The Weather Channel Nears Completion of HD Facility, Moves Toward All Native HD in 2008

The Weather Channel Nears Completion of HD Facility, Moves Toward All Native HD in 2008

ATLANTA, Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- With a new 12,500-square-foot HD facility on track to be completed this month, The Weather Channel has passed a significant milestone in the HD project begun last May. The next steps will be to install 10,000 square feet of access flooring and 480 electric circuits for studio lights in the new facility that adjoins company headquarters. By early May, sets will be in place for the start of rehearsals from the four- story-high HD studio. The Weather Channel is well on its way to the launch of its first HD studio programs, Your Weather Today and Evening Edition, on June 2.

Other new developments include:
-- A new Master Control room for overseeing both SD and HD programming
already in operation.
-- Completion of a state-of-the-art technology center, an area located in
TWC headquarters that is the backbone of all network operations.
-- Launch of a new program in January, When Weather Changed History,
which adds to the existing native HD series, Epic Conditions and
Weather Ventures.

On the distribution side of its HD initiative, The Weather Channel has reached agreements for carrying The Weather Channel HD with all six of the top programming distributors. These are: Charter Communications, Comcast Cable, Cox Communications, DirecTV, EchoStar Communications and its DISH Network, and Time Warner Cable. In addition, the network has signed HD agreements with many other cable companies. Launches have already been completed in many markets and others are planned for upcoming months.

"The fact that all six top distributors are on board to provide The Weather Channel HD to their customers attests to the value of TWC HD in satisfying the growing public demand for HD programming," said Becky Powhatan, executive vice president for distribution and business affairs and general counsel for The Weather Channel Companies.

She went on to explain -- "The Weather Channel content is ideally suited for HD because weather is so visual, be it the stunning outdoor shots in our series or live in-the-field coverage during hurricane season. We're following an aggressive transition schedule to premiere the first of our live HD studio programs in early June with others to follow until virtually our entire 24-hour programming schedule will be in native HD before the end of 2008."

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: The Weather Channel

CONTACT: Connie Malko of The Weather Channel, +1-770-226-2180

Web site:

http://www.weather.com/

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