International Entertainment News: July 2006

International Entertainment News

Monday, July 31, 2006

Get Yer Scream On! Categories and Nominees Announced for Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006

Premiering Tuesday, October 10

1st Annual Televised Event Celebrating Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy And Comic Books

Voting for Winners Begins Today at screamawards.spiketv.com

Tapes at the Historic Pantages Theater in Hollywood, CA on October 7

Spike TV Partners with Comic-Con International to Present 'Icon Award'

SAN DIEGO, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Bolt the doors, pull down the shades, and whatever you do, don't answer the phone! Categories and nominations were announced today at Comic-Con International in San Diego for Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006, the first annual televised event which celebrates horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic books, comes your way on Tuesday, October 10 (10:00 PM - Midnight, ET/PT).

Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 will tape at the historic Pantages Theater in Hollywood, CA on Saturday, October 7 and feature a wide-range of award categories. Show host, celebrities and musical acts to be announced shortly.

"We only need to look at the legacy and recent explosion of the horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic book genres to know that the time has come to honor the extraordinary creative talent from these worlds in an explosive way," says Casey Patterson, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President Event Production for Spike TV.

To add to the excitement, Spike TV has entered into a strategic partnership with Comic-Con International to create the "Comic-Con Icon Award," the premiere comic book and pop culture event in North America. The "Comic-Con Icon Award" will be presented to an individual or group who has been instrumental in creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comic and related popular art forms, and bringing this great medium to wider recognition. This year's winner will be revealed shortly.

"With innovative and diverse programming, it seemed a natural for Comic- Con to partner with Spike TV," said David Glanzer, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Comic-Con International.

Featuring distinctive categories, a diverse mixture of popular icons and outrageous creators, Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 will honor the newest and hottest in horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic books across a number of entertainment platforms including movies, television and comic books. The show will also recognize icons and pioneers who have influenced and shaped the industry.

BATMAN BEGINS leads the pack with 10 nominations including "The Ultimate Scream," "Best Fantasy Movie," "Best Superhero" and "Best Comic to Screen Adaptation" and a "Most Heroic Performance" nod for actor Christian Bale. SUPERMAN RETURNS is second with nine nominations and X-MEN: THE LAST STAND received seven. A full list of categories and nominations are included below. Starting today, Friday, July 21 thru Friday, October 6, fans can vote for their favorites by visiting www.screamawards.spiketv.com .

Ballots were sent out to Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 Advisory Board, made up of respected and well-known members of the horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic book worlds, and were responsible for advising on categories and determining nominees in each category. All films, television shows and comic books were deemed eligible for inclusion if they were released between June 1, 2005 to July 8, 2006 and were representative of the genres listed. Winners will be determined by viewer voting.

Members of this year's advisory board included: Wes Craven (writer/director A Nightmare on Elm Street); David S. Goyer (screenwriter, Batman Begins); Geoff Johns (comic book writer, Green Lantern); R. Eric Lieb (Comic book writer, Saw: Rebirth); Brian Pulido ("Lady Death"); Judd Winick (executive producer/creator, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee); Jonathan Woods (Storyboard artist, Team America: World Police); and Rob Zombie (writer/director, House of 1,000 Corpses).

Following are the categories and nominees for Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006:

THE ULTIMATE SCREAM

* BATMAN BEGINS

* THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

* THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* LOST

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

BEST HORROR MOVIE

* THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

* GEORGE A. ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* HIGH TENSION

* THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* HOSTEL

BEST FANTASY MOVIE

* BATMAN BEGINS

* HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

* KING KONG

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

* TIM BURTON'S CORPSE BRIDE

BEST SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE

* AEON FLUX

* A SCANNER DARKLY

* SERENITY

* V FOR VENDETTA

* WAR OF THE WORLDS

BEST TV SHOW

* BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

* DOCTOR WHO

* LOST

* MASTERS OF HORROR

* SMALLVILLE

BEST SEQUEL

* BATMAN BEGINS

* GEORGE A. ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

* SAW II

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

BEST REMAKE

* CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY

* THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* KING KONG

* THE OMEN

* WAR OF THE WORLDS

BEST SUPERHERO

* CHRISTIAN BALE AS BATMAN, BATMAN BEGINS

* CHRIS EVANS AS THE HUMAN TORCH, FANTASTIC FOUR

* HUGH JACKMAN AS WOLVERINE, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* FAMKE JANSSEN, AS PHOENIX, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* BRANDON ROUTH AS SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN RETURNS

BEST COMIC-TO-SCREEN ADAPTATION

* BATMAN BEGINS

* A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

* V FOR VENDETTA

* X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

MOST MEMORABLE MUTILATION

* EATEN ALIVE, GEORGE A ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* THE EYE REMOVAL, HOSTEL

* STABBED IN A PIT OF SYRINGES, SAW II

* SUICIDE BY SHOTGUN, THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* VAPORIZED BY ALIENS, WAR OF THE WORLDS

MOST HEROIC PERFORMANCE

* CHRISTIAN BALE AS BATMAN, BATMAN BEGINS

* JOHNNY DEPP AS CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD
MAN'S CHEST

* VIGGO MORTENSEN AS TOM STALL, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* EDWARD JAMES OLMOS AS COMMANDER WILLIAM ADAMA, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

* HUGO WEAVING AS V, V FOR VENDETTA

SCREAM QUEEN

* ASIA ARGENTO AS SLACK, GEORGE A. ROMERO'S LAND OF THE DEAD

* KATE BECKINSALE AS SELENE, UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION

* EVANGELINE LILLY AS KATE AUSTEN, LOST

* NATALIE PORTMAN AS EVEY HAMMOND, V FOR VENDETTA

* NAOMI WATTS AS ANN DARROW, KING KONG

MOST VILE VILLAIN

* TOBIN BELL AS JIGSAW, SAW II

* LESLIE EASTERBROOK, SID HAIG, BILL MOSELEY AND SHERI MOON ZOMBIE AS THE
FIREFLY CLAN, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

* SIR IAN MCKELLEN AS MAGENTO, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* CILLIAN MURPHY AS SCARECROW, BATMAN BEGINS

* PHILIPPE NAHON AS THE KILLER, HIGH TENSION

BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE

* ADEWALE AKINNUOYE-AGBAJE AS MR. EKO, LOST

* JENNIFER CARPENTER AS EMILY ROSE, THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE

* TRICIA HELFER AS NUMBER SIX, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

* BRANDON ROUTH AS SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN RETURNS

* KATEE SACKHOFF AS STARBUCK, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

THE "HOLY SH%T!"/JUMP-FROM-YOUR-SEAT"AWARD

* ALIEN PODS EMERGE FROM THE EARTH, WAR OF THE WORLDS

* THE DINER SHOOTOUT, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* THE EYE REMOVAL, HOSTEL

* THE SPACE SHUTTLE/777 RESCUE, SUPERMAN RETURNS

* THE TRAIN SEQUENCE, BATMAN BEGINS

BEST DIRECTOR

* ALEXANDER AJA, THE HILLS HAVE EYES

* DAVID CRONENBERG, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* CHRISTOPHER NOLAN, BATMAN BEGINS

* BRYAN SINGER, SUPERMAN RETURNS

* ROB ZOMBIE, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

BEST SCREAMPLAY

* BATMAN BEGINS, WRITTEN BY DAVID S. GOYER AND CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

* THE DEVIL'S REJECTS, WRITTEN BY ROB ZOMBIE

* HOSTEL, WRITTEN BY ELI ROTH

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, WRITTEN BY TED ELLIOTT AND
TERRY ROSSIO

* V FOR VENDETTA, WRITTEN BY ANDY WACHOWSKI AND LARRY WACHOWSKI

BEST RACK ON THE RACK

* EMMA FROST

* LADY DEATH

* POWER GIRL

* VAMPIRELLA

* WONDER WOMAN

BEST FOREIGN MOVIE

* 3 EXTREMES

* 2046

* HIGH TENSION

* NIGHT WATCH

* SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE

* SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE

BEST FLESH SCENE

* JESSICA ALBA, FANTASTIC FOUR

* MARIA BELLO & VIGGO MORTENSEN, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE

* FAMKE JANSSEN & HUGH JACKMAN, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

* MILLA JOVOVICH, ULTRAVIOLET

* JAY HERNANDEZ, JANA KADERABKOVA, BARBARA NEDELJAKOVA & DEREK RICHARDSON,
HOSTEL

* REBECCA ROMIJN, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

BEST COMIC BOOK

* ALL-STAR SUPERMAN (DC COMICS)

* CIVIL WAR (MARVEL COMICS)

* EX-MACHINA (WILDSTORM PRODUCTIONS)

* MARVEL ZOMBIES (MARVEL COMICS)

* THE WALKING DEAD (IMAGE COMICS)

BEST SCREEN-TO-COMIC ADAPTATION

* ARMY OF DARKNESS

* THE FOUNTAIN

* MASTERS OF HORROR

* SAW

* SHAUN OF THE DEAD

* TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE

BEST COMIC BOOK WRITER

* ROBERT KIRKMAN, THE WALKING DEAD/MARVEL ZOMBIES

* MARK MILLAR, CIVIL WAR/THE ULTIMATES

* FRANK MILLER, BATMAN & ROBIN

* PAUL POPE, BATMAN: YEAR 100

* BRIAN K. VAUGHN, EX MACHINA/RUNAWAYS/Y: THE LAST MAN

BEST COMIC BOOK ARTIST

* CHARLIE ADLARD, THE WALKING DEAD

* DOUG BRAITHWAITE & ALEX ROSS, JUSTICE

* SEAN PHILLIPS, MARVEL ZOMBIES

* PAUL POPE, BATMAN: YEAR 100

* FRANK QUITELY, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN

BEST F/X

* KING KONG

* PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

* SUPERMAN RETURNS

* WAR OF THE WORLDS

* X-MEN: THE LAST STAND

MOST SHOCKING COMIC BOOK TWIST

* BATWOMAN IS A LESBIAN

* DEAD ROBIN RETURNS AS THE RED HOOD

* GALACTUS IS EATEN BY ZOMBIES

* NITRO BLOWS UP A SCHOOLYARD FULL OF KIDS

* PETER PARKER OUTS HIMSELF AS SPIDERMAN

Official sponsors of Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006 are Captain Morgan and Taco Bell.

