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Audio Replay of VOOM 10/15/03 Press Conference Thanks to AVS member higgins for the link.
VOOM Viewers Guide Thanks to AVS member Robert Packman for the link.
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| CABLEVISION'S RAINBOW DBS INTRODUCES "VOOM" - NATION'S FIRST TELEVISION SERVICE DESIGNED TO MEET DEMAND OF GROWING, UNDERSERVED HDTV MARKET VOOM to Offer 39 HD Channels; Far More Than Any Other Satellite or Cable Provider Exclusive VOOM Package of 21 HD Channels From Rainbow Media Breaks New Ground With High-Definition Movies, Music, Sports, News, Fashion, Arts, Lifestyles, Animation and More VOOM to be Available at More Than 1,600 Sears Stores Nationwide; Charter Members to Pay No Monthly Programming Fees During Initial Preview Period JERICHO, N.Y., October 15, 2003 - Rainbow DBS, Cablevision Systems Corporation's satellite division, today introduced VOOM, the first television service to offer a comprehensive array of high-definition (HD) programming to customers throughout the continental United States. During an initial preview period, as the number of available channels continues to expand, charter members will pay no monthly programming fees through January 2004. VOOM will offer consumers far more HD programming than any other satellite or cable service. Beginning now, VOOM will feature an exclusive VOOM package of 21 commercial-free, 1080i channels created expressly to meet the demand of today's rapidly growing but underserved HDTV audience. Customers of VOOM will also receive several cable favorites such as the Disney Channel, A&E, FX, AMC and more, as well as over-the-air digital local broadcast channels delivered in standard definition (SD) and in HD where available. By February 2004, with the addition of new channels, customers will receive 39 HD channels and 88 standard-definition channels, including more than 40 cable favorites. In addition, Rainbow DBS has teamed with leading programming partners like the NFL Network, Playboy, Discovery HD Theater and Starz! to offer consumers premium movies, sports and entertainment channels in VOOM's exciting high-definition environment. Sears, one of the nation's leading retailers of HDTV sets, will make VOOM available through 851 Sears full-line stores and 772 Sears dealers stores across the country. Consumers can also order VOOM by calling 1-800-GET-VOOM or visiting www.voom.com. Beginning February 2004, VOOM will be offered for $39.90 a month. VOOM Meets the Demands of an Exploding HDTV Market Charles Dolan, Cablevision chairman, said: "VOOM will jumpstart the era of HDTV. Beginning today, we are delivering far and away the widest selection of high-definition programming available anywhere to meet the demands of a growing but underserved HDTV market. Cablevision has always been first and foremost a content company, with a strong history of program innovation - and now with VOOM, we will expand content delivery to customers across the country. Millions of consumers have already made substantial investments in high-definition home entertainment centers, but this wonderful technology has unfortunately been marginalized by a dearth of available programming. We will fill that void by originating and aggregating more HD content than any other satellite or cable service." Mickey Alpert, Chief Operating Officer of Rainbow DBS, stated: "We designed VOOM expressly for the more than 40 million consumers who are expected to own HDTV sets within the next few years. We are staking claim in a new market as the first company to provide an HD-centric programming service that offers the greatest number of HD channels, along with an attractive group of cable favorites and premium services in standard definition. We have taken advantage of technology improvements in space by utilizing Rainbow 1, one of the world's most advanced DBS satellites; and on the ground, by providing Motorola MPEG-4 compatible receivers. Together, this technology will allow us to deliver more HDTV channels at a lower cost than any other service. In addition, we are joining forces with Sears, a national retail leader in HDTV sales, to provide nationwide retail access to our service. By combining great programs, technology and strategic partners, VOOM will offer compelling value for HDTV owners." More HD Channels Than Any Other Service After the initial preview period, VOOM customers will receive 39 channels of HD programming. The centerpiece of this compelling offering is an integrated suite of 21 exclusive VOOM HD channels created by Rainbow Media Holdings LLC. Rainbow Media is the Cablevision programming subsidiary that launched such successful cable channels as AMC, IFC (The Independent Film Channel), WE: Women's Entertainment, Fuse, News 12 and Bravo, which was later sold to NBC. Joshua Sapan, President & Chief Executive