Wink Reaps Subscriber, Sales Growth For 3rd Qtr.

Staff On Nov 6 2000 - 8:00am

ALAMEDA, CALIF. -In a quarter that included the October launch of DirecTV and the deployment of seven new cable systems, Wink Communications grew its household subscribers to more than 1.2 million.

Wink, which provides enhanced broadcasting, said that upon completion of the initial DirecTV download, its households will exceed 1.8 million.

The company reported a 207 percent increase in sales for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, hitting $1.4 million, compared to $469,000 in the same period a year ago. Sales for the nine months reached $2.6 million, a 136 percent climb over the $1.1 million recorded in the same nine months in 1999.

Wink extended its net loss for the third quarter to $6.9 million, compared to $4.5 million in the year-ago quarter. The net loss for the nine months was $18.7 million, compared to the $13.7 million recorded in the same nine months in 1999.

"Third-quarter results confirm that we are focused on solidifying our leadership position in the interactive TV software and services space," said president/CEO Maggie Wilderotter.

"The most significant company milestone to date has been met-that of becoming a national service with the advent of launching DirecTV Interactive. Fifteen-hundred hours of enhanced TV shows and enhanced ads are available to consumers every week.

"Our results this quarter make it clear that viewers want to interact," Wilderotter said. "They want to have the convenience of 'one-click'response on TV, and they want it to be non-intrusive and easy."