Michael Levitt, Casey Patterson and Cindy Levitt will serve as Executive Producers; Gary Sills as Supervising Producer and Gary Tellalian as Producer of Spike TV's SCREAM 2006 Awards.

Spike TV is available in 90 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:VIA.B).

Source: Spike TV

CONTACT: Debra Fazio of Spike TV, +1-212-767-8649, At Comic-Con:
+1-917-763-3298, debra.fazio@spiketv.com; Karen Reynolds of Spike TV,
+1-212-767-8621, karen.reynolds@mtvcontractor.com

Web site: http://www.spiketv.com/
http://www.screamawards.spiketv.com/

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International Entertainment News

Lyfe Jennings to Headline Benefit Concert at the Howlin' Wolf in New Orleans on Friday, July 21

Proceeds From Concert Go Towards Rebuilding of New Orleans

Lyfe's New Album, 'The Phoenix,' in Stores Tuesday, August 15

NEW YORK, July 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The platinum-selling urban/pop musician Lyfe Jennings will headline a special benefit concert at the Howlin' Wolf (907 S. Peters) in New Orleans on Friday, July 21. The concert, which is part of the "Bring 'em Back" series, also features Robin Thicke, Urban Mystic and Cheri Dennis. New Orleans radio station WQUE has partnered with Habitat For Humanity to help rebuild homes in New Orleans. Proceeds from the Lyfe Jennings concert at the Howlin' Wolf will to towards rebuilding New Orleans.

Lyfe's eagerly-awaited new album, "The Phoenix," is slated for release on August 15 from Sony Urban Music/Columbia Records.

Lyfe's debut album, the critically-acclaimed "Lyfe 268-192," was certified RIAA platinum in January 2006.

It's been an amazing year for Lyfe, whose recent duet with Alicia Keys, a soul-shaking version of the Curtis Mayfield classic, "People Get Ready," may be heard in the Jerry Bruckheimer film, "Glory Road."

Lyfe closed out 2005 with his highly successful "Lyfe Experience" headline tour, which included guest artists Goapele and Vivian Green. Lyfe spent the larger part of summer 2005 on tour with his Grammy-winning Columbia Records labelmate John Legend.

A two-time #1 Billboard Heatseekers album (2/20/05 & 3/6/05), "Lyfe 268-192, was released on August 17, 2004 and immediately established the worldly and poetic Lyfe as an aesthetic force of nature with mainstream and underground support.

Rolling Stone (Nov. 11, 2004) found Lyfe's songs " ... eloquent in their depiction of struggle ... ."

"Filled with a genuine rawness reminiscent of Sam Cooke or Donny Hathaway," wrote the edgy New York taste-making YRB, "'Lyfe 268-192' is a thought-provoking journey into the soul of a man whose lyrics tell a melodic story of the everyday realities that affect us all, yet allows us to exhale because somebody finally gets it."

Lyfe brings the full force of his songs to his concert audiences, winning converts wherever he plays. "Bringing only an acoustic guitar to the hallowed 125th Street venue," wrote the hip-hop bible The Source (July 2004), "Lyfe won over the notoriously demanding Apollo crowd and dominated the Amateur Show competition, winning five straight times."

www.2lyfe.com

www.columbiarecords.com

Source: Sony Urban Music/Columbia Records

CONTACT: Edwin Banacia of Sony Urban Music, +1-212-833-5072,
edwin.banacia@sonybmg.com

Web site: http://www.columbiarecords.com/
http://www.2lyfe.com/

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International Entertainment News

Hatchling Studios Premieres 'The Toll' at Comic-Con Film Festival and Endurance Challenge: Mordred's Isle Online Starring Billy West

SAN DIEGO, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- After a year in production, Portsmouth New Hampshire's Hatchling Studio's short film "The Toll" is set to premiere July 20th at the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival in San Diego, California.

Written and directed by Zack Pike, "The Toll" is a computer animated mockumentary featuring a troll that lives under a bridge. As the camera rolls, the troll's comments on work, life, and love range from somewhat inappropriate to outrageously delusional, slowly revealing the hilariously tragic figure of a monster in denial. "The Toll" will premiere on July 20th in Room 26 AB at 5:50 pm at the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival. The screening will be followed by a Q & A session with the filmmakers. Additionally, during the Festival Hatchling executives and animators will be on hand at Booth 1332.

"We created 'The Toll' to show our studio's storytelling and animation capabilities in the CGI arena. We have received great reviews from the viral clips we have released and are looking at doing more with this storyline," said Hatchling Studios CEO/Producer Marc Dole.

"Just about everybody knows enough fairy tales to know what a troll is," said Pike. "'The Toll' explores one troll a bit further, looking at his job, his women problems, his everyday struggles. How often do we hear from a mythical monster about how his day is going?"

Visit www.TheTollMovie.com for a sneak peak and festival screenings.

Additionally, Hatchling Studios' new 2D animation department will premiere their series "Endurance Challenge: Mordred's Isle" online later this month. Featuring the voice of Billy West ("Ren & Stimpy," "Futurama"), "Endurance Challenge" parodies reality-based television. A team of fantastic monsters is pitted against a team of wizards, warriors, and one unwitting nerd who doesn't quite understand the nature of his situation. The two teams compete in dangerous elimination challenges each episode for a huge cash prize. The series is the collaborative creation of Hatchling CEO/Producer Marc Dole, Writer/Director Zack Pike, and Director Matt Ducharme.

"Working on 'Endurance Challenge' with such a great crew has made the whole experience a lot of fun," said Ducharme. "At times, it feels like the project is doing itself."

Visit www.HatchlingShorts.com to view the first episode.

And,
visit www.Hatchling.com for more information about Hatchling Studios.

For information contact:
Irene Dean
Jane Ayer Public Relations
(310) 581-1330 x102
irene@janeayerpr.com

Source: Hatchling Studios

CONTACT: Irene Dean of Jane Ayer Public Relations, +1-310-581-1330,
ext. 102, irene@janeayerpr.com, for Hatchling Studios

Web site: http://www.thetollmovie.com/
http://www.hatchlingshorts.com/
http://www.hatchling.com/

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International Entertainment News

Carolina Crossroads Announces Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day Concert August 19

Contemporary Christian Music Artists Featured At Outdoor Summer Concert In Roanoke Rapids

ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C., July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Carolina Crossroads has announced that multi-platinum contemporary Christian artists Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day will perform at an outdoor summer concert on August 19 at the Roanoke Rapids music and entertainment venue. Concert tickets are available online at www.ticketmaster.com or at the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce office located at 1604 Julian Allsbrook Highway in Roanoke Rapids. Ticket prices are $20 for lawn seating, $25 for gold seating and $35 for platinum seating. Groups of 50 or more attendees receive a $5 per ticket discount. Group sales must be purchased at the Chamber office or at http://www.carolinacrossroads.com/. The August 19 concert is the second in a series of "Randy Parton & Carolina Crossroads Present" concerts.

"The concert will provide a terrific setting to listen to great contemporary Christian music in a comfortable outdoor location," said Randy Parton, managing member of Moonlight Bandit Productions, LLC.

"Concert-goers will have a fantastic opportunity to catch a glimpse of the beginnings of Carolina Crossroads and the Randy Parton Theater while enjoying some great music," said Michael Dunlow, president of Carolina Crossroads.

For additional information, call Ticketmaster at 888-481-2726 or the Halifax County Tourism Development Authority at 800-522-4282.

About Steven Curtis Chapman:

Steven Curtis Chapman has sold nearly 10 million records and recorded more than 15 projects with Sparrow Records since 1987. This spring, Chapman received his 50th Dove Award, more than any other artist. He has received five GRAMMY Awards, an American Music Award, recorded over 40 No. 1 radio hits, as well as numerous other honors. His platinum and gold albums include Speechless, Heaven in the Real World, Declaration, Greatest Hits, Music of Christmas, Signs of Life, The Great Adventure, More to This Life, For the Sake of the Call and All about Love. For more information, visit http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/.

About Third Day:

Third Day is a platinum-selling, Atlanta-based band. Recently, they received their fourth GRAMMY nod for their Love Wire album and are selling out venues across the nation on their "Where You Are Tour." In the past decade, Third Day has collected 22 No. 1 radio singles and sold almost six million albums, including one platinum record, one platinum DVD, and eight gold records. The band has garnered 24 career Dove Awards, two GRAMMY Awards, and two consecutive American Music Awards. For more information, visit http://www.thirdday.com/.

About Carolina Crossroads:

Carolina Crossroads is an entertainment and tourism destination in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. The location will offer live performance theatres, shopping, hotels, convention and conference facilities, recreation and amusements, and unlimited dining options. The Randy Parton Theatre, which opens in 2007, will anchor the Carolina Crossroads Music Theatre and Entertainment District and feature a 35,000 square foot, 1,500-seat amphitheater. Randy Parton developed the theatre and has played a major role in creating criteria for making Carolina Crossroads a featured location for live country music and a nationally recognized travel destination. For more information, visit http://www.carolinacrossroads.com/.

