PointCast Denies Rumors of Purchase

PointCast Inc., an Internet news service based in Cupertino, Calif., denied rumors it would be purchased by media giant News Corp. for $300 million. PointCast insiders said News Corp. is among a number of companies that has recently approached the promising Internet start-up with a purchase offer, but said none of the talks have become serious. PointCast’s founders and investors would prefer to take the company public later this year where they believe they will get better return for the fledgling venture. PointCast, started in 1992, is a leader in so-called push technology, a popular new method for delivering Internet information to computer users. The firm automatically routes specific Internet content to its subscribers at regular intervals, eliminating the need to type in cumbersome commands. The Los Angeles Times is among the newspapers carried by PointCast and Times Mirror Co., which publishes The Times, is an investor in the company.