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Microsoft Corp. Thursday announced that WebTV Networks Inc. will support the latest versions of Microsoft's Windows Media Player and RealNetworks Inc.'s Real Player, giving subscribers to WebTV Network services access to streamed audio and video on the Internet.

WebTV Networks is offering the enhanced service for free to its subscribers.

WebTV customers can listen to hometown sports events, local news and music here along with on-demand streaming video on the Web, including news from sites such as MSNBC.

WebTV Networks will begin rolling out the new features to subscribers immediately. The release will be staggered according to set-top box type and manufacturer over the course of the next six weeks. Subscribers will be notified upon login when they are eligible to take advantage of the upgrade.

"Our goal is to allow people to enjoy Windows Media any time, any place and on any device," said Dave Fester, general manager of marketing, Digital Media Division at Microsoft. "Today, consumers using WebTV services can, for the first time, tap into the world of Internet audio and video streaming in the comfort of their living room."

In related news, RealNetworks Inc. was welcomed aboard by usual rival Microsoft, which owns WebTV. RealNetworks Inc. Thursday integrated RealAudio into the WebTV service.

RealAudio offers 3,000 worldwide radio stations featured on the Real.com Guide, sports, and the newest music. RealAudio will be available through the same service upgrade to WebTV that begins rollout now and will be available to all subscribers over the next six weeks.

"RealNeworks is happy to have the world of Internet audio opened up for the WebTV audience," said Peter Zaballos, director, Media Systems, RealNetworks Inc. "RealPlayer is the ideal streaming media solution for deployment on TV & Internet appliances."