Contact:
Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
919-233-6600
patty@mmimarketing.com

Source: Carolina Crossroads

CONTACT: Patty Briguglio, +1-919-233-6600, or patty@mmimarketing.com,
for Carolina Crossroads

Web site: http://www.carolinacrossroads.com/
http://www.stevencurtischapman.com/
http://www.thirdday.com/
http://www.ticketmaster.com/

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International Entertainment News

Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid and Mandy Moore Star in the Hilarious New Comedy About Living the American Dream From the Director of 'American Pie'

'American Dreamz'

Available on DVD October 17, 2006 From Universal Studios Home Entertainment

"An outrageously funny film." - Pete Hammond, MAXIM

"A funny and engaging movie." - Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Hugh Grant ("Bridget Jones' Diary") and Dennis Quaid ("In Good Company") star in "American Dreamz," the season's most outrageously funny comedy about living the American dream, from the writer and director of "American Pie," Paul Weitz. Available on DVD October 17, 2006 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, "American Dreamz" takes audiences on a wild ride through the absurd world of reality talent competitions. Featuring an all-star ensemble cast including Mandy Moore ("Saved"), Chris Klein ("American Pie"), Marcia Gay Harden ("Mona Lisa Smile") and two-time Academy Award(R) nominee Willem Dafoe ("Inside Man"), the film sets the stage for the most shocking and wildly funny talent showdown the country has ever seen.

Hosted by a foul-mouthed, egomaniacal scoundrel (Hugh Grant), "American Dreamz" is the number one television program in America, a real-life talent show that allows singing hopefuls to compete for instant fame. When the President of the United States (Dennis Quaid) agrees to be a judge for the show's finale, a ruthlessly ambitious young woman from America's heartland (Mandy Moore) faces off against a show tune loving immigrant (newcomer Sam Golzari) with potentially explosive results. The DVD is priced at $29.98. Pre-order close is September 12, 2006.

AMERICAN CRITICS SING PRAISES OF "AMERICAN DREAMZ"

"American Dreamz" won over reviewers from coast to coast, who stopped laughing just long enough to applaud its hilarious take on contemporary values. It is "an outrageously funny film," raves Pete Hammond of Maxim. "A funny and engaging movie!" gushes Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly. Thelma Adams of US Weekly crows, "A riot!"

SYNOPSIS

On the morning of his re-election, the President of the United States (Dennis Quaid) decides to read the newspaper for the first time in four years, starting him down a slippery slope. He holes up in his bedroom, reading obsessively and reexamining his black and white view of the world. Frightened by the President's apparent nervous breakdown, his chief of staff (Willem Dafoe) pushes him back into the spotlight by booking him as a guest judge on the weekly talent show and television ratings juggernaut "American Dreamz."

America can't seem to get enough of the show, which is hosted by self-aggrandizing, self-loathing Martin Tweed (Hugh Grant), ever on the lookout for the next insta-celebrity. His latest crop of hopefuls includes Sally (Mandy Moore), a conniving all-American girl with a devoted, dopey veteran boyfriend (Chris Klein), and Omer, a recent Southern Californian immigrant who just happens to be a bumbling, show tune singing, would-be terrorist awaiting activation. When both Sally and Omer make it to the final round, where the President will be judging along with Tweed, the stage is set for a show the nation will never forget.

For more information please visit: www.americandreamzmovie.com

CAST & FILMMAKERS
Written, Directed and Produced By: Paul Weitz
Produced By: Rodney Liber, Andrew Miano
Executive Producers: Chris Weitz, Kerry Kohansky
Director of Photography: Robert Elswit ASC
Production Designer: William Arnold
Edited By: Myron Kerstein
Costume Designer: Molly Maginnis
Original Score by: Stephen Trask
Cast: Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, Mandy Moore, Marcia Gay Harden,
Chris Klein, Jennifer Coolidge, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Judy Greer, John Cho,
and Willem Dafoe

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
DVD
Street Date: October 17, 2006
Pre-Order Close: September 12, 2006
Copyright: 2006 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Price: $29.98
Selection Number: 28863 (Widescreen); 28864 (Full Frame)
Running Time: 1 Hour 48 Minutes
Layers: Dual Layer
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen); 1.33:1 (Full Frame)
Rating: PG-13 (for brief strong language and some sexual references)
Technical Info: English, Spanish and French Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround;
English SDH; French and Spanish Subtitles

For artwork or screeners, please log on to our Web site at www.ushepublicity.com or fax your request to Universal Studios Home Entertainment Publicity at (818) 866-0226.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and Entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.

CONTACTS

Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Vivian Mayer
Senior Vice President, Publicity
(818) 777-3594

Michelle Slavich
Director, Publicity
(818) 777-5344

Meghan Gamber
Manager, Print Publicity
(818) 777-0546

Kelly Castell
Assistant Manager, Broadcast Publicity
(818) 777-0549

www.americandreamzmovie.com

Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

CONTACT: Vivian Mayer, Senior Vice President, Publicity,
+1-818-777-3594, or Michelle Slavich, Director, Publicity, +1-818-777-5344, or
Meghan Gamber, Manager, Print Publicity, +1-818-777-0546, or Kelly Castell,
Assistant Manager, Broadcast Publicity, +1-818-777-0549, all of Universal
Studios Home Entertainment

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

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

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International Entertainment News

Universal Studios Home Entertainment Rolls Out the Red Carpet for a Special Hometown Screening of 'Bring It On: All or Nothing'

Film's Star Solange Knowles-Smith and Recording Superstar and Grammy(R)
Award-Winning Artist Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child Scheduled to Attend

What: In celebration of the August 8th DVD release of "Bring It On: All
or Nothing," Universal Studios Home Entertainment is hosting a
special hometown screening of "Bring It On: All or Nothing" in
Houston, Texas.

Who: Film's star Solange Knowles-Smith to be joined by Grammy(R)
Award-winning artist Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child to celebrate
the release.

When: Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Press-Check-in
6:00 PM

Where: AMC MJ Northline Mall
113 Northline Mall
Houston, TX 77022

About "Bring It On: All or Nothing": The DVD Original, "Bring It On: All or Nothing", stars Hayden Panettiere (NBC's fall drama "Heroes," Face of Neutrogena, "Racing Stripes," "Ice Princess"), Solange Knowles-Smith ("Johnson Family Vacation") and marks the movie debut of Def Jam recording sensation Rihanna. "Bring It On: All or Nothing" is a high-energy, attitude-filled comedy about a cross-town rivalry that builds to a no-holds-barred face-off. Loaded with more attitude than ever, this movie offers a first-rate lineup of extras and a hot soundtrack from today's top artists including Rihanna, Solange, Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne and Weezer.

Press Contacts: For coverage credentials and further event information:

Print/Photo:
Craig Radow / USHE / craig.radow@nbcuni.com / 818-720-1193

Broadcast:
Kelly Castell / USHE / kelly.castell@nbcuni.com/ 818-777-0549
Danielle Dorfman / RStv / danielle@rstvinc.com / 310-720-2651

Online:
Jackie Ribas / Special Ops / jackie@specialopsmedia.com/ 212-219-0600 x340

Hispanic:
Inma Carbajal / inma@hm-com.com/ 323.656.6865

PRNewswire -- July 31

Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

CONTACT: Print/Photo, Craig Radow, +1-818-720-1193,
craig.radow@nbcuni.com, or Broadcast, Kelly Castell, +1-818-777-0549,
kelly.castell@nbcuni.com, both of Universal Studios Home Entertainment; or
Broadcast, Danielle Dorfman of RStv, +1-310-720-2651, danielle@rstvinc.com; or
Online, Jackie Ribas of Special Ops, +1-212-219-0600, ext. 340,
jackie@specialopsmedia.com; or Hispanic, Inma Carbajal, +1-323-656-6865,
inma@hm-com.com

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International Entertainment News

Godspeed Sails to Newport Commemorating America's 400th Anniversary

17th-Century Replica Ship Brings History to Life and Honors 'The Journey That Changed the World'

NEWPORT, R.I., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The Godspeed opened today at the Newport Yachting Center for the sixth and final stop in the 17th-century replica ship's 80-day tour of six East Coast cities. America's 400th Anniversary's Godspeed Sail brings the story of the journey that changed the world and the nation's birthplace, Jamestown, VA, to hundreds of thousands of visitors who will have a glimpse into early 17th-century America and the legacies on which our nation was founded.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051111/DCF015LOGO )

Docked in Newport July 25 - 30, Godspeed is accompanied by her "Landing Party Festival," a unique combination of education, entertainment and interactive experiences that is free to the public. Live music, family entertainment, and historical and cultural displays bring to life the American legacies of representative government, free enterprise and cultural diversity that first took root at Jamestown.

The Godspeed Sail event officially opened at noon on Tuesday, July 25. Mayor John J. Trifero and Jamestown 2007 Executive Director Jeanne Zeidler joined Godspeed Captain Eric Speth in an opening ceremony highlighted by the presentation of an America's 400th Anniversary flag to the City of Newport as the commemorative event's host city.

"The City of Newport is delighted to host the Godspeed Sail event as it commemorates America's 400th Anniversary. The presence of this 17th-century replica ship and the festival's many cultural and historical activities complements Newport's own proud history, maritime traditions and family entertainment," Mayor John J. Trifero said.

Visitors can board the Godspeed for dockside tours with historical guides in period costume, then take a "virtual" voyage in an on-shore motion simulator. Interactive exhibits give visitors the sense of what life was like in early Jamestown and America, while a gallery-in-the-round called "American People, American Progress" takes them on a journey through 400 years of contributions made by the Native American, European and African-American cultures that converged at Jamestown in the early 1600s.

Entertainment includes "Anniversary Voices," a live contemporary musical and dance production themed around America's 400th Anniversary. An original children's show, "Ba-baaah and the Windigo" features a cast of whimsical characters in a Jamestown story from the point-of-view of a young Indian girl and some of the indigenous animals present when the ships first arrived.

