Cingular Wireless and Telescope, Inc. Launch Moderated Mobile Chat Service for FOX's AMERICAN IDOL, Season 4

Cingular Wireless and Telescope, Inc. Launch Moderated Mobile Chat Service for FOX's AMERICAN IDOL, Season 4

Fans of AMERICAN IDOL Can Chat With Each Other and With Stars of the Show Via the Text Messaging Capabilities of Their Cingular Phone

ATLANTA and LOS ANGELES, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless service provider, and Telescope, Inc., a mobile solutions company, part of the Bertelsmann group, announce the availability of a new premium text messaging (SMS) chat service for fans of AMERICAN IDOL -- the top-rated show owned and produced by Fremantle Media and 19 Entertainment. Fans of AMERICAN IDOL can sign up and chat with one another by using their Cingular mobile phones.

This season, two chat services will be offered: "Idol Chat," a community based service that allows AMERICAN IDOL fans to communicate with other IDOL fans, and "Idol Interview," a fun interactive service that allows fans to interview the featured American Idol celebrity guest. To participate, Cingular customers send in a user name and confirm their understanding they are joining a premium service. Charges will appear on their mobile phone bill.

When using Idol Chat, participants enter a mobile chat room and converse with others interested in AMERICAN IDOL. Participants enter a chat room where they send and receive messages on their wireless handset via text messaging. Every message is read and cleared by trained community moderators before being sent to the public group, thereby eliminating all inappropriate messages. Participants may enter and leave the chat room with simple one-word commands (i.e. JOIN, LEAVE etc.). The cost is $.30 for each message received. Standard text messaging charges apply to messages sent.

In Idol Interview, one AMERICAN IDOL celebrity takes the "stage" and answers questions posed by the participating wireless audience. One celebrity chat is planned per week, running for at least 30 minutes. Moderators and producers read each text message sent and select as many as they can for the celebrity to answer during the event. The cost to participate is $1.99 per event, plus standard text charges.

"As the company who has managed the voting process since the first season of AMERICAN IDOL, we are excited to offer this new program to the millions of AMERICAN IDOL fans," said Troy Sample, Managing Director of Telescope. "Telescope has a reputation for exporting best-in-breed solutions to all interactive platforms. This innovative SMS chat service is another excellent example of Telescope's capabilities. By bringing the UK company, Stream Group's mature mobile chat platform to the US, we both extend the AMERICAN IDOL community to Cingular subscribers and allow fans to engage in a one-to- one relationship with the stars of the show."

"As the exclusive telecom sponsor of AMERICAN IDOL, Cingular is thrilled to work with Telescope to bring the excitement of the big screen onto the small screen for our wireless customers to enjoy," said Jim Ryan, vice president, consumer data services, Cingular Wireless. "With these two new text messaging services, Idol Chat and Idol Interview, fans of the show are sure to appreciate the opportunity to get up close and personal with AMERICAN IDOL celebrities and other fans, directly from their wireless phone."

"There is a huge fan base who want to interact with our show, as the 360 million telephone votes we received last season shows," said Keith Hindle, Vice President of Integrated Marketing & Interactive at FremantleMedia. "Fully moderated mobile chat is another way we can extend their Idol experience beyond the show itself. Telescope has an impeccable track record in managing the telephony for the show, so are the perfect partner to bring this to fruition."

The Idol Chat service is available Wednesdays from 4:00pm PT / 7:00 pm ET to 12:00 am PT / 3:00 am ET. Subscribers receive all commands and Help information upon joining the service, free of charge. Information and schedules for both Idol Chat and Idol Interview are also available online at http://www.cingular.com/idol/chat and http://www.idolonfox.com/.

For further information contact:

Claire von Schilling
Bertelsmann Media Worldwide
212-782-9110
claire.vonschilling@bertelsmann.com

Jennifer Bowcock
Cingular Wireless
404-236-6319
jennifer.bowcock@cingular.com

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving more than 50 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between SBC Communications Inc. (NYSE:SBC) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE:BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation and the largest mobile- to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(SM), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/ . Get Cingular Wireless press releases e- mailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://www.cingular.com/newsroom .

ABOUT TELESCOPE, INC.

Telescope is a management solutions company providing services for the Media and Telecoms world. Telescope offers complete end-to-end production, development and management, taking responsibility for all aspects of setting up and managing projects, ensuring 'best in class' service delivery. Telescope's expertise covers both fixed and wireless communications with a comprehensive knowledge of interactive marketing. To learn more, please visit our website: http://www.telescope.tv/.

About FremantleMedia

FremantleMedia Licensing Americas (FMLA) is the US licensing arm of FremantleMedia, one of the largest international creators and producers of program brands in the world, with leading prime time drama, serial drama, entertainment and factual entertainment programming in over 40 territories. FMLA exploits FremantleMedia's many strong brands including the award winning, American Idol, the world's longest running game show The Price Is Right, the ever-popular Family Feud, and other classic game shows across multiple off- screen platforms including merchandising campaigns, interactive and wireless support, home entertainment and music publishing. http://www.fremantlemedia.com/

About 19 Entertainment

Today, 19 is recognized as a leading creator, provider and promoter of globally successful, music based entertainment, or "Entertainment Brands". 19 has attracted a unique collection of expertise in people who work together to integrate and leverage activity across television, music film, merchandising, music publishing, recording, artist/writer and producer management, sponsorship and promotion. To date, 19 has been involved in the creation of 101 Number 1 singles and 81 Number 1 albums with an impressive tally of 233 Top 40 albums and 389 Top 40 singles.

American Idol(R) 19 TV Ltd. and FremantleMedia North America, Inc. Based on the television program "American Idol" produced by FremantleMedia North America, Inc. and 19 TV Ltd. Licensed by FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide. http://www.fremantlemedia.com/.

Source: Telescope, Inc.

CONTACT: Claire von Schilling, Bertelsmann Media Worldwide,
+1-212-782-9110, claire.vonschilling@bertelsmann.com, for Telescope, Inc.;
Jennifer Bowcock, Cingular Wireless, +1-404-236-6319,
jennifer.bowcock@cingular.com

Web site: http://www.telescope.tv/
http://www.fremantlemedia.com/
http://www.cingular.com/
http://www.cingular.com/newsroom
http://www.idolonfox.com/

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