Officer, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, stated: "HDTV is poised to revolutionize the television viewing experience for consumers, offering spectacular images, powerful sound quality and the sense of immediacy not experienced on conventional television. A fundamental ingredient of Rainbow DBS's high-definition offerings will be our 21 VOOM HD exclusives - commercial-free channels that deliver a wide range of programming content not found anywhere else. This content builds on Rainbow Media's history of programming innovation, industry leadership and proven success. The VOOM exclusives are an exciting opportunity for us to provide compelling programming and to build a new collection of channels specifically designed for this new television platform and service." The exclusive VOOM HD channels from Rainbow Media are: * HD Cinema 10* - Ten different film channels that offer the largest selection of HD movies available anywhere. * Monsters - Scary movies taken to the next level by the power of HDTV. * Epics - A cinematic celebration of the silver screen with magnificent stories and music, all about heroes, noble journeys and the triumphant human spirit. * World Sport - Close-up sports action from every corner of the globe, including top world soccer leagues, pro-sailing and college football. * Rush HD - Heart-pounding, in-your-face, extreme sports like skydiving, snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding. * Rave HD - All-music, all-the-time; plus concert performances by top artists with incomparable resolution and audio clarity. * Ultra HD - Direct from the fashion and food capitals of the world, enjoy the hottest trends in what to wear, where to go and how to find the best dining on the planet. * Treasure HD - Capturing the amazing world of collectibles and collectors, meet these eclectic personalities from the most knowledgeable to the merely curious. * Gallery HD - Exploring the world's greatest museums, art galleries and architecture, with HD detail and clarity unseen anywhere else on television. * Animania - Big, bold fun for everyone in the family, featuring long and short-form animation from award-winning festivals to popular cartoon classics. * News Bytes HD - Current news headlines, weather and sports, all in HD, plus compelling feature stories and video essays. * MOOV - Stunning motion-video with a continuous flow of unusual images set to music, creating a new artistic medium uniquely suited for HD. Partnerships With Leading Television Programmers Rainbow DBS has formed partnerships with many of television's most popular programmers. Part of that programming will be packaged as "PlusPacks", which will roll out over the next few months and include premium services in both HD and SD. VOOM customers will also receive more than 40 of their favorite cable channels in standard definition. The lineup today includes 28 channels, and others are expected to be added in the next few months. The SD channels available today are: * ABC Family * A&E * AMC * Animal Planet * Biography * Court TV * CSPAN * CSPAN 2 * Discovery Channel * Discovery Health * Disney Channel * E! * Fuse * FX * The Game Show Network * Hallmark Channel * The History Channel * IFC (The Independent Film Channel) * The Learning Channel * NFL Network * Outdoor Life Network * Oxygen * Soapnet * Speed * Style * Travel Channel * Toon Disney * WE: Women's Entertainment In addition, with the included off-air antenna, VOOM customers will receive over-the-air digital local broadcast channels in standard definition and in HD where available. Customers also have access to Pay-Per-View programming in HD, including exclusive content from Playboy TV beginning in January. To provide customers an even richer choice of entertainment, VOOM features 18 commercial-free, digital music channels from Music Choice - 24 hours of every day. Consumers can choose from a broad selection of music genres, including country, rock, classical, golden oldies and the latest hits, all with dynamic digital sound. VOOM Delivers a Compelling Value Proposition VOOM's state-of-the-art technology and dynamic programming give customers everything they need to enjoy the world of HDTV at an unmatched value, without requiring a long-term commitment. After the initial preview period through January for charter members, customers will pay $39.90 a month to enjoy: * 21 VOOM HD exclusives * One HD PlusPack * More than 40 cable favorites * 18 digital music channels from Music Choice * With the included off-air antenna, over-the-air digital local broadcast channels in standard definition and in HD where available Additional HD PlusPacks can be purchased for $14.90 per month each. Customers also have access to Pay-Per-View programming in HD and Inside VOOM, a customer information channel. VOOM involves an initial one-time cost of $749.99, for which customers receive