Joining these commemorative productions on the Godspeed Stage, July 25 - 30, will be a wealth of diverse regional talent, including Bob Olson, Djembe Dell'Arte: Troupe Komee Josee, Hawk Henries, Brian Webb, Wild Goose Nation, Marc Bernier, Middlesex Concert Band, Colonial Navy of Massachusetts Fifes & Drum Corps, the Ocean State Children's Choir, the Lafayette Band and Wampanoag Nation Singers & Dancers, as well as the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums from Williamsburg, VA.

Also taking the spotlight as headline entertainment are recording artists Scott Miller & the Commonwealth (July 29 at 8-9 p.m.); and Jen Chapin (July 28 and 30 at 8-9 p.m.). Scott Miller will perform rock'n'roll tunes from his new CD titled Citation. New York-based singer-songwriter Jen Chapin's 2004 release Linger was lauded by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as being "smart, observant, lyrically deft, politically aware and emotionally intuitive."

Following her six-day stay in Newport, the Godspeed will return to her homeport in Jamestown, VA. To date, the Godspeed Sail has visited six ports this summer and educated and entertained more than 400,000 visitors in the following locations: The historic Old Town Waterfront in Alexandria, VA, from May 27- June 4; Baltimore Inner Harbor from June 9 - June 12; The Great Plaza at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia from June 16 - June 19; the South Street Seaport Museum in New York City from June 27 - July 6; and the Fan Pier in Boston from July 14-19.

The 2006 Godspeed Sail is one of 10 signature events and hundreds of other community projects commemorating America's 400th Anniversary. America's 400th Anniversary features 18 months of special events, symposia and educational opportunities. The centerpiece event is America's 400th Anniversary weekend, hosted in America's Historic Triangle of Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, VA, on May 11-13, 2007. Please visit http://www.americas400thanniversary.com/ to learn more about the Godspeed Sail and other America's 400th Anniversary events and schedules.

Jamestown 2007, a sub-agency of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, is coordinating efforts to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Jamestown, Va., the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. Jamestown is also the site of the nation's first representative government, free enterprise and multi-cultural society. State, national, and international commemorative events to salute these legacies begin in May 2006 and continue into 2008. Major corporate sponsors of America's 400th Anniversary include Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC), Verizon (NYSE:VZ) and Colonial Williamsburg. More information about the commemoration is available at http://www.americas400thanniversary.com/.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051111/DCF015LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Jamestown 2007

CONTACT: Kevin Crossett of Jamestown 2007, +1-757-253-4534,
cell: +1-757-508-4469, kevin.crossett@jyf.virginia.gov; or Robin Crawford,
+1-202-974-5025, cell: +1-202-378-8385, crawfordr@ruderfinn.com, for Jamestown
2007

Web site: http://www.americas400thanniversary.com/

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International Entertainment News

Update - Media Alert for World Premiere of 'Barnyard'

WHAT: WORLD PREMIERE OF "BARNYARD"
Cows ride motorcycles down Sunset Blvd. as the stars of "Barnyard"
turn out for the World Premiere!

WHEN: SUNDAY, JULY 30, PROMPTLY AT 4:00 PM
Arrivals to begin at 3:00 pm
Press Check-In: 2:00 pm

WHERE: CINERAMA DOME
6360 Sunset Blvd.
Hollywood

WHO: Cast members and filmmakers attending include:
Kevin James, Courteney Cox, Sam Elliott, Wanda Sykes, Andie
MacDowell, Jeff Garcia, writer/director/producer Steve Oedekerk,
producer Paul Marshal, executive producer Julia Pistor, executive
producer Aaron Parry, composer John Debney

Other celebrities and special guests include:
Lauren Holly, Tristan Lake Leabu (from "Superman Returns"), Amy
Yasbeck, Jason Lee, Rachel Bilson, Laura Dern and Ben Harper,
David Arquette, Rosanna Arquette, Lil' JJ, Miranda Cosgrove, Josh
Peck, Jamie Lynn Spears and the cast of "Zoe 101" ... and many
more!

ABOUT "BARNYARD"

From Steve Oedekerk and Nickelodeon Movies, two of the co-creators of "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius," and filmed entirely in CGI, comes this hilarious look at what really happens in a barnyard when the farmer's back is turned. "Barnyard" is a lighthearted tale centering around Otis (voiced by Kevin James), a carefree party cow, who enjoys singing, dancing and playing tricks on humans. Unlike his father Ben (voiced by Sam Elliott), the respected patriarch of the farm, and Miles, the wise old mule (voiced by Danny Glover), Otis is unconcerned about keeping the animals' humanlike talents a secret. But when suddenly put in the position of responsibility, the "udderly" irresponsible cow finds the courage to be a leader.

Release Date: August 4, 2006

ALL PRESS MUST BE ACCREDITED TO COVER THE EVENT

For further information, please call:

Broadcast - Gail Silverman (323) 956-4721
Print - Soni Ede (323) 956-8975
Photo - photo_rsvp@paramount.com
International - Afrat Baruch (323) 956-8042

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991206/PARLOGO )

PRNewswire -- July 27

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991206/PARLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Paramount Pictures

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International Entertainment News

CMT and Miss America Go Multi-Network and Multi-Platform With New Programming Strategy to Support 2007 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT

Two-Hour Contestant Special to be Broadcast on CMT, VH1, MTV and Logo and Include Viewer Voting for 'Miss Congeniality'

Additional Programming Available on CMT, CMT.com, CMT LOADED, VOD, CMT Mobile and CMT Radio

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Miss America will be available on multiple networks and multiple platforms as CMT announces an expanded programming strategy to support the 2007 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT. Beginning in January, CMT and its sister networks, VH1, MTV and Logo, will air a newly produced, two-hour special featuring all 52 Miss America contestants as they meet in Los Angeles and prepare for their odyssey to become Miss America. VH1 is available in 90 million homes; MTV in 90 million; Logo in 20 million and CMT in 83 million. CMT remains the exclusive home of the pageant.

"With largely unduplicated viewership from CMT, our sister Viacom networks will greatly expand Miss America's reach and expose the organization to a phenomenally large set of new viewers," said Paul Villadolid, vice president, programming and development, CMT. "We'll also utilize our new broadband channel, CMT LOADED, and other properties with additional programming that will fully maximize the strength of the Miss America property."

"We're extremely excited about the overwhelming amount of programming that CMT and other Viacom properties have committed to Miss America," said Sam Haskell, chairman of the board, Miss America Organization. "This is exactly the kind of synergy we were hoping for when we made our initial deal with CMT."

Beginning in December, CMT will devote nine hours to Miss America programming that will repeat on the network leading up to the MISS AMERICA PAGEANT in January 2007. Additional programming will be available exclusively on CMT LOADED, VOD, CMT.com, CMT Radio and CMT Mobile. Miss America-related programming will include:

CONTESTANT SPECIAL - two-hour special featuring the 52 State Finalists as they meet in LA and prepare for their quest to become the new Miss America. In addition, viewers will be able to cast their vote via phone and online at CMT.com for "Miss Congeniality," which will be announced live during the Pageant. This program takes the place of the previously announced documentary series, FINDING MISS AMERICA. Special to air on CMT, VH1, MTV, Logo and available on CMT LOADED.

TOTAL ACCESS: JENNIFER BERRY - one-hour special following Jennifer Berry on her yearlong journey as Miss America 2006. From her crowning moment in Las Vegas to traveling the country in support of her platform, this special gives a never-before-seen look at the life of Miss America. Special to air on CMT and available on CMT LOADED.

GREATEST MISS AMERICA MOMENTS - one-hour special documenting the evolution of Miss America over the past 85 years. Past and present Miss Americas reveal what it's like to spend a year as American "royalty" - from personal stories of courage and hope, to the drama and controversy of an institution caught in the crossfire of social change. Special to air on CMT and available on CMT LOADED.

CMT TOP 20 COUNTDOWN - two-and-a-half-hour show counting down the week's top videos with host Lance Smith reporting on-site at the 2007 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT. This special edition will feature interviews with pageant contestants that will premiere on CMT and be available on CMT LOADED.

CMT INSIDER - half-hour magazine show with host Katie Cook going behind the scenes at the upcoming pageant. This special edition of CMT INSIDER will premiere on CMT and be available on CMT LOADED and CMT Mobile.

2007 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT - two-hour pageant final that includes swimsuit, talent and evening wear competitions; and the crowning of Miss America 2007; premiering exclusively on CMT. Pageant location and venue to be announced.

TALENT PRELIMINARIES - Cameras will document each contestant's talent performance from the Preliminaries leading up to the Pageant; available exclusively on CMT LOADED.

CONTESTANT PROFILES - One-minute profiles on each state finalist; available on CMT LOADED and VOD, CMT.com, CMT Mobile, and CMT Radio.

The 2006 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT, hosted by James Denton, premiered on CMT last January and ranks as the most-watched telecast in CMT's history with total viewers*. Since its premiere, re-airings of the Pageant have been seen by more than 22 million different viewers.

For the first time in its 85-year history, the MISS AMERICA PAGEANT took place outside of Atlantic City and debuted in Las Vegas. Jennifer Berry, of Oklahoma, is the current Miss America.

CMT, America's No. 1 country music network, carries original programming, specials, and live concerts and events, as well as a mix of videos by established country music artists and new cutting-edge acts, including world premiere exclusive videos. Founded March 6, 1983, CMT, owned and operated by MTV Networks, reaches 83 million households in the United States. Go to country music's biggest web site at http://www.cmt.com/.

