MTV2 Joins Cable2 Neighborhood
GE Americom to Uplink 24-Hour Music Channel to GE-1
January 30, 2001 - Princeton, NJ
GE American Communications, Inc. (GE Americom) announced today that New York - based MTV Networks has chosen to use GE-1 C-band transponder 20 to expand the distribution of MTV2 to C-band TVRO subscribers and cable head-ends throughout the U.S. In addition to satellite transponder capacity, GE Americom will also uplink MTV2 from its Woodbine, Maryland Transmission Center. The satellite, located at 103? West, makes up half of GE Americom's Cable2 neighborhood and now reaches more than 48.5 million households.
Carl Capista, GE Americom's Vice President, Satellite Services - North America said, "We are pleased to expand our longstanding relationship with Viacom's MTV Networks in order to deliver the all-music programming service, MTV2, to TVRO subscribers and 2,100 cable head-ends, thereby diversifying the mix of services in the Cable2 neighborhood. MTV2 reinforces the Network's position as an industry innovator by offering in-depth musical programming with local blocks and continuous web-enabled interactive opportunities for viewers."
David Cohn, general manager of MTV2, commented, "We are delighted that we will expand the reach of MTV2 through this new analog distribution channel on GE-1. We anticipate that the local programming block, tailored to each cable community and only available on an analog channel, will distinguish this distribution of MTV2."
Viacom's MTV Networks launched MTV2 on August 1, 1996 at 12:01 am (ET), exactly fifteen years after the launch of MTV: Music Television. Now available in 30 million homes, MTV2's programming reflects its continued commitment to music in a variety of genre shows, in addition to its diverse programming mix, including hip hop, hard rock and dance. With an emphasis on local and interactive elements, various featured programs also include a daily four-hour, locally programmed block of video music in key markets.
GE Americom's Cable2 neighborhood reaches more than 48.5 million cable households and is composed of two dozen national and regional programming networks using transponders on GE-1 and GE-4. The rapid growth of Cable2 can be attributed to an ambitious program to distribute antennas to cable head-ends that, in aggregate, plans to reach up to 90% of America's cable subscribers. With the close proximity of the two satellites, GE-1 at 103? and GE-4 at 101? W.L., the antenna program permits dual reception of both satellites by a single C-band antenna.
The C-band payload of the hybrid GE-1 satellite is dedicated to Cable2, with twenty-four 36 MHz, 20-watt C-band transponders. The satellite was launched in late 1996 at 103? W.L. and provides 50 state and Caribbean coverage for an expected 15-year life. The spacecraft also carries the first U.S. payload of 36 MHz bandwidth, 60-watt powered Ku-band transponders and features a shaped-beam reflector antenna design. The GE-1 spacecraft is an advanced satellite platform offering exceptional reliability, flexibility, system redundancy and service life.
With over twenty-five years' experience, GE American Communications, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and leading provider of global satellite communications solutions. GE Americom is able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world through a fleet of 21 satellites. GE Americom's key customers include ABC Radio Networks, AT&T Alascom, British Telecom, Cidera, Deutsche Welle, Discovery, Disney, Gannett, ICG, Merlin, NBC, the New York Times, NHK, PaxNet, PBS, TELE Greenland, TV Europa, Viacom and TimeWarner/Turner Broadcasting.
GE Americom is a GE Capital company. GE Capital, with assets of over US$370 billion, is a global, diversified financial services company with five specialized business segments. A wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric Company, GE Capital, based in Stamford, Conn., provides equipment management, mid-market and specialized financing, specialty insurance and a variety of consumer services, such as car leasing, home mortgages and credit cards, to businesses and individuals around the world. GE is a diversified services, technology and manufacturing company with operations worldwide.
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc., owns and operates the following television programming services MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, NICKELODEON/NICK at NITE, TV LAND, CMT, TNN and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of nine digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide. In addition, MTV Networks operates the MTVi Group and Nickelodeon Online, a portfolio of leading Internet properties built to address every interest of today's music fan and Internet-savvy kid.
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