DIRECTV’s CalcioDirect(TM) is America’s First Channel Package Tailored for International Soccer; New International Soccer Package Will Offer Three Channels with the Best Selection of Italian Soccer and News

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Mar 23, 2006 (BUSINESS WIRE) — DIRECTV is delivering a programming “hat trick” for Italian soccer fans with the launch of CalcioDirect(TM), America’s first channel package tailored specifically for soccer fans.

Now providing the widest selection of Italian soccer and news, CalcioDirect offers GolTV, Fox Soccer Channel and SKY TG24, the premier 24×7 Italian news channel, for $19.99/month. The package is part of the DIRECTV WorldDirect(TM) umbrella of international services and is designed for Italian soccer enthusiasts.

“By bundling these channels into one package, we’re providing Italian soccer fans with the best selection of Italian soccer at an exceptional value,” said Aaron McNally, vice president, DIRECTV International. “With one out of 20 Americans who are of Italian ancestry, and countless more who are passionate about soccer, there is an enormous base of fans in the United States who now have a single destination for all of their favorite soccer games from Italy’s Serie A and the best leagues from around the world.”
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Cablevision and SportsNet New York Announce Carriage Agreement

New 24-Hour Sports Network Featuring New York Mets Baseball Games to Become Available to Cablevision Customers Today

BETHPAGE, NY and NEW YORK, NY — March 23, 2006 — Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE: CVC) and SportsNet New York today announced a long-term agreement to provide the new regional sports network featuring the New York Mets and the New York Jets to Cablevision customers.

The new network will be added to Cablevision’s Family Cable (expanded basic) level of service today on channel 60, in time for tonight’s live pre-season game against the Florida Marlins. In Cablevision’s Litchfield, Connecticut service area, SportsNet New York will appear on channel 62. The agreement will also allow Cablevision to deliver to its HD customers a high-definition version of all regular season home Mets games carried by SportsNet New York.
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DIRECTV’s New NCAA(R) MEGA MARCH MADNESS(TM) Interactive Features Draw a Crowd in First Two Rounds

Interactive Enhancements Used By Nearly 66 Percent of NCAA MEGA MARCH MADNESS Customers with Interactive Set-top boxes; Eighty-five percent Used Game Mix Multiple Times

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 22, 2006–DIRECTV was keeping its own score during the first two rounds of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, reporting that nearly 66 percent of its NCAA MEGA MARCH MADNESS(TM) package customers who had interactive receivers used the new array of on-demand interactive features to keep track of their favorite teams, scores and bracket predictions.

DIRECTV’s exclusive 2006 DIRECTV NCAA MEGA MARCH MADNESS(TM) package of the first three rounds of the tournament, supplementing CBS Sports’ exclusive coverage of the entire tournament, offered new on-demand features this year for customers with interactive receivers. Together with CBS Sports’ coverage, the NCAA MEGA MARCH MADNESS package enables only DIRECTV customers to see virtually all the tournament games on TV.
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Charter Communications Announces Agreement to Sell Systems Serving Approximately 43,700 Customers; Subsidiaries of Orange Broadband Holding Company, LLC to Purchase Charter Assets

ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 22, 2006–Charter Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: CHTR) (the “Company” or “Charter”) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to sell certain cable television systems serving a total of approximately 69,400 revenue generating units, including 43,700 analog video customers, 12,300 digital video and 13,400 high-speed Internet customers in northern and southeastern Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah to subsidiaries of Orange Broadband Holding Company, LLC. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“As with our recently announced sale agreements to Cebridge and New Wave Communications, this transaction is consistent with our strategy to divest geographically non-strategic assets,” said Charter President and CEO Neil Smit. “As we’ve said previously, we will continue to assess opportunities to optimize our portfolio to enhance overall operating efficiency.”
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CEA Study Finds Adults Spend More Time Gaming Than Teens
Adults Will Purchase 19 Million Next Generation Consoles in the First Year, Further Fueling New Business Opportunities for Installers and Retailers

Arlington, Virginia - Roughly one-third of adult gamers spend 10 hours or more per week playing console or PC games compared to just 11 percent of teens, according to results from a new study released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA®). The surprising results are part of CEA’s 2006 Gaming Technology Study, which surveyed adults via online survey and teens (ages 12-17) via telephone interview.

“The fact that adults are racking up more gaming hours than teens is startling, but there are several associated findings that shed light on this,” said CEA’s Senior Manager, Industry Analysis Steve Koenig. “Interestingly, a greater percentage of 12-14 year olds spend time gaming than older teens ages 15-17. Older teens simply may not have the free time for extra hours of gaming or they could be gaming on wireless handsets since 81 percent of teens own or use a wireless phone.”
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Verizon Seeks FCC Intervention to Free Cablevision’s Stranglehold on Sports Programming

Cablevision’s Anti-Competitive Behavior in New York and Massachusetts Runs Afoul of 1992 Cable Consumer Protection Act

WASHINGTON - Stymied by extended stonewalling by Cablevision Systems Corp. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Rainbow Media Holdings, Verizon has filed a formal program access complaint with the Federal Communications Commission to secure Rainbow’s sports programming for Verizon’s FiOS TV customers in New York and New England.

