Showtime Networks to Launch FLIX ON DEMAND in Second Quarter 2005

Showtime Networks to Launch FLIX ON DEMAND in Second Quarter 2005

NEW YORK, March 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Showtime Networks will launch its third Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) service, FLIX ON DEMAND, in the second quarter of 2005. FLIX ON DEMAND, consisting of Cool Classics(TM) from the 70s, 80s and 90s, will offer 100 hours of programming for FLIX subscribers to choose from. Showtime Networks has already secured distribution from Comcast, which plans to launch FLIX ON DEMAND later in 2005.

With over 75 movies available per month, viewers can browse four different movie categories including: ALL FLIX MOVIES, FLIX BY GENRE (Action, Comedy, Drama and Thriller), FLIX BY DECADE (50s-60s, 70s, 80s and 90s) and FLIX PICKS (Critic's Choice and FLIX Finds). Some examples of titles to be available on FLIX ON DEMAND include: "The Madness of King George," "Mississippi Burning," "Glory," "Bad Influence," "Husbands and Wives," "Foxy Brown," and numerous others.

Showtime Networks' Executive Vice President Mark Greenberg stated, "Showtime was an early leader in On Demand. In fact, we developed the SVOD prototype for Showtime On Demand in 1993 for an advanced network test in Viacom's Castro Valley system. It is tremendously rewarding to see how successful SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND have been in driving overall subscriber satisfaction, reducing churn and increasing retention. FLIX on Demand is the next natural step for us. By launching this new on demand service, we will be able to extend the same choice, convenience and control to our FLIX viewers that our SHOWTIME ON DEMAND and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND subscribers now enjoy."

Currently, there are over four million SHOWTIME ON DEMAND subscribers and nearly two million THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND subscribers.

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Viacom Inc., owns the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME(R) TOO(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE(R) and TMC xtra. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD(R), SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM). SNI operates and manages the premium television network SUNDANCE CHANNEL(R), which is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME(R) PPV. Additionally, the advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.

Source: Showtime Networks

CONTACT: Joan Ziff of Trade PR, +1-212-708-1590, joan.ziff@showtime.net

Web site: http://www.sho.com/

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