The Miss America Organization is one of the nation's leading achievement programs and the world's largest provider of scholarship assistance for young women. Last year, the Miss America Organization and its state and local organizations made available more than $45 million in cash and scholarship assistance. For more information, go to http://www.missamerica.org/.

*Nielsen Media Research

PRESS CONTACTS:

CMT Miss America Organization
Lisa Chader Sharon Pearce
615-335-8405 609-345-7571
lisa.chader@cmt.comsharon@missamerica.org

CMT Wolf-Kasteler-Van Iden
Chris Delhomme Lisa Kasteler
310-752-8635 310-205-0618
chris.delhomme@cmt.comlisak@wkvia.com

Source: Miss America Organization

CONTACT: CMT: Lisa Chader, +1-615-335-8405, lisa.chader@cmt.com; or
Miss America Organization: Sharon Pearce, +1-609-345-7571,
sharon@missamerica.org; or CMT: Chris Delhomme, +1-310-752-8635,
chris.delhomme@cmt.com; or Wolf-Kasteler-Van Iden: Lisa Kasteler,
+1-310-205-0618, lisak@wkvia.com

Web site: http://www.missamerica.org/
http://www.cmt.com/

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International Entertainment News

PR Newswire Broadcast Minute and Podcast for Friday, July 21, 2006

To hear a Podcast of the PR Newswire Broadcast Minute and other MultiVu radio content, cut and paste this URL into your podcast application (e.g. iTunes, iPodder): http://feeds.feedburner.com/prnewswire_bcm

Democrats Increase Lead Over Republicans in Race for Congress Mood of the Nation Still Favors Challenger Campaigns

With mid-term elections now less than four months away, a new Harris Poll finds that Democrats have widened their lead over the Republicans in the race for control of Congress. Results show that if the election for Congress were held today, more than two in five (forty-four percent) adults would vote for the Democratic candidate, while about one-third (thirty-one percent) would vote for the Republican candidate, seventeen percent would vote for someone else, and just seven percent are undecided.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=3256291

The Man of Steel and Other Super Heroes Take Flight as Stamps and Stamped Postal Cards

Superman joined Batman, Wonder Woman and seven other comic book legends in extending their immortality to postage Thursday when the U-S Postal Service dedicated the "D-C Comics Super Heroes" commemorative stamps and stamped postal cards. The ceremony took place at the world's largest comic book and pop culture show -- Comic-Con International 2006.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=3256401

Six percent of U-S Web Users Have Downloaded Podcasts, Says Nielsen Analytics

More than six percent of U-S adults, or about nine million web users, have downloaded podcasts in the past thirty days, according to The Economics of Podcasting, a report released by Nielsen Analytics, part of V-N-U's Media Measurement and Information Group.

In a first quarter 2006 study, conducted by Nielsen Analytics at Nielsen Entertainment Television testing facilities in Las Vegas, more than one-thousand-seven-hundred participants were surveyed on their podcasting usage. About six percent of respondents described themselves as regular podcast downloaders -- more than seventy-five percent of whom were male. The findings show that a significant percentage, approximately thirty-eight percent, of active podcast downloaders say they are listening to radio less often.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=3256340

Sundance Channel Green to Launch on Sundance Channel

Sundance founder, Robert Redford has announced that Sundance Channel will launch SUNDANCE CHANNEL GREEN, a weekly primetime destination block focusing on environmental topics, in early 2007. Consisting of three hours of hosted programming, SUNDANCE CHANNEL GREEN will present original series and documentary premieres about the earth's ecology and concepts of "green" living that balance human needs with responsible environmental stewardship. With SUNDANCE CHANNEL GREEN, Sundance Channel becomes the first television network in the United States to establish a significant, regularly-scheduled programming destination dedicated entirely to the environment.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=3256141

The PR Newswire Broadcast Minute is available by email at no charge to members of the media who sign up for PR Newswire for Journalists, http://www.prnewswire.com/media . For more information, contact Rob Fisher at 408-365-8793 or email rob.fisher@prnewswire.com.

PRNewswire -- July 21

Source: PR Newswire

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International Entertainment News

Montgomery County, Maryland, Continues to Block Competition, Making Unlawful Cable Franchise Demands

County's Stalled Process Costs Households More Than $725,000 per Month in Lost Savings by Preventing Verizon From Offering Cable Choice

WASHINGTON, July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Montgomery County, Maryland, today filed court papers in an effort to maintain the status quo that protects the local cable television monopoly from competition and prevents Verizon from offering its FiOS TV to county residents. Verizon, which currently is offering the fiber-optic-powered FiOS TV to consumers in Howard County and much of Northern Virginia, filed a federal lawsuit on June 29 against Montgomery County. Verizon asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland to require the county to negotiate a lawful franchise with the company. The following statement should be attributed to John P. Frantz, Verizon vice president and associate general counsel, who is leading the company's legal team on the case.

Montgomery County today made it clear it will fight to maintain the unlawful rules that protect the local cable monopoly from much-needed competition. The losers are Montgomery County citizens, who will continue to lose more than $725,000 a month in savings as a result of the county's intransigent position.

"Meanwhile, consumers in neighboring Howard County and much of Northern Virginia already are benefiting from their elected officials' consumer-focused actions. Verizon has struck franchise agreements with more than 100 jurisdictions across the country -- 14 in the Washington metropolitan area alone.

"The county's claims that Verizon has not filed for a formal franchise application belie the fact that county officials -- when informed by Verizon negotiators on May 19, 2005, that the company had begun preparing a formal franchise application -- asked Verizon to wait until they had approved the principal terms of a franchise agreement before we did so.

"In addition, no one on Verizon's negotiating team ever heard Montgomery County suggest the company accept a franchise offer 'substantially similar' to one reached with Fairfax County, Virginia. And the offer never was made in writing to Verizon.

"In fact, the proposed agreement Verizon submitted to Montgomery County was based on our Fairfax County agreement. Montgomery County rejected it.

"The public is solidly behind our effort to bring choice and competition to Montgomery County. We have received dozens of e-mails and letters of support from county residents who support our efforts and want choice. In addition, online commentators overwhelmingly are calling for increased competition and action by the county to allow Verizon to provide that competition."

Source: Verizon

CONTACT: Harry Mitchell of Verizon, +1-304-344-7562, or
harry.j.mitchell@verizon.com

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

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

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International Entertainment News

Slim Devices Introduces Transporter, the Ultimate Device for Audiophiles, and Declares the Death of the CD Player

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Slim Devices introduced Transporter, the most advanced networked audio system available. Designed to appeal to the most discerning audiophiles and music lovers, Transporter's sound quality surpasses that of even the most sophisticated high-end compact disc players. It also offers a broad range of options not available on any CD player, including thousands of Internet radio stations, Pandora's award-winning personalized music service and Rhapsody's two-million track collection of online music. Audiophiles can use Transporter to listen to their music collection, regardless of whether it was originally downloaded on their PC or purchased on CD. These capabilities are expected to make CD players obsolete.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060725/SFTU025 )

The retail price for Transporter will be $1,999. Slim Devices will accept pre-orders for Transporter starting today and begin shipping the product on September 18.

Slim Devices CEO and co-founder Sean Adams explained that Slim Devices has been designing affordable streaming audio products for single and multi-room use since 2000. "Slim Devices' Squeezebox products have long been respected for high sound quality among networked audio systems," said Sean Adams, the CEO and founder of Slim Devices. "With Transporter, we set out to design an even better system by incorporating ideas both from the audiophile community and specialist engineers from around the globe. Transporter is designed not merely to rival traditional high-end sources, but to surpass them in both subjective and quantifiable performance."

Award-winning industrial designer Fred Bould, who previously designed Slim Devices' Squeezebox, is responsible for the case and remote design. Several of his works are included in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Transporter's thick aluminum chassis protects the system from external noise, and gives it a high-quality fit and finish that will complement any system. The case will be available in either black or clear anodized finish.

Inside Transporter

For Transporter, Slim Devices selected the AK4396 DAC, the newest and most advanced professional-grade converter from AKM. Its performance is remarkable especially at the high frequencies that create the sense of imaging and realism. Hailed as a "miracle DAC chip," its low out-of-band noise allows the use of low-order output filters with higher cutoffs, resulting in preservation of phase and reduced distortion within the audible band.

Transporter's gold plated circuit board is arranged to keep digital and analog sections separate, and to minimize jitter through careful management of clock signals. Power is supplied to the DAC and analog stages by three separate super-regulator circuits. The balanced amplifiers use precision polyphenylene film capacitors. Individual op-amp packages ensure low noise and immeasurable crosstalk between channels.

Special Offer for Those Pre-Ordering Transporter

The company will begin shipping the product on September 18, 2006 and will accept pre-orders until then. Any order placed before the ship date will receive a free Squeezebox, an ideal solution for customers who wish to listen to their digital music in more than one room. Customers can place pre-orders on Slim Devices' website ( www.slimdevices.com ).

About Slim Devices(TM)

Slim Devices, founded in 2000, is the worldwide pioneer of network entertainment products for users of personal computers and the Internet. Slim Devices' innovative hardware and Open Source software are setting the standard for an exciting new product category. The Slim Devices, Transporter, and Squeezebox logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Slim Devices, Inc.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060725/SFTU025
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN1
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Slim Devices, Inc.

CONTACT: Jez Hildred of Slim Devices, Inc., +1-650-210-9400, ext. 712,
or jez@slimdevices.com; or Marivi Lerdo de Tejada of OnPR, +1-415-577-4318,
for Slim Devices

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

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International Entertainment News

Did Dark Horse Comics Rip Off Pendragon's WAR OF THE WORLDS?

