51st GRAMMY(R) Pre-Telecast Awards Offers Global Audience TV-Quality Experience at Grammy.com

51st GRAMMY(R) Pre-Telecast Awards Offers Global Audience TV-Quality Experience at Grammy.com

GRAMMY's and Grammy.com Join Forces with Springboard Productions, iStreamPlanet, AT&T, Move Networks for The Most Powerful Pre-Telecast to Date

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The Recording Academy expanded the impact of the Pre-Telecast Awards of the 51st Annual GRAMMY, aired Feb. 8, through strategic alliances with Springboard Productions, iStreamPlanet, AT&T and Move Networks. Together, these companies delivered a TV-quality experience for online viewers, the highest quality pre-telecast of the awards to date. The non-televised portion of the GRAMMY Awards, hosted by Wayne Brady and Tia Carrere, featured nearly 100 categories as well as live music performances. For the first time, the broadcast will be available on-demand for one month at www.grammys.com.

"As the number of award categories grow, so does the popularity of our Pre-Telecast awards ceremony. By hosting a live stream on Grammy.com, we're able to open the event up to our expanding worldwide audience," said Evan Greene, chief marketing officer of The Recording Academy. "Therefore, it's critical that we collaborate with the industry's best technology companies each year to improve the online viewing experience."

The live stream of the GRAMMYs Pre-Telecast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles was delivered by iStreamPlanet in conjunction with Springboard Productions. With Springboard producing the content, iStreamPlanet managed onsite content acquisition; onsite encoding and transcoding; building the rich media player experience that incorporated adaptive streaming from Move Networks; content integration with the GRAMMYs Web site; and ingestion into AT&T's Content Delivery Network for distribution.

Springboard Productions (http://www.springboardproductions.net/) delivers groundbreaking new media solutions at high-profile live events for broadcast, broadband, mobile, and IPTV. "Springboard consistently combines the highest quality with just the right technology to best realize our clients' presentation goals," said Hank Neuberger, founder of Springboard Productions and Grammy-winning producer. "Given this, together with iStreamPlanet, we lined up a stellar group of partners this year that worked together seamlessly to deliver a flawless broadcast."

iStreamPlanet(R) (http://www.istreamplanet.com/), an innovator of digital media strategy, managed webcasting services, and Rich Internet Applications, fully managed the live and on-demand streaming media webcast. "Managing a high-profile event like the Pre-Telecast of the GRAMMYs was exciting for all of us at iStreamPlanet, especially as it came on the heels of managing the official presidential inauguration webcast," said Mio Babic, founder and CEO of iStreamPlanet. "By incorporating adaptive streaming technology from Move Networks into the webcast and using AT&T's global CDN service, we were able to transcend the unpredictable nature of the Internet and create a high quality viewing experience for music fans worldwide."

AT&T (http://www.att.com/) provided its Content Delivery Network (CDN) for the Pre-Telecast. AT&T's Intelligent Content Distribution(SM) service, a network-based CDN service used by media and enterprise companies alike, replicates information across the Internet for a better end-user experience. "The increasing popularity of the Pre-Telecast GRAMMY awards meant more people watching the event online than ever before so it was critical for the Recording Academy to work with a CDN provider able to perform under high traffic conditions," said Roman Pacewicz, senior vice president of business strategy and application services for AT&T's Business Marketing organization. "AT&T's service works to significantly improve Web site capacity, reliability and performance, including the live video and the video on-demand currently available on Grammy.com."

Move Networks (http://www.movenetwork.com/), the leader in Internet television services, powered the Pre-Telecast with its Move Adaptive Stream technology. A revolutionary transport protocol that delivers video with a near-instantaneous start, minimizing packet loss and latency by optimizing TCP connections. "This is the first year that the GRAMMYs and Grammy.com have used our adaptive streaming technology," said John Edwards, CEO of Move Networks. "It delivered a TV-like viewing experience without the buffering and stalling frequently associated with Internet webcasts. We are honored to have helped enable a superior broadcast."

About the Companies:
The Recording Academy

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards -- the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music -- The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.

Springboard Productions

SPRINