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iN DEMAND NETWORKS AND HALLMARK CHANNEL EXPAND PROGRAMMING PARTNERSHIP
New Deal Marks Hallmark Channel�s Initial Entry Into HD Video On Demand
And Renews VOD And Hi Def Programming Agreements
IN DEMAND Networks and Crown Media Distribution, LLC today announced the
renewal of their Video On Demand (VOD) and High Definition (HD) programming
agreements. Under the terms of the new deal, Hallmark Channel movies and miniseries
will continue to be available to iN DEMAND Movies On Demand customers and on INHD
and INHD2, cable�s most widely distributed suite of high-definition networks. In addition,
both parties announced that, for the first time ever, Hallmark Channel movies will be
made available on a select basis to iN DEMAND�s HD Video on Demand service starting
this summer.
�When we first entered into our agreement with Crown Media, we believed that
the Hallmark brand and its high quality movies would resonate with our Movies On
Demand customers and with viewers of INHD and INHD2,� said David Asch, Senior Vice
President of Programming, iN DEMAND Networks. �Hallmark Channel movies have
proven to be a great success and we believe that they will be a tremendous addition to
our HD VOD lineup.�
While not sure about whether the initial VOD and HiDef agreements would one
day lead to today�s HD VOD announcement, �it certainly was our hope that the next
evolutionary step would lead to this new and exciting arena,� noted Paul FitzPatrick,
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Crown Media Holdings, Inc.,
owner and operator of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel.
IN DEMAND Networks, the world's leading PPV and VOD provider, delivers
television premieres of the best movies, championship boxing, mega-event wrestling,
professional and college sports, plus original entertainment. iN DEMAND's digital lineup
also offers MLB EXTRA INNINGS, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NHL CENTER ICE, and MLS
DIRECT KICK. iN DEMAND also owns and operates two 24-hour linear high definition
television channels, INHD and INHD2. The company's shareholders are Comcast iN
DEMAND Holdings, Inc., Cox Communications Holdings, Inc., and Time Warner
Entertainment - Advance/Newhouse Partnership. Further information about the
company can be found at www.indemand.com.
Hallmark Channel is a 24-hour basic cable channel that provides a diverse slate
of high-quality entertainment programming to a national audience of 68 million
subscribers. The program service is distributed through 4,800 cable systems and
communities as well as direct-to-home satellite services across the country. Crown
Media Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWN) owns and operates Hallmark Channel. In 2004,
Crown launched its second 24-hour linear channel, Hallmark Movie Channel. Through its
subsidiary, Crown Media Distribution, LLC, Crown also distributes titles from its awardwinning
collection of movies, miniseries and films for exhibition in a variety of television
media including broadcast, cable, Video-on-Demand and High Definition Television.
-- HALLMARK CHANNEL --
For more information, please visit www.hallmarkchannel.com or
www.hallmarkmoviechannel.com.
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