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Prodigy Services Company Announces Houston Chronicle Interactive Service on PRODIGY Network

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Prodigy Services Company has partnered with the Houston Chronicle to launch an interactive service, Houston Chronicle Interactive, on the PRODIGY network. The service will offer a wide range of features, including news, entertainment, online shopping, and classified advertising, to all PRODIGY members at no additional charge. This move is part of Prodigy's strategy to build communities of interest and provide a strong, comprehensive local service.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Houston Chronicle Interactive service will be available to all PRODIGY members at no additional charge as part of their $9.95 monthly fee, which includes five free hours of usage.
  • The service will offer a wide range of features, including news, entertainment, online shopping, access to a database of past articles searchable by keyword, classified and display advertising, and bulletin boards and real-time chat areas.
  • Prodigy Vice President Fred Larson stated that building communities of interest, whether by geography or subject, is a critical part of the company's strategy.
  • 49% of Houston-area newspaper readers have a home computer, with 62% of those having a modem and 26% subscribing to an online service.
  • PRODIGY has grown to more than two million individually enrolled members since its national launch in September 1990.
  • The service will be available by mid-1995.

Statistics:

  • 49% of Houston-area newspaper readers have a home computer.
  • 62% of those with a home computer have a modem.
  • 26% of those with a home computer subscribe to an online service.
  • PRODIGY has more than two million individually enrolled members.
  • PRODIGY is the nation's most recognized online service.
  • PRODIGY conducts more stock transactions, handles more home-banking requests, books more airline reservations, and posts more bulletin-board notes than any other online service.

Sources:

  • Prodigy Services Company press release, February 7, 1995
  • BUSINESS WIRE, February 7, 1995

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