Bethpage, NY, November 22, 2004 — Rainbow Media Enterprises, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC), announced today that its year-old VOOM satellite service will dramatically expand in March of next year from its current 130 channels covering the continental U.S. (conus), including 39 high-definition channels, to an industry leading 350 full conus channels, including more than 70 high-definition channels.
“The increase in VOOM’s HDTV channels from 39 to more than 70 will allow us to continue to provide more high-definition video services than any other cable or satellite provider,” said Tom Dolan, CEO of Rainbow Media Enterprises. “Our plan is to simultaneously add nearly 200 standard definition channels.” Mr. Dolan continued.
To facilitate the expansion, the VOOM service will utilize 16 transponders on the SES Americom AMC-6 satellite, which VOOM refers to as “Rainbow 2,” previously leased from SES AMERICOM, a SES GLOBAL company.
Mr. Dolan explained that all the programming transmitted by both Rainbow 1 and Rainbow 2 will utilize a new encoding system from Harmonic, initially configured to run in MPEG-2 and software upgradeable to MPEG-4.
“Today’s announcement is a step forward in our plans to advance VOOM to MPEG-4 later in 2005. All VOOM customers have been provided with set-top boxes capable of receiving the MPEG-4 signal and we remain committed to offering more than 400 full continental US channels before the end of 2005,” continued Mr. Dolan.
Adding further dimension to the company’s capacity plans, Rainbow Media disclosed that today it filed with the Federal Communications Commission a recently completed contract with Lockheed Martin under which the aerospace company will construct five Ka-band satellites for VOOM. These high power satellites, the first of which is to be completed and launched in approximately 34 months, will enable VOOM to increase its channel capacity to more than 5,000 high definition channels when operating in spot beam mode. This will enable VOOM to have spot beams covering the entire United States including Alaska and Hawaii. With these satellites, VOOM will be operating with virtually no capacity constraints. These satellites will be operated at the company’s orbital locations at 62W, 71W, 77W, 119W and 129W.
About VOOM and Rainbow DBS
VOOM, provided by Rainbow DBS, Cablevision System Corporation’s satellite division, is the first television service to provide a comprehensive array of high-definition (HD) programming for the rapidly growing but underserved HDTV audience. With a lineup of 39 HD channels, VOOM delivers more HD programming than any other satellite or cable service provider. VOOM’s HD lineup includes STARZ! HD, Encore HD, Showtime HD, Playboy Hot HD, ESPN HD, HBO HDTV and Cinemax HDTV, as well as an exclusive package of brand-new, commercial-free VOOM HD Originals such as WorldSport, Equator and Animania. The service also includes 88 of the most popular cable channels in standard-definition (SD), 18 digital music channels, and free over-the-air digital broadcast channels in HD, where available. VOOM is offered across the continental United States through local Sears retailers; at BrandsMart USA stores; at Electronics Expo stores; through leading online retailer, Crutchfield Corporation; through O’Rourke Sales Company’s independent electronics retailers with approximately 10,000 locations in all 50 states; and through The EDGE Group’s 12 regional distributors, including Cutting Edge Distributing, of Aurora, CO; Electronic Stockroom, of San Rafael, CA; Electronic Lane, of Dallas, TX; Electronics Source, of West Palm Beach, FL; BDC Distributing, of Bayside, NY; and Necessities, of Norwell, MA. Customers can also purchase the service by calling 1-800-GET-VOOM or by visiting www.voom.com.
This 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.
