Navarre's FUNimation Channel and Optical Entertainment Network Sign Distribution Agreement

Navarre's FUNimation Channel and Optical Entertainment Network Sign Distribution Agreement

Houston residents to have access to top-rated anime programming through FUNimation Entertainment's 24-hour, digital channel

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- FUNimation Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ:NAVR) and the market share leader for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States, announced today that the company has finalized a distribution agreement with Optical Entertainment Network (OEN), the leading provider of IPTV and broadband services optimized for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH). The agreement makes the FUNimation Channel(SM) part of the FISION service, OEN's line-up of 400 IPTV channels available in the Houston area. The FUNimation Channel is a 24-hour digital channel featuring programming from top anime brands in the United States and will be added to OEN's FISION lineup in the fall of 2006.

"We are excited with the progress that the FUNimation Channel has made in the last few months," said Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Entertainment. "Optical Entertainment has designed an offering that will provide the Houston area with a great line-up of alternative programming. Houston area residents will now be able to get top-rated anime programming through our 24-hour digital channel."

"FUNimation's top rated anime programming will be a great addition to our existing line-up of channels and we are thrilled by their belief in our offerings," said Jo-lynn Foo, VP of Programming at OEN. "Offering high quality programming is critical and we believe that the top-quality anime product will be very successful for us."

OEN created FISION, the first and only integrated service for IPTV, Internet, Voice, Video-On-Demand (VOD) and other broadband applications, specifically to deliver on the superior video quality and virtually unlimited bandwidth of FTTH technology and the only service to make all of its content available for license to other communities in the US and abroad. OEN has acquired programming agreements for IPTV distribution from top television networks and will deliver 400 television channels, including over 50 channels of High Definition Television (HDTV) to subscribers, the most channels deployed anywhere to date.

FUNimation is working with OlympuSAT, a leading distributor of independent digital programming networks, for the distribution of the FUNimation Channel. OlympuSAT is the exclusive distributor of the FUNimation Channel, which is now available to video service providers across the nation.

About Navarre Corporation

Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ:NAVR) is a publisher and distributor of physical and digital home entertainment and multimedia products, including PC software, CD audio, DVD and VHS video, video games and accessories. Since its founding in 1983, the company has established distribution relationships with customers across a wide spectrum of retail channels which includes mass merchants, discount, wholesale club, office and music superstores, military and e-tailers nationwide. The company currently provides its products to over 18,000 retail and distribution center locations throughout the United States and Canada. Navarre has expanded its business to include the licensing and publishing of home entertainment and multimedia content, primarily through the acquisitions of Encore Software, Inc., BCI Eclipse Company, LLC, FUNimation Productions, Ltd. and The FUNimation Store, Ltd. For more information, please visit the company's web site at http://www.navarre.com/ .

About FUNimation Entertainment

FUNimation(R) Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation (NASDAQ:NAVR), is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation is known for acquiring top-rated anime series from Japan and for developing some of North America's most popular anime series. The company has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For images, or more information on FUNimation or any of its properties, contact Jeff Dronen at 817-788-0627, ext. 251 or jeff.dronen@funimation.com .

About Optical Entertainment

Optical Entertainment Network is a Houston, Texas based company providing the first major market deployment of Video, Internet and Voice to residential and commercial customers over a system specifically designed to optimize fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) technology. OEN has signed the largest number of IPTV carriage agreements to date, acquired directly with programming networks and has developed a business model that will enable it to license content to other FTTH communities around the US and overseas. The company is a platinum member of the FTTH Council. More information can be found at the company's website at http://www.fision.net/ .

Source: Navarre Corporation

CONTACT: Jeff Dronen, Navarre Corporation, +1-817-788-0627, ext. 251 or
jeff.dronen@funimation.com

Web site: http://www.navarre.com/
http://www.fision.net/

-------
Profile: intent