Books' new release, "The
Awakening Heart: My Continuing Journey to Love," the continuing story
of Ms. Eadie's spiritual awakening. Eadie's previous book, "Embraced
by the Light," has been on the New York Times Best Sellers list four
consecutive years. Preceding her America Online appearance will be a
live 45-minute chat on the World Wide Web hosted by Infoseek.
-- Readers can find excerpts, discussions and more about Ms.
Eadie at SimonSays.com. A live Web-cast at a time and date to be
announced from the Paramount Studios set of "Star Trek: The Borg," a
CD-ROM game which will be released in September. Demand for this
chat, planned to feature Star Trek(TM) producer Rick Berman and actor
and director Jonathan Frakes, is so great that users will sign up for
a chat room seat in advance through InfoSeek -- the first instance of
"online ticketing."
"This is a Web site for book lovers around the world," said
Jack Romanos, President of Simon & Schuster's Consumer Group. "We've
established for readers a dynamic, topical place where the subject
matter changes with every bestseller we publish and with the varied
and vocal opinions of our readers."
"People respond very strongly to books. Creating Web
programming around popular books and authors gives readers a virtual
community to voice their opinions and be heard, or simply to find out
more about subjects and topics of interest," said Lisa Mandel,
publisher of S&S Online. "While Web sites from publishers are
typically electronic catalogs -- heavy on book listings and light on
interaction -- SimonSays.com gives readers an informative, stimulating
and ever-changing outlet for their passions and interests."
SimonSays.com features include:
-- Fresh Ink: a close look at new releases from Simon & Schuster,
S&S Interactive, Pocket Books, Fireside, Touchstone, Scribner, The
Free Press, S&S Audio and the Children's division. Programming
specially created for the Web includes author interviews, essays,
quizzes, contests, audio clips, photo galleries and live events.
-- Live Wire: this Java application broadcasts current
titles, upcoming events and reader comments onto a constantly updated
board.
-- Live Events: S&S authors talk about their books and
answer questions online in chats, seminars and online roundtable
discussions throughout the month.
-- Reading Groups: An unusual program for the Web, a group
leader selects topics and books for chats held in password-protected
rooms with private bulletin boards available to allow readers to
discuss books at their convenience.
-- Star Trek: Will feature quizzes, audio and video from
Simon & Schuster's Star Trek publishing franchise, including
multiple-media products from Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster
Interactive and Simon & Schuster Audio.
-- Event Calendar: Continually updated information about
real world and cyber book signings, and tour information and media
appearances of readers' favorite authors. Users can search by city,
state, author or topic.
-- Reader Reviews: Instead of hearing about a book from the
mainstream media, this unique area democratizes book reviewing with
reader picks, pans and criticism.
-- Boutique Areas: Star Trek includes a searchable database
packed with information about more than 250 titles; Books Aloud
showcases the S&S Audio's bestseller list with more than 60 titles
available in downloadable and streamed (Real Audio) formats. Geek
Boutique serves up computer- and Internet-related titles.
Simon & Schuster, the publishing operation of Viacom Inc.,
is leader in global publishing and entertainment. Its imprints
include Simon & Schuster, Simon & Schuster Interactive, Simon &
Schuster
Children's Publishing, Pocket Books, Scribner, The Free Press,
Prentice Hall, Silver Burdett Ginn, New York Institute of Finance,
Computer Curriculum, Educational Management Group and Macmillan
Publishing USA.

Contact:
Andrew Giangola
Simon & Schuster
Andrew_ Giangola@prenhall.com