PanAmSat Solidifies HD Dominance With National Geographic HD Win

PanAmSat Solidifies HD Dominance With National Geographic HD Win

America's Number-One HD Neighborhood Boasts Top Names in Movie, Sports and Entertainment

ATLANTA, April 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PanAmSat (NYSE:PA) announced today that National Geographic HD has chosen to join PanAmSat's coveted and industry-leading high-definition (HD) neighborhood. PanAmSat's Galaxy HD neighborhood reaches over 9,000 cable systems throughout the U.S. and features many of America's top HD offerings, including: HBO HD, Cinemax HD, National Geographic HD, HDNet, HDNet Movies, Encore HD, ESPN HD, Fox Sports Net HD, NBA HD, NFL Network HD, The Outdoor Channel, Showtime HD West, STARZ! HD, TNT HD, WB HD and Wealth TV.

"National Geographic's high-quality, award-winning programming lends itself perfectly to high-definition television delivery. By joining the A-list roster of customers on Galaxy 13, National Geographic HD will enjoy the industry's best coast-to-coast coverage that this powerful spacecraft offers," said Mike Antonovich, PanAmSat EVP, Global Sales and Marketing. "And, bar none, the Galaxy HD neighborhood delivers what television networks want -- to pass every potential HDTV cable home in the nation's top ADIs."

National Geographic HD is distributed by Fox Entertainment Group. Fox had signed a long-term, multi-year, multi-satellite, multi-transponder deal with the Company, consolidating its entire suite of U.S. programming onto PanAmSat's global fleet as well as a significant portion of its international traffic. The contract was later expanded to include two additional transponders on Galaxy 13, the new home for National Geographic HD.

High-definition television has made large strides in the U.S. and is predicted to make even larger inroads in the next four years. According to industry analyst reports, by 2009, HDTV will be in 52 million households, up from the current four million households. Northern Sky Research estimates that 500 channels will be broadcast in HD by 2010. And, the Consumer Electronics Association reports that seven in 10 consumers are planning to purchase a digital cable-ready HDTV as their next television. Ultimately, the continued price reductions in the HDTV arena, coupled with the looming analog cut-off, will result in 55 percent of U.S. households having at least one HD-capable TV by the end of 2010 explain analysts from Leichtman Research Group's in a recent report entitled, "HDTV: Awareness, Interest and Intent to Purchase 2005."

Since the beginning of the high-definition revolution in the United States, PanAmSat has been the industry's innovator. Providing service to over 20 HD channels, Galaxy HD reaches 100 percent of all digital cable subscribers in the United States. PanAmSat's Galaxy 13 satellite, which was placed into service in January 2004, is the home of the industry's first, largest and most powerful high-definition neighborhood. In addition, it is the premier HD address for some of the biggest names in cable television. Located at 127 degrees west longitude in the U.S. cable arc, Galaxy 13 is also part of PanAmSat's "Power of Five" antenna program, which provides qualified cable operators with simultaneous access to five Galaxy neighborhood satellites.

About National Geographic Television & Film

Building on its global reputation for remarkable visuals and compelling stories, National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F) augments its award- winning documentary productions (124 Emmy Awards and more than 800 other industry awards) with feature films, giant-screen films, kids' programming and long-form television drama programming. Worldwide, National Geographic's television programming can be seen on the National Geographic Channel, home video and DVD, and through international broadcast syndication.

About PanAmSat

Through its owned and operated fleet of 23 satellites, PanAmSat (NYSE:PA) is a leading global provider of video, broadcasting and network distribution and delivery services. It transmits nearly 2,000 television channels worldwide and, as such, is the leading carrier of standard and high-definition signals. In total, the Company's in-orbit fleet is capable of reaching over 98 percent of the world's population through cable television systems, broadcast affiliates, direct-to-home operators, Internet service providers and telecommunications companies. In addition, PanAmSat supports the largest concentration of satellite-based business networks in the U.S., as well as specialized communications services in remote areas throughout the world. For more information, visit the Company's Web site at www.panamsat.com.

Source: PanAmSat

CONTACT: Kathryn Lancioni of PanAmSat, +1-203-210-8649

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

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