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Viewer's Choice to Distribute NBA LEAGUE PASS on GE-1
Cable2 Neighborhood Enriched with Premium Digital Sports Programming
PRINCETON, NJ, December 13, 1999
GE American Communications, Inc. (GE Americom) announced today that Viewer's Choice will distribute a full slate of NBA games via GE Americom's Cable2 neighborhood. Viewer's Choice will utilize two C-band transponders on the GE-1 satellite to distribute its NBA LEAGUE PASS to millions of homes each week in all major markets via digital cable head-ends throughout the United States.
Carl Capista, GE Americom's Vice President, Satellite Services - North America said, "We are pleased to expand our long-term relationship with Viewer's Choice, a recognized innovator in premium programming." He continued, "The NBA LEAGUE PASS is an exciting addition to the array of sports programming already reaching the 44 million cable households connected to the Cable2 neighborhood."
Viewer's Choice President & CEO, Mindy Herman, said, "We're delighted to announce this agreement with GE Americom for distribution of our high-profile NBA television package. NBA LEAGUE PASS is indicative of the high-quality programming that will become a staple of our new brand and corporate identity on January 1, 2000, and we're counting on GE to help us make it happen."
Viewer's Choice, which will become iN DEMAND on January 1, 2000, is the nation's leading pay-per-view network, offering titles from all of the major Hollywood and independent studios, plus sports and entertainment events through its 35 channel digital pay-per-view multiplex service. Viewer's Choice serves over 1,700 affiliated systems with approximately 27 million addressable households and 112 million channel subscribers nationwide. The company's five shareholders include TCI Communications, Inc., Time Warner Entertainment - Advance/Newhouse Partnership, Comcast Programming Ventures, Inc., MediaOne of Delaware, Inc. and Cox Communications Holdings, Inc.
GE Americom's Cable2 neighborhood now reaches more than 43 million cable households and is composed of two dozen national and regional programming networks using transponders on GE-1 and Spacenet 4. Spacenet 4, located at 101° W.L., will be replaced later this month by the more powerful and technically superior GE-4 satellite. 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 SN-4/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.
GE-4, a hybrid satellite, was launched on November 13th and is expected to be operational by December 21st. The newest satellite in the Americom fleet will be located at 101°W.L. and provide high-powered service through three coverage beams. The spacecraft's twenty-four 36 MHz C-band transponders are dedicated to Cable2 and feature 20 watt SSPAs and offer coverage of the 50 US states plus Mexico and the Caribbean. The high-powered Ku-band payload will deliver services with switchable transponders throughout and between North America and South America.
With over twenty years' experience, GE American Communications, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and a leading provider of global satellite communications solutions. On consummation of the recently announced acquisition of Columbia Communications and integration of Columbia's transoceanic satellite capacity into GE Americom's global fleet, GE Americom will be able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region in the world. GE Americom currently operates eleven satellites providing services to North America. In addition, GE-1E provides service for European and Middle Eastern markets. With the December operation of GE-4 and through NahuelSAt, an Argentine satellite operator, GE Americom provides satellite-based communications services throughout South and Latin America. And with the launch of GE-1A, scheduled for first quarter 2000, GE Americom will be able to deliver services into China, India and the large population centers of Northeast Asia. GE Americom's key customers include ABC Radio Networks, AT&T Alascom, British Telecom, Deutsche Welle, Discovery, Disney, Gannett, ICG, Merlin, NBC, the New York Times, NHK, PaxNet, PBS, SkyCache, TELE Greenland, TV Europa, Viacom and TimeWarner/Turner Broadcasting.
GE Americom is a GE Capital business. GE Capital, with assets of over US$300 billion, is a global, diversified financial services company with 28 specialized businesses. A wholly-owned subsidiary of General Electric Company, GE Capital, based in Stamford, CT., 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.
Contact: Monica Morgan
609-987-4143
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