FOXSPORTS.COM GAINS KEY EXPOSURE IN DEAL WITH ALTAVISTA

          FoxSports.com will be the exclusive content provider
     for the AtlaVista Live! sports site.  The new co-branded
     sports area is available at http://sports.altavista.com
     (AltaVista).  The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Matthew Doman writes
     that the deal "gives Fox Sports access to AltaVista's 47
     million worldwide users and a chance to bridge the gap
     between its own online user numbers and those of rival
     ESPN."  News Digital Media President Jon Richmond negotiated
     the deal with AltaVista New Media GM Ross Levinsohn. 
     Richmond: "This is ... not only a distribution deal but also
     a marketing deal for us.  It's got to get us to a lot of new
     eyeballs."  Richmond said Fox would make a "significant
     financial commitment" to building the new sports site but
     declined to specify exact investments (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER,
     1/27).  The WALL STREET JOURNAL notes that FoxSports.com
     "hopes" the move "will help differentiate it from a
     plethora" of online sports services (WALL ST JOURNAL, 1/27).