Oracle Corp. has launched Oracle Media Objects, its new interactive multimedia authoring tool which it says will allow developers to create applications for both CD-ROM and interactive television. "This new tool," Oracle says, "effectively bridges the gap between PCs, TVs and other emerging information platforms."

Oracle has also unveiled the first in a series of CD-ROM and interactive television (ITV) applications created with the new software by Home Box Office, The Weather Channel, Cambridge Digital Media, the University of Michigan, and others.

Speaking at last month's Oracle conference for multimedia developers in San Francisco, the company's New Media Division Vice President, Farzad Dibachi, said developers can use the new software to "quickly and affordably create compelling, broadcast quality applications for use now on a PC with an option to easily move them onto the information superhighway."

The application developed by HBO was for its interactive version of entertainment on demand. The WeatherChannel used the software to bring its information service up to date. Cambridge Digital used it to create the CD-ROM title "Route 66," which provides travel information and trivia about Route 66. The University of Michigan unveiled its "Events Recorder" application that allows professionals to gather, analyze and compare video sequences of events.

Oracle of Redwood Shores, Calif., says the software runs on the Apple Macintosh and PC desktops, as well as "the largest variety of set-top boxes of any multimedia authoring software (Apple, Microware and Scientific Atlanta set-top boxes).

Oracle says the production version of Oracle Media Objects will be available for Mac, PowerMac and Microsoft Windows platforms in mid-1995 at a price of less than $500. Run-time licenses will be free.