Outdoor Channel(TM) Announces Winner of 'Win Your Own Fishing Show Contest'

Outdoor Channel(TM) Announces Winner of 'Win Your Own Fishing Show Contest'

Joel Piatek of Harsen's Island, MI Angles His Way to Victory

TEMECULA, Calif., Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Outdoor Channel (TOC) announced the winner of its 4th Annual "Win Your Own Fishing Show Contest." Joel Piatek, a sales account executive from Harsen's Island, MI beat out thousands of hopefuls to win his own one-time fishing show on The Outdoor Channel. Joel's show is set to debut this summer to the nearly 26 million subscribers of The Outdoor Channel.

"The 'Win Your Own Fishing Show Contest' is a great way for Outdoor Channel fans to get interactive with the programming they enjoy," said Amy Hendrickson, SVP of Affiliate Sales and Marketing for The Outdoor Channel. "In addition to the opportunity to come out and audition for the contest, our viewers love the idea that each year they can visit the Outdoor Channel website, log their vote, and become an integral part of the process that determines the winner. The fans have chosen Joel, and we're quite excited to give him this once-in-a-lifetime experience."

When reached with the news that he had won the contest, Mr. Paitek was triumphant, "This is outstanding! I really owe it to my friends and family for encouraging me to audition and doing such a tremendous job at getting the word out. I really can't believe it!" Joel's fans were indeed quite industrious, canvassing via telephone, flyers and massive email blasts to urge supporters to cast their vote and help determine the winner.

A resident of Harsen's Island and St. Clair Shores, Joel was introduced to fishing at the tender age of 4. At the time it was ice fishing, now he prefers the abundant variety of freshwater fish available in nearby Lake St. Clair. On his audition tape, recorded last year while Piatek attended the Woodward Dream Cruise, Joel enthusiastically stated that he is planning to call his show the Freshwater Triple Crown -- a concept he hopes will effectively illustrate the different types of fishing to be done on Lake St. Clair during an all-day trip.

Last year's "Win Your Own Fishing Show Contest" winner, Rachel Phelps of Monmouth, OR did such a standout job as the host of her own one-time fishing show that she caught the eye of independent production company OMG Multi-Media and veteran outdoor producer Russ Cameron, who recently hired Rachel as a full-time host of their television series "America's Outdoor Journal."

About The "Win Your Own Fishing Show Contest"

Each year, two Outdoor Channel 'Motor Moose' teams make stops at over 65 festivals, expositions, and community celebrations across the country-in search of a new star to host a fishing show episode on the network. In 2005, several thousand hopefuls tried out at public auditions held throughout the nine-month contest season. Each contestant was asked to step up to a microphone and camera, tell a personal fishing story, and explain why they would make a good host of their own fishing show on The Outdoor Channel. A semi-finalist is selected from each Motor Moose event; their auditions are then posted on the network's web site -- www.outdoorchannel.com, where the public can rate them. At the end of the season, five finalists compete for the grand prize.

About The Outdoor Channel

The Outdoor Channel is a national television network dedicated to providing the best in traditional outdoor programming to America's 82 million anglers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. The network airs approximately 100 weekly programs featuring hunting, fishing and shooting sports, as well as off road motor sports and other related lifestyle programming. Based on February 2006 Nielsen Media Research estimates, The Outdoor Channel's universe is approximately 25.9 million subscriber homes -- delivered through a combination of cable and satellite dish viewers.

Outdoor Channel 2 HD(SM) was officially launched on July 1st. The new, all HD network features exclusive new content filmed entirely in high- definition, in addition to select fan favorites from the existing 'The Outdoor Channel" programming,' all filmed entirely in real (not up-converted) high- definition.

The Outdoor Channel and Outdoor Channel 2 HD are operated by The Outdoor Channel, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:OUTD). Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. also owns and operates related businesses that serve the interests of viewers of The Outdoor Channel and Outdoor Channel 2 HD, as well as those of other outdoor enthusiasts. These related businesses include LDMA-AU, Inc. (Lost Dutchman's) and Gold Prospector's Association of America, LLC. (GPAA). For more information about The Outdoor Channel or Outdoor Channel 2 HD, please visit www.outdoorchannel.com, or for more information about Outdoor Channel Holdings, visit www.outdoorchannelholdings.com.

Source: The Outdoor Channel

CONTACT: Mike Hiles of MPH PR, +1-310-234-3200, mhiles@mphpr.com, for The
Outdoor Channel

Web site: http://www.outdoorchannelholdings.com/
http://www.outdoorchannel.com/

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