Gemstar-TV Guide And Panasonic Announce European IPG License Deal For Panasonic Digital Recording Devices And TVs

16-Sep-04

Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd have signed a multi-year licensing agreement under which Panasonic has licensed the right to incorporate Gemstar-TV Guide's interactive program guide (IPG) for consumer electronics into Panasonic digital recording devices and televisions in Europe. With this agreement, Gemstar-TV Guide now licenses its consumer electronics IPG and technology to Panasonic in three regions, North America, Japan and Europe. Gemstar-TV Guide's interactive program guide is marketed as TV Guide On Screen in North America, G-Guide in Japan and GUIDE Plus+ in Europe. ìGemstar-TV Guide and Panasonic have had a very successful relationship to date, and I am pleased we are now working together in Europe, one of the most dynamic and exciting markets for consumer electronics,"" said Doug Macrae, President, TV Guide Consumer Electronics. ""Through our easy-to-use, built-in interactive program guide, we look forward to bringing Panasonic customers an even richer television experience, while simplifying the viewing and digital recording process."" ""Panasonic A/V products are designed to bring high-quality pictures to consumers easily, without any complicated operation,"" said Etsuji Shuda, Director, Home A/V Business Unit, Panasonic. ""Gemstar-TV Guide contributes to this vision and we are pleased to offer this service to consumers."" Under the terms of its agreement with Panasonic, Gemstar-TV Guide receives royalties based upon the number of units sold that include the licensed technology. Gemstar-TV Guide's IPG for consumer electronics products is built directly into digital video recorders (DVRs), DVD recorders and televisions. The guide offers interactive on-screen program listings that enable viewers to quickly and easily navigate, sort, select, and schedule television programming for viewing and recording, all with simple remote control commands. Gemstar-TV Guide's patented technology delivers continually updated program listings to users, regardless of whether they receive their television signal via cable or over-the-air broadcast. The IPG works by simply plugging in the television or recording device and activating the guide through an express set-up process. The guide requires no subscription or phone connection and is available at no extra cost to the consumer. Additional information about Gemstar-TV Guide can be found at www.gemstartvguide.com; For more information on the company and its Panasonic brand, visit the Matsushita website at www.panasonic.co.jp/global/top.html.

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http://www.gemstartvguide.com
http://www.panasonic.co.jp/global/top.html