For more than a year, despite repeated requests to negotiate by Verizon, Rainbow has refused to begin to negotiate a carriage agreement for Fox Sports Network New York, Fox Sports Network New England and Madison Square Garden Network - all controlled by Rainbow.

Through Rainbow Media Holdings, Cablevision operates regional sports networks in New York that hold rights to produce and show games of local teams including the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils.
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PASSIONATE DEBATES ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, FAIR USE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS REFORM MAKE FOR LIVELY DAY TWO AT CEA’S ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY POLICY SUMMIT

Inaugural Event Entertains and Informs with Keynotes and Discussions Featuring Top Government Officials and Key Entertainment, Consumer Electronics and Communications Industry Leaders

Arlington, Virginia - Animated and enthusiastic debates over intellectual property protection, fair use rights and new digital content distribution networks highlighted day two of the Consumer Electronics Association’s (CEA®) Entertainment Technology Policy Summit. The inaugural event ran March 15-16, 2006, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C.

CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro opened the second day of the Summit with a focus on the challenges and opportunities presented by the historic intersection of digital content, communications networks and consumer electronics devices. “Today, we will continue to explore the public policy and technology challenges that arise as consumers embrace new ways in which digital content is being delivered to devices as they begin to realize the dream of anytime, anywhere access to video, music, photos, information and more,” said Shapiro.
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CBS and Verizon Reach Comprehensive Retransmission Consent Agreement

Verizon FiOS TV Will Carry CBS-Owned Television Stations and Local Video-On-Demand Content Deal Also Includes CBS Television Network VOD Content

NEW YORK – Verizon and CBS today announced a comprehensive retransmission consent and video-on-demand (VOD) agreement, which includes analog, digital, multicast and high-definition rights to programming on CBS owned-and-operated television stations; local VOD content from those stations; and CBS Television Network VOD content, including such current popular network series as “CSI,” “NCIS” and “Survivor.”

Verizon will offer the programming on Verizon FiOS TV, its new fiber-optic TV service, which is now available in parts of seven states. All FiOS TV subscribers with a set-top box will receive the CBS Television Network VOD content at no incremental cost, which will also be true for FiOS TV subscribers in CBS O&O markets with regard to the local VOD content.
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300,000 Virginia Households to Be Capable of Receiving FIOS TV Under Verizon Build-Out Plan

Verizon Commits to Deployment Following Recent Commonwealth Legislation; Announces Additional FiOS TV Rollouts in Fairfax County

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Verizon today said it will extend its fiber-optic network to a total of 25 of its local service areas in Virginia by the end of 2006, making more than 300,000 households capable of receiving the company’s FiOS TV service. The commitment follows the adoption of cable choice legislation signed into law by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine on March 10. Verizon said it will provide more details about the build out in the coming months.

Verizon also announced additional FiOS TV rollouts to 73,000 Fairfax County households and has begun taking orders for the service. These households are located in portions of Annandale, Falls Church, Springfield, Burke, Newington, McLean, Tyson’s Corner, Oakton and Wolf Trap.
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Sony Enhances High Definition Experience With Introduction Of First Blu-Ray Disc Products

LAS VEGAS, March 16, 2006 - Sony Electronics today debuted its first Blu-ray Disc™ (BD) products in the U.S., along with details on suggested pricing and availability for some of the new offerings.

These next generation devices include a home player, VAIO® desktop and notebook computers, an aftermarket internal computer drive, and recordable/rewritable media. All will offer the highest-definition experience available from a five-inch optical disc.

“We’re in a unique position to be unveiling a full line of HD products that capitalize on Blu-ray Disc’s technological advantages,” said Hideki “Dick” Komiyama, president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics Inc. “Blu-ray Disc will set the bar for the high-definition lifestyle that consumers have been anticipating.”

Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc Player
Headlining Sony’s new product debuts are the BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc player and the VAIO RC desktop computer. The player is targeted to ship in July for about $1,000. The VAIO PC with Blu-ray Disc will be available for about $2,300. Both the VAIO RC desktop and notebook with a Blu-ray Disc drive will be available by early summer.

In April, Sony plans to begin shipping 25GB BD-R (write once) and BD-RE (rewritable) discs for about $20 and $25 respectively. The 50GB BD-R and BD-RE dual-layer discs will come in subsequent months for about $48 and $60 respectively.
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