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Total Living Network Joins Americom's Cable2 Neighborhood
CHICAGO, IL, June, 14, 1999
Princeton, NJ-based GE American Communications, Inc. (GE Americom) a subsidiary of GE Capital, announced today that Christian Communications of Chicagoland, Inc.'s Total Living Network (TLN) will join GE Americom's Cable2 Neighborhood later this year. Chicagoland has secured a C-band transponder on the GE-1 satellite to distribute TLN's Christian values programming throughout the United States.
Jerry K. Rose, TLN's President and CEO expressed his excitement in joining the Cable2 family of cable services. "We anticipate that the satellite distribution of our unique programming channel will help us realize our mission to reach out, inspire, inform, entertain and assist Christian viewers everywhere lead fuller and more enriched lives." Rose continued, "The reach of the Cable2 neighborhood into more than 40 million households allows us to engage so many viewers with our new model for Christian value-based television programming."
Carl Capista, GE Americom's Vice President, Satellite Services - North America, said "Christian Communications of Chicagoland complements the other outstanding sports, news, information and entertainment services that are reaching the 41 million cable households currently connected to the Cable2 neighborhood." He added, "TLN and its programming reflect the fact that our new neighborhood is a great fit for networks, large and small, that are attracted to the quality of service offered by GE Americom."
Christian Communications of Chicagoland, Inc., has been operating a broadcast business since 1973. The Total Living Network, launched as a cable service in August 1998 is currently reaching almost 2 million households in the Chicago and San Francisco Bay area markets via cable and broadcast. TLN expects to grow into additional U.S. markets by 2002.
GE Americom's Cable2 Neighborhood now reaches more than 41 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 degrees West, will be replaced later this year 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 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.
With over twenty years of experience, GE American Communications, Inc. is recognized as a pioneer and a leading provider of global satellite communications solutions. These solutions primarily provide the distribution of broadcast and cable television programming and digital/Broadband Data Services over satellite. GE Americom currently operates twelve satellites providing satellite-based solutions to North America. In Europe, GE-1E provides high-powered Ku-band service for European and Middle Eastern television markets. With the launch of GE-4 and as an owner of Argentine satellite operator NahuelSAt, GE Americom is committed to the delivery of satellite-based communications services throughout South and Latin America. And with the launch of its first Asian satellite, GE-1A, GE Americom's satellite interests will reach more than 90% of the world's population. Some of GE Americom's key international customers include Viacom, Time Warner/Turner Broadcasting, Discovery, NBC, NHK Disney, Deutsche Welle and Merlin.
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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