WorldSpace Delivers 'Voice From Home' to U.S. and Coalition Forces

WorldSpace Delivers 'Voice From Home' to U.S. and Coalition Forces

Company Kicks Off Marketing Campaign with 'Comics on Duty World Tour' Sponsorship; Troops Now Able to Receive Satellite Radio in Areas of Operation

SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- WorldSpace, Inc., (NASDAQ:WRSP), one of the world leaders in satellite-based digital radio services, today announced that it has launched a multi-faceted marketing effort aimed at delivering a "voice from home" to over 380,000 U.S. troops and Coalition Forces stationed abroad. The central element of the campaign is the corporate sponsorship of "Comics on Duty World Tour." The sponsorship will contribute to boosting troop morale and will increase WorldSpace brand awareness among military personnel stationed abroad.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040319/WORLDSPACELOGO )

WorldSpace provides over 35 channels of diverse, commercial-free radio content -- news, sports, information, and music -- on a 24X7 basis. WorldSpace will deliver a voice from home to U.S. and Coalition troops through a package of content that includes Fox News, the BBC, CNN, NPR, talkSPORT and Virgin Radio U.K. WorldSpace also provides music from home, offering Top 40, hip- hop, jazz, pop, classical, country, classic rock and alternative rock.

"Staying abreast of news, entertainment trends and other timely information from home can make all the difference to military personnel stationed overseas for extended periods," said Judith Pryor, WorldSpace's senior vice president for corporate affairs. "By delivering the voice from home that they would otherwise miss, WorldSpace is keeping troops connected, entertained and informed at a monthly subscription cost that is less than the average CD or DVD purchase price."

WorldSpace is also establishing a presence within military exchange stores. The company has already implemented point-of-sale displays at exchanges in Italy and plans to expand its presence across Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia where its targeted audience is located. The marketing campaign will also include print media placements, other sponsorships like the "Comics on Duty" activity, and Web-based prospect targeting designed to raise awareness about the WorldSpace Satellite Radio Network and the popular Western content it offers.

"Comics on Duty World Tour brings with it friendly faces and laughter in parts of the world where it may be lacking," said Bill Rock, director, Expatriate and Military Marketing, WorldSpace. "WorldSpace is pleased to be a part of this effort as we too are a companion for military traveling or stationed overseas, delivering a voice from home when it is most needed."

The Comics On Duty World Tour will reach an estimated audience of 100,000 military personnel. The Tour is produced by Davis Entertainment Group, with a mission to provide the highest "network-caliber" comedy program to the U.S. Armed Forces while affording host installations, regions and commands with the cost-saving benefits of a joint-force, multi-market, turnkey promotion.

"WorldSpace sponsorship directly impacts our ability to deliver high- quality entertainment to our troops and supports the overall reach of our program worldwide," said Rich Davis, CEO, Davis Entertainment Group. "The company's contribution and its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for our military personnel is to be commended."

WorldSpace sponsorship includes three tours spanning the month of November and the entire 2006 season. Comics are currently scheduled to entertain troops at bases in Kuwait, Iraq and the Mediterranean during that period. WorldSpace representatives are touring with the comics wherever possible to introduce troops to the satellite radio network, coordinate promotional activities and facilitate sales. The company will also support the tours and troops with on-air segments to be broadcast on WorldSpace-branded channels.

About WorldSpace, Inc.

WorldSpace (NASDAQ:WRSP) is the world's only global media and entertainment company positioned to offer a satellite radio experience to consumers in more than 130 countries with five billion people, driving 300 million cars. WorldSpace delivers the latest tunes, trends and information from around the world and around the corner. WorldSpace subscribers benefit from a unique combination of local programming, original WorldSpace content and content from leading brands around the globe including the BBC, CNN, Virgin Radio, NDTV and RFI. WorldSpace's satellites cover two-thirds of the globe with six beams. Each beam is capable of delivering up to 80 channels of high quality digital audio and multimedia programming directly to WorldSpace Satellite Radios anytime and virtually anywhere in its coverage area. WorldSpace is a pioneer of satellite-based digital radio services (DARS) and was instrumental in the development of the technology infrastructure used today by XM Satellite Radio. For more information, visit http://www.worldspace.com/.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040319/WORLDSPACELOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: WorldSpace, Inc.

CONTACT: Judith Pryor of WorldSpace, Inc., +1-301-960-1242, or
jpryor@WorldSpace.com; or Dacrie Brooks of Brodeur, +1-202-775-2646, or
dbrooks@brodeur.com, for WorldSpace, Inc.

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

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