a satellite dish, remote control, digital off-air antenna, and next-generation set-top receiver that seamlessly integrates local signals into one user-friendly program guide, specifically designed for the HD format. In addition, customers will receive a full professional installation and a two-year complete in-home service plan. VOOM is Available at Sears Stores Nationwide Beginning today, consumers across the continental United States can sign up for Rainbow DBS at more than 1,600 Sears stores. The first national retailer to display HD programming on its sales floor, Sears has doubled the number of plasma and liquid crystal display (LCD) TV models it offers in 2003, and now carries 21 models from nine manufacturers. Consumers can also sign up by calling 1-800-GET-VOOM or visiting www.voom.com <http://www.voomhdtv.com>. During an initial preview period, as new channels continue to be added to the service, charter members who sign up between now and December 31, 2003 will pay no monthly programming fees through January 31, 2004. Leading-Edge Technology to Serve a Large and Growing Audience Rainbow DBS's robust technology provides an unparalleled HDTV experience in Dolby 5.1 sound, using the most advanced technology to provide and deliver sharper images more efficiently than ever before. Its user-friendly, on-screen program guide, specifically designed for the HD format, allows customers to search easily and rapidly for the programming they want by genre. Customers can also personalize the guide to display only the channels they want to watch. VOOM will also be the first service to take full advantage of the coming MPEG-4 compression technology, which will double the available satellite capacity. Because of the state-of-the-art Rainbow 1 satellite and MPEG-4-capable set-top receivers developed with Motorola, Rainbow DBS will be able to leverage the power of MPEG-4 without the legacy issues that will face other providers who will have to upgrade or switch out current equipment. MPEG-4 will be phased in over the next two years. In addition to the partnership with Motorola, Rainbow DBS has teamed with other technology partners to provide and maintain the systems and hardware that make the VOOM experience possible. These include Lockheed Martin, NDS, Open TV and Universal Remote. Rainbow DBS has also partnered with a number of companies that share its commitment to excellence including: for customer service and fulfillment, Convergys, INSTALLS Inc. and Ozburn Hessey; and, for branding and virtual marketing, IPG. Rapid Growth Forecasted for Underserved HDTV Market According to Forrester Research, as many as six million households will have HDTV-compatible televisions by the end of 2003 - double the number of the previous year. That figure is expected to double again by 2005 and, according to analysts, by 2007, more than 40 million consumers will own HDTV sets. According to a recent study by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA): * Consumers are overwhelmingly unaware of existing HDTV content - 71 percent of those surveyed said they were not very familiar or not at all familiar with HDTV programming. * Among potential HDTV purchasers, almost 30 percent of those surveyed cited lack of HDTV content as an inhibitor to purchasing an HDTV set. * An even larger percentage of consumers surveyed lack basic information about how to receive the full benefits of HD programming: o 74 percent of consumers were unaware that they need a set-top box to view HD programming; and o 54 percent weren't aware that owning HDTV hardware would enable them to view programs in HD only if the programs were broadcast in HD. About VOOM and Rainbow DBS VOOM is the first and most complete service of high-definition programming for the rapidly expanding home entertainment market. By February 2004, VOOM will offer 39 premium high-definition channels to consumers across the continental United States, including an exclusive VOOM package of 21 brand-new, commercial-free channels such as WorldSport, Epics and Animania. VOOM is provided by Rainbow DBS, the satellite services division of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Consumers may purchase the VOOM equipment and sign up for the service through local Sears retailers, by calling 1-800-GETVOOM, or by visiting www.voom.com. This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including financial community and rating agency perceptions of the company and its business, operations, financial condition and the industry in which it operates and the factors described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein. The company disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained herein. # # # |
Audio Replay of VOOM 10/15/03 Press Conference Thanks to AVS member higgins for the link.
VOOM Viewers Guide Thanks to AVS member Robert Packman for the link.