SEATTLE, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Pendragon Pictures has given formal legal notice to the principals of Dark Horse Comics alleging innumerable replications of images from Pendragon's period accurate movie version of THE WAR OF THE WORLDS. Pendragon's movie, H.G. WELLS' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, was released in the U.S., Canada and most countries internationally June 7, 2005 and has grossed over two million dollars in sales from U.S. retail stores alone. The complaint accuses Dark Horse, the third-largest comic book publisher in the U.S. and recognized world-leading publisher of licensed comics material, of directly replicating hundreds of images from the Pendragon movie. Both productions are based on the public domain 1898 H. G. Wells novel, but Pendragon alleges that Dark Horse has played foul in replicating camera angles, designs, character likenesses and a myriad of artistic choices for their comic.

Pendragon C.E.O. and Director of H.G. WELLS' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, Timothy Hines states, "Most of Dark Horse's revenue comes from comics that are based on licensed movies, including BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, SHREK, STAR WARS and ALIEN. These guys are experts at converting film frames into comic books. I was astounded at the degree of similarity between our production and their comic book which came out a year after our movie was disseminated worldwide. We believe its just theft of our artist's hard work -- plain and simple, and we won't let this stand. I invite the public to come to a website we've set up, http://www.martianinvaders.com/ , showing dozens of frames of identical or of striking similarity between Dark Horse's comic and our WAR OF THE WORLDS and decide for themselves."

Pendragon Producer Susan Goforth adds, "We've set up a way for people to vote as to whether or not they see what many who have brought this to our attention see. If Dark Horse wanted to use our images they simply could have licensed our movie. It was hard enough going up against Spielberg and Tom Cruise. It's no surprise that our movie was savaged by the friends and allies of our competitors. Our own distributor was intimidated into not releasing the director's cut of our film, which is actually the final cut, for fear of retaliation from Paramount, so we are just now releasing it ourselves online. Why a giant like Dark Horse would copy us without license is beyond me."

Dark Horse just promoted its comic book version of WAR OF THE WORLDS at Comic-Con San Diego, which ran July 20-23. Comic-Con is the largest comic book convention in the U.S., and was attended by all the major movie studios and comic book publishers. Pendragon Pictures is selling its true to the book movie version of H. G. WELLS' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS online through http://www.buywowdvd.com/ .

ABOUT PENDRAGON PICTURES: Pendragon Pictures is an independent motion picture and distribution company who's primary product is a movie adaptation of H.G. WELLS' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (http://www.pendragonpictures.com/WOTWKEY.html ). Unlike the updated and reset Spielberg/Cruise version of a similar title, Pendragon's WORLDS is a dead-on to the book accurate adaptation. Through retail outlets in Canada, U.S., Japan and Australia, and from internet sales, Pendragon's H.G. WELLS' THE WAR OF THE WORLDS has grossed several million dollars. Pendragon's next production is a futuristic robot action adventure film called CHROME.

Did Dark Horse Comics Rip Off Pendragon's WAR OF THE WORLDS?

URL: http://www.martianinvaders.com/

Source: Pendragon Pictures

CONTACT: Susan Goforth, +1-206-280-9230, or news@pendragonpictures.com

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

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

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International Entertainment News

September 11th Charities to Receive Donations From Release of 'World Trade Center'

NEW YORK, July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Four New York-based charitable organizations that honor the memory of those lost in the September 11th attacks on the Twin Towers and provide ongoing support to their families announced today that they will be the recipients of donations from the release of the upcoming film, "World Trade Center."

The film, directed by Oliver Stone, tells the true story of real life Port Authority Police Officers Will Jimeno and John McLoughlin, who were rescued hours after being buried beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center. The film recounts their courage, follows their families as they wait for word, and shows the heroism of their rescuers.

The charities will receive 10 percent of all "World Trade Center" ticket sales in every theater across the United States -- more than 2,000 theaters -- for the film's opening five days, from Wednesday, August 9, through Sunday, August 13, 2006.

The organizations that will receive the donations are:

The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation -- The Foundation is the not- for-profit corporation founded in 2005 to realize the Memorial quadrant at the World Trade Center site. The Foundation will raise funds, oversee the design, and operate the Memorial, the Memorial Museum and a Visitor Orientation and Education Center located on eight of the 16 acres of the site. The Memorial will remember and honor the thousands of people who died in the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. The Memorial Museum will facilitate the public's encounter with the enormity of loss and the triumph of the human spirit through artifacts, exhibitions, and educational programming. The Foundation has a $300 million private fund-raising goal to build the Memorial and the Museum. It has raised $131 million in private donations from over 17,000 donors from 11 countries and all 50 states.

Tuesday's Children -- Almost five years ago, Tuesday's Children was born of a solemn commitment to the families of 9/11. Today, this non-profit service organization continues to meet the families' unmet and changing needs with innovative services. With programs and offices in New York City, its northern suburban counties, Long Island, New Jersey, Washington, D.C. and Boston, Tuesday's Children provides a wide-range of child development, family advocacy, mentoring, recreational and social service programs for thousands of 9/11 family members. The initiatives are created with one simple goal -- to develop and provide the resources necessary to ensure that these families reach their full potential.

The Tribute WTC Visitor Center -- Created by the September 11th Families Association to share the personal stories of victims, survivors, rescue and recovery workers, volunteers and residents of Lower Manhattan, the Tribute WTC Visitor Center will open across from the World Trade Center site this summer. By engaging visitors in the authentic experiences of those most affected by the events of that day, the exhibits will convey the courage, loss, heroism and grief of those who responded to the tragedy. Interactive exhibits, personal greeters and an environment for reflection will involve visitors in appreciating the scope and impact of the disaster, as well as the enormous outpouring of compassion in response to that loss.

The New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund -- The Fund was established in 1985 by Daniel J. "Rusty" Staub to provide financial assistance to the families of police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. After the tragic events of September 11th, the organization expanded its mission to include the families of Port Authority Police Officers and members of the Emergency Medical Service. The Fund gives grieving families immediate financial assistance and, through an annual distribution, provides help to those with lifelong financial hardship. Since 1986, over $87 million has been distributed, with an additional $35 million designated to be paid out through 2009.

Fifty percent of the total donation will go to the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, for the construction of the Memorial's two reflecting pools to be located on the footprints of the original Twin Towers. The remaining fifty percent will be shared equally among Tuesday's Children, the Tribute WTC Visitor Center and the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund.

Jonathan S. Barnett, Tuesday's Children Board Chairman, said, "In honoring the courage of these men, as well as all the heroes who responded that day and their families, this film is helping us celebrate the human spirit and its triumph over tragedy. This contribution will help Tuesday's Children fulfill our mission -- to provide important social services and support programs for thousands of 9/11 family members for as long as the needs are there. For this, we are deeply grateful."

Marian Fontana, President, and Lee Ielpi, Vice President, the September 11th Families Association, said, "We are building Tribute to ensure the next generation learns from the events of September 11th and is educated on the terrible cost of ignorance and intolerance so much that such an event never happens again. We are deeply appreciative of the effort to tell this story in this film, to join with us in remembering those we loved and lost, and in paying tribute to thousands of extraordinary people who responded to the city in our hour of need."

Stephen J. Dannhauser, President of the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund, said, "We greatly appreciate this donation, which will go a long way in assisting the families of our city's fallen heroes. We are also thankful for the recognition of the important work our organization performs on a daily basis to assist and support the widows and children of New York's bravest and finest, EMS and Port Authority responders."

Joseph Daniels, Acting President of the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, said, "It's our sacred obligation to remember the innocent victims and honor the sacrifice of the many brave individuals who gave their lives in the September 11th attacks. This contribution will help ensure that the memory of those heroes lives on through the World Trade Center Memorial. Visitors to the Memorial will be able to reflect upon the enormity of the loss and the triumph of the human spirit -- which are the heart of 9/11. By sharing in the many stories of that day through this film and through the Memorial and Memorial Museum, we celebrate the resolve and spirit of the American people."

"World Trade Center" is a Paramount Pictures release.

PLEASE REFER TO THE WEB SITES BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING HOW TO MAKE A DONATION.

The World Trade Center
Memorial Foundation -- http://www.buildthememorial.org/

Tuesday's Children -- http://www.tuesdayschildren.org/

The Tribute WTC Visitor Center -- http://www.tributenyc.org/

New York Police and Fire Widows'
and Children's Benefit Fund -- http://www.nypfwc.org/

Source: The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation;
Tuesday's Children;
The Tribute WTC Visitor Center;
New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund

Source: The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation; Tuesday's Children; The
Tribute WTC Visitor Center; New York Police and Fire Widows' and
Children's Benefit Fund

CONTACT: Lynn Rasic of The World Trade Center Memorial Foundation,
+1-212-312-8814, or Wendy McKeever of Tribute WTC Visitor Center,
+1-212-422-3520, ext. 117, or Marcia Horowitz of New York Police & Fire Widows
Benefit Fund, +1-212-843-8014, or Colleen Roche of Tuesday's Children,
+1-212-575-4545

Web site: http://www.buildthememorial.org/
http://www.tuesdayschildren.org/
http://www.tributenyc.org/
http://www.nypfwc.org/

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Profile: intent

International Entertainment News

Downloadable Episodes of Favorite PBS Programs Make Their Debut on Google Video

PASADENA, Calif., July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- PBS Press Tour -- PBS today announced the launch of PBS content on Google Video (http://www.video.google.com/pbs.html), making it possible for users to download and own a selection of PBS primetime and children's programming for the first time ever. The announcement was made by PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger at the Television Critics Association Press Tour.

Ms. Kerger said, "We've received significant viewer feedback this year, requesting that we offer our television content in downloadable formats, and we're looking forward to this launch with Google Video. As we've seen with our podcasts, PBS viewers appreciate the opportunity to consume PBS and local PBS stations' content when and where they like, and today's announcement will be a boon to the quickly-increasing number of these kinds of media consumers."

Showcasing the strong local associations PBS stations have within their communities, PBS programs downloaded through Google Video will carry a spot encouraging viewers to become members of their local PBS station.

"We are very proud to work with PBS to bring its outstanding programming to a whole new audience of Google Video users," said David Eun, Vice President of Content Partnerships, Google. "Google Video provides the widest and most diverse range of online video content, much of which wasn't previously accessible online. PBS is another great addition to our growing collection of high quality content."

Google Video offers a fast and easy way for users to watch and share a comprehensive set of videos -- including free and paid, user-generated and professional video content of any length or size.

Select episodes of PBS programs that users can buy on Google Video are:

Primetime Programming

- ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
- NOVA
- NOW
- SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN FRONTIERS

PBS KIDS and PBS KIDS GO! Programming

- ARTHUR
- CYBERCHASE
- FETCH!

About PBS

PBS is a media enterprise that serves 354 public noncommercial television stations and reaches almost 90 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is a leading provider of educational materials for K-12 teachers, and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS' premier kids' TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online (http://pbskids.org/), continue to be parents' and teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at http://pbs.org/, one of the leading dot- org Web sites on the Internet.

Source: PBS

CONTACT: Kevin Dando, PBS, +1-703-739-5073, kdando@pbs.org

Web site: http://www.pbs.org/

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International Entertainment News

KT Tunstall Sets New U.S. Live Dates For Autumn, 2006

Gold-Plus Debut Album 'EYE TO THE TELESCOPE' Maintains Heavy Multi-Media Exposure in Sixth Smash Month of American Release

NEW YORK, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- As the weeks and months pass, singer/songwriter KT TUNSTALL's debut album, EYE TO THE TELESCOPE, is looking more and more like pop music's most durable breakout of 2006. In response to demand generated by months of radio, video, television and film attention, Tunstall will return to the U.S. for a month of headlining dates in the U.S. northeast, midwest and southern regions in the early fall.

Tunstall's album, was certified gold by the RIAA on April 28, just three months after its February 2006 U.S. release on Virgin, thanks to radio and VH1 play of the lead single "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree," an enthusiastically-received pre-release Stateside tour, and an attention- grabbing early spot on NBC's Today. As spring turned into summer, the album kicked into a new level of awareness with a series of splashy cross-media placements. Both physical and digital sales enjoyed immediate surges and have now sustained strength through the album's sixth month of release. This week, the album's unit sales jumped 17%, the biggest sales increase of any album in the national top 50.

Even as "Black Horse," far from burning out, this week remains the most-played song at adult radio nationally, and mainstream top 40 radio play of the track continues to increase, the second single from EYE TO THE TELESCOPE, "Suddenly I See," enjoys a prime position as the opening song in the Meryl Streep/Anne Hathaway film comedy The Devil Wears Prada, which opened to movie audiences at a strong No. 2 position. Digital sales of the song spiked 162% this week, and Amazon added Tunstall's album to a mini-store dedicated to film-related items. The video clip of "Suddenly I See" will hit VH1.com on July 25th, and have a special world cable premiere on VH1's Top 20 countdown show on Saturday July 29th.

Tunstall's music has been repeatedly sought out this year by television's creatives: a one-verse excerpt of "Black Horse," performed on American Idol by the front-running contestant Katherine McPhee, created an instantaneous spike in Tunstall's online sales, through both Amazon.com and iTunes. "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" was also featured in the series finale of the long-running NBC comedy Will and Grace, while another Telescope album track, "Universe and U," was heard in the season-ending episode of the hit ABC hospital drama Grey's Anatomy.

Among the major live television performances Tunstall has made since her album release: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis and Kelly, Last Call With Carson Daly, Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Ellen, and DirecTV's satellite-based music program, CDUSA. Upcoming appearances will include Soundstage, airing on PBS July 27th; and, later in the fall, the renowned PBS institution, Austin City Limits.

In May 2006, Tunstall partnered with Origins Natural Resources and Virgin Records for cross-promotion of her music and Origins' line of wellness-based skin care, bath and beauty products, through personal appearances, in-store music programming and charitable endeavors, including Project Sunshine, a non-profit organization that provides free programs and services to children and families affected by serious medical challenges.

KT TUNSTALL HEADLINE LIVE SHOWS, FALL 2006
(confirmed as of 7/11)

Fri 9/8/2006 Electric Factory Philadelphia, PA
Mon 9/11/2006 Amos' Charlotte, NC
Tue 9/12/2006 The Ritz Raleigh, NC
Wed 9/13/2006 Center Stage/Earthlink Live Atlanta, GA
Fri 9/15/2006 House of Blues New Orleans, LA
Sat 9/16/2006 Meridian Houston, TX
Sun 9/17/2006 Austin City Limits Festival Austin, TX
Wed 9/20/2006 The Pageant St. Louis, MO
Thu 9/21/2006 Liberty Hall Lawrence, KS
Fri 9/22/2006 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL
Mon 9/25/2006 Barrymore Theatre Madison, WI
Tue 9/26/2006 Egyptian Room Indianapolis, IN
Wed 9/27/2006 Bogart's Cincinnati, OH
Mon 10/2/2006 City Hall Nashville, TN
Tue 10/3/2006 Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
Wed 10/4/2006 Mr. Small's Theater Millvale, PA
Tue 10/10/2006 Toad's Place New Haven, CT
Wed 10/11/2006 Lupo's Heartbreak Providence, RI

Source: Virgin Records

CONTACT: Tracy Zamot, +1-212-786-8370, Tracy.Zamot@virgin-records.com,
or Samantha Bowman, +1-212-786-8371, Samantha.Bowman@virgin-records.com, both
of Virgin Records

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

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Profile: intent

International Entertainment News

Tribune Chairman and CEO Recovering From Surgery

CHICAGO, July 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Tribune Company (NYSE:TRB) announced that Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dennis FitzSimons is recovering from successful prostate cancer surgery performed earlier today. He expects to return to work full time before the end of August.

"My prognosis is excellent, and I look forward to a quick and full recovery," said FitzSimons. "Tribune has a strong, experienced management team that will continue to execute on our performance improvement plan during my absence. I will be engaged with them in that process."

TRIBUNE (NYSE:TRB) is one of the country's top media companies, operating businesses in publishing, interactive and broadcasting. It reaches more than 80 percent of U.S. households and is the only media organization with newspapers, television stations and websites in the nation's top three markets. In publishing, Tribune operates 11 leading daily newspapers including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune and Newsday, plus a wide range of targeted publications. The company's broadcasting group operates 26 television stations, Superstation WGN on national cable, Chicago's WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's print and broadcast properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

Source: Tribune Company

CONTACT: Media Contact, Gary Weitman, VP-Corporate Communications,
+1-312-222-3394, gweitman@tribune.com , or Investor Contact, Ruthellyn Musil,
SVP-Corporate Relations, +1-312-222-3787, rmusil@tribune.com , both of Tribune
Company

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

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Profile: intent

International Entertainment News

Guitar & Drum Trainer Wins Best Application Using .Net

SEOUL, South Korea, July 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Guitar & Drum Trainer from Renegade Minds won the "Best Application Using .NET" at the 2006 Shareware Industry Awards ceremony for the second year in a row. Ryan Smyth from Renegade Minds was present to receive the award, and in typical "Renegade" fashion ended his brief acceptance speech with, "Peace, love and eternal grooviness!"

Held during the annual Shareware Industry Conference (SIC), the Shareware Industry Awards ceremony recognizes outstanding software deemed of high innovative and technical excellence. Other well-known winners at this year's event in Denver included Microsoft, Google, and the Mozilla Foundation.

Guitar & Drum Trainer is a feature-rich, intuitive Windows-based audio player that gives musicians greater control over playback, making it easier to learn, practice and transcribe music. With Guitar & Drum Trainer, users can slow down the tempo, change the pitch to match their own instrument, loop riffs and licks, and filter out unwanted parts of songs with a studio-grade 31-band equalizer.

Especially useful for beginners, the GDT Speed Trainer feature lets musicians practice along with a piece of music at their own pace, improving accuracy as they adjust to gradually quicker tempos.

For professional studio musicians, Guitar & Drum Trainer is ideal for learning original recordings where no sheet music or transcriptions exist. The convenient "Count in" feature lets solo musicians and bands delay playback, giving them enough time to get back into position at their instruments, such as a drum kit.

Musicians can save loop and EQ settings in Guitar & Drum Trainer, while complete settings can be saved in portable GDT song configuration files for playback later. Color schemes for the EQ visualizations as well as the full and zoomed wave forms are customizable to suit each musician's personal tastes.

About Renegade Minds:

Renegade Minds provides software and Internet consulting services and develops software for the Windows platform. For more information, please visit http://renegademinds.com/.

Contact:
Ryan Smyth
Renegade Minds
82 19 313 7399
http://renegademinds.com/

This release distributed by PRWEB (http://www.prwebdirect.com/), a service of eMediaWire.

Source: Renegade Software

CONTACT: Ryan Smyth of Renegade Minds, 82 19 313 7399

Web site: http://renegademinds.com/

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Profile: intent

International Entertainment News

Sony Ushers in Next Wave of High-Def Home Movies

Two New Camcorder Models Offer HD Fans More Choice in Recording Media

NEW YORK, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony is making sure home movies meet the high-def expectations of home theater fans with its new HDR-UX1 and HDR-SR1 Handycam(R) camcorders.

These are the first consumer camcorders to record in full 1080i HD resolution and Dolby(R) Digital 5.1 surround sound, offering a choice in recording media. While the HDR-UX1 model records directly to readily-available, three-inch DVD discs for effortless playback and sharing, the HDR-SR1 camcorder's built-in 30GB hard drive facilitates mass video storage as well as in-camcorder and PC editing.

"With more families adopting high-definition televisions and acquiring HD content, we want to give them a variety of ways to enjoy their home video in the same high quality," said Linda Vuolo, director of marketing for camcorders at Sony Electronics. "Our HD camcorder line offers people greater functionality and more choice to make high-def video creation fun and easy."

High-Def is Not Just For Sports

Sony's new HD camcorders bring home movies fully into the home theater fold. They feature HDMI(TM) outputs for simple, one-cord connection to an HD television with no data conversion and subsequent degradation of picture quality.

Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound assures a life-like audio experience when viewing your home movies. This experience can be further enhanced with the sold-separately Sony ECM-HW1 Bluetooth(R) wireless microphone, which amplifies the center channel sound of the multi-point surround system and even lets you record them wirelessly up to 100 feet away.

The HDR-SR1 hard disk drive model is the perfect choice for that week-long vacation in Hawaii when the convenience of long recording times and not having to manage removable media is much appreciated. This model records more than ten hours of high-def video in long play mode. You can extend the recording time of the HDR-UX1 model up to an hour in long play mode by using Sony's new +R double-layer, single-sided DVD.

Effortless HD Playback

HD content recorded on DVDs with either the HDR-UX1 or HDR-SR1 models can be played back on Blu-ray Disc devices, such as the forthcoming Sony BDP-S1 player and PLAYSTATION(R) 3 video game console. Standard DVD drives on compatible PCs can also play back these DVDs with the bundled software.

Both support the new AVCHD(TM) camcorder recording format based on the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec for video compression and Dolby digital audio. This technology makes it possible to not only achieve high-quality HD video and audio, but also produce camcorders that are power efficient and compact.

Both models allow for quick data transfer from the camcorder to a compatible PC for playback and editing. The hard disk drive unit also features Sony's One Touch Disc Burn button for easy DVD creation using a PC.

Imaging Technologies for Like No Other

These lightweight camcorders feature Sony's ClearVid CMOS Sensor(TM) and Enhanced Imaging Processor(TM) technologies. Together, they provide high-resolution and heightened sensitivity for virtually smear-free video with vivid color and clarity.

Other benefits include four-megapixel digital still capture, a Dual Record function that allows you to shoot video and simultaneously capture 2.3 megapixel stills, and a Smooth Slow Record function to shoot video in slow motion.

Both models are also equipped with an advanced Carl Zeiss(R) Vario-Sonnar(R) T* lens to ensure true-to-life color saturation and minimize unwanted glare and flare from reflected light. Even while shooting, the camcorders' extra-large, 3.5-inch SwivelScreen(TM) LCD screens display video with high-contrast and optimal color due to Sony's Clear Photo Plus LCD(TM) technology. Video is easy to view on screen from any angle and in virtually any environment. The screens double as touch-sensitive control panels, giving easy access to many of the camcorders' settings.

The HDR-UX1 camcorder will be available in September for about $1,400, and the HDR-SR1 will hit stores in October for about $1,500. Options will include a full line of accessories, including lights, lenses, microphones, InfoLithium(R) batteries, chargers and cables.

Both models will be available online at Sonystyle.com, at Sony Style(R) retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), and at authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders will begin on July 21st at www.sonystyle.com/handycam.

AVCHD Licensing and Supporting Companies

On July 13, Panasonic and Sony announced the commencement of licensing for AVCHD, the high-definition digital video camera recorder format, as well as an expansion of the format's specifications. The two companies have been promoting this format extensively throughout the industry and the following companies have expressed their support for AVCHD.

AVCHD Supporting Companies

Consumer Electronics Manufacturers:

Canon Inc.
Pioneer Corporation
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sharp Corporation

Non-liner Editing Software Suppliers [Software Supporting AVCHD]

Adobe Systems Incorporated [Adobe Production Studio]
CyberLink Corporation [PowerDVD, PowerDirector]
InterVideo, Inc. [WinDVD]
Nero AG [Nero 7 Premium (Nero 7 Ultra Edition)]
Sonic Solutions [Easy Media Creator 9]
Sony Media Software [Vegas 7.0]
Ulead Systems, Inc. [Video Studio, DVD MovieWriter]

Source: Sony Electronics Inc.

CONTACT: Yolanda Hunt-Boes of Sony Electronics Inc., +1-858-942-4174,
yolanda.hunt-boes@am.sony.com; or Joslyn Beloff of Burson-Marsteller,
+1-212-614-4664, joslyn.beloff@bm.com, for Sony Electronics Inc.

Web site: http://sonystyle.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: AVCHD is a trademark of the Sony Corporation and Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Ltd. PLAYSTATION(R)3 is a product of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "PLAYSTATION" is its registered trademark. Sony's new high-definition Handycam(R) camcorders are compatible with the following PC operating systems: Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000 Professional, XP Home Edition, and XP Professional. Not all devices with a USB 2.0 connector will communicate with each other due to chipset variations. Thirty gigabytes equal 60 billion bytes and 30 billion bytes, respectively, a portion of which is used for data management functions. The viewable area of the LCD screen is measured diagonally. For additional information about Sony products, your readers can call toll-free at (888) 222-SONY, or visit Sony's web site at: www.sonystyle.com. Press releases and digital images are available for the news media at Sony Electronics' news and information web site at: www.sony.com/news.

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Profile: intent

International Entertainment News

Wolfmother to Rumble With the Cast Of MTV's Jackass for Video Shoot

SYDNEY, Australia, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Aussie rock trio Wolfmother will be joined by Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Wee Man, Preston Lacy, and Dave England (better know as the dudes from Jackass) while filming Wolfmother's video for "The Joker And The Thief" in their native Australia. The second single from the band's self-titled debut (which is multi-platinum in their homeland) has the perfect Jackass title, "The Joker & Thief," and will be the featured music video & single for the upcoming Jackass: Number 2 movie, due September 22nd. At the helm of all the wild action will be music video auteurs The Malloys (The White Stripes, The Shins, Metallica, Blink 182).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060718/LATU115)

Without giving away too much, expect serious backstage, on-stage, parking lot stunts and hijinks from the Jackass crew, as well as some fist-pumping rock courtesy of Wolfmother. Some next-level sh*t, you can count on it.

Following their work with the Jackasses, Wolfmother continues their domination of the US with some high-profile festival appearances including Lollapalooza, Chicago's KNDD End Festival and the Kuyahoga Festival in Cleveland. Additionally, they will be performing in New York at McCarren Park on September 9th and dropping by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno August 1.

In other Wolfmother news, the trio's summer anthem "Love Train" continues to pick up steam via its inclusion in the latest iPOD ad campaign. Check it out at: http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads/. With fans and unicorns clamoring for more, more, more Wolfmother singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale, keyboardist/bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett look forward to hitting the states, maybe slightly bruised.

"Top 10 Artists To Watch" Rolling Stone

"A stellar, jumbotron-epic." SPIN

"South By Southwest's breakout band." Entertainment Weekly

" ... sexy, liberating, exciting, raw ... " Los Angeles Times

" ... utterly, utterly thrilling." NME, UK.

Wolfmother US Tour Dates

August 1 Los Angeles, CA -- The Tonight Show With Jay Leno
August 3 Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio -- 92.3 K-Rock presents Kuyahoga
August 4 Detroit, Michigan -- Lollapalooza
August 5 Chicago, Illinois -- KNDD End Festival at Grant Park
August 12 Auburn, AW -- White River Ampitheatre
September 9 Brooklyn, New York -- McCarren Park w/Gov't Mule and Two
Gallants

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060718/LATU115
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Interscope Records

CONTACT: Jennie Boddy, +1-212-841-8023, or fax, jennie.boddy@umusic.com,
or Michael Glumac, +1-212-841-8052, michael.glumac@umusic.com, both of
Interscope Records, fax, +1-212-841-8050

Web site: http://www.apple.com/ipod/ads

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Profile: intent

International Entertainment News

Monday, July 31, 2006

Get Yer Scream On! Categories and Nominees Announced for Spike TV's SCREAM Awards 2006

Lyfe Jennings to Headline Benefit Concert at the Howlin' Wolf in New Orleans on Friday, July 21

Hatchling Studios Premieres 'The Toll' at Comic-Con Film Festival and Endurance Challenge: Mordred's Isle Online Starring Billy West

Carolina Crossroads Announces Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day Concert August 19

Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid and Mandy Moore Star in the Hilarious New Comedy About Living the American Dream From the Director of 'American Pie'

Universal Studios Home Entertainment Rolls Out the Red Carpet for a Special Hometown Screening of 'Bring It On: All or Nothing'

Godspeed Sails to Newport Commemorating America's 400th Anniversary

Update - Media Alert for World Premiere of 'Barnyard'

CMT and Miss America Go Multi-Network and Multi-Platform With New Programming Strategy to Support 2007 MISS AMERICA PAGEANT

PR Newswire Broadcast Minute and Podcast for Friday, July 21, 2006

Montgomery County, Maryland, Continues to Block Competition, Making Unlawful Cable Franchise Demands

Slim Devices Introduces Transporter, the Ultimate Device for Audiophiles, and Declares the Death of the CD Player

Did Dark Horse Comics Rip Off Pendragon's WAR OF THE WORLDS?

September 11th Charities to Receive Donations From Release of 'World Trade Center'

Downloadable Episodes of Favorite PBS Programs Make Their Debut on Google Video

KT Tunstall Sets New U.S. Live Dates For Autumn, 2006

Tribune Chairman and CEO Recovering From Surgery

Guitar & Drum Trainer Wins Best Application Using .Net

Sony Ushers in Next Wave of High-Def Home Movies

Wolfmother to Rumble With the Cast Of MTV's Jackass for Video Shoot

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