National Cable Television Cooperative To Deliver HDNet And HDNet Movies To Participating NCTC Member Systems

29-May-03

The National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) and HDNet announced an affiliate agreement to launch HDNet and HDNet Movies to cable television companies participating in the NCTC member network.NCTC member systems have begun rolling out HDNet and HDNet Movies to their subscribers as part of a high-definition TV (HDTV) service tier. RCN Corporation (NASDAQ: RCNC), with customers in seven of the top ten U.S. markets, will be launching service to its digital subscribers in the Boston, New York, Lehigh Valley (Pennsylvania), and Washington, D.C. metropolitan markets during May and June.Midcontinent Communications, serving over 200 communities in the Dakotas, Western Minnesota, and Northern Nebraska, will launch service in Sioux Falls and Rapid City, South Dakota, and Bismarck, North Dakota July 1. Blue Ridge Communications, an NCTC affiliate serving the Pennsylvania area, has launched the HDNet networks to subscribers of its digital cable service, and Service Electric Cable TV will be launching to its customers in the next month.""With more than 1,000 independent cable operators that serve more than 14 million subscribers, the NCTC presents an opportunity for millions of people to gain access to HDNet programming,"" said Mark Cuban, co-founder and President of HDNet. ""HDNet continues to expand our original programming, with 'HDNet World Reports,' 'Across America,' 'True Music,' 'Higher Definition,' our sports programming with Major League Soccer, our new boxing series--'Boxing Explosion,' and our lineup of blockbuster movie titles. We are excited to be delivering great programming in HD across the country to the NCTC member network.""""The NCTC polled our members and found that the demand for quality HD programming is extremely high,"" said Michael L. Pandzik, President and CEO of NCTC. ""We are excited to offer HDNet and HDNet Movies to our member companies and help them stay at the forefront of the movement toward making HDTV programming available to all cable subscribers.""""We're pleased to work with HDNet in offering high-definition television programming to our digital customers,"" said Rick Rioboli, RCN's Vice President of Product Management. ""Our network was designed to offer consumers the most advanced residential entertainment and communications services available, including HDTV.""For more information about HDNet, visit www.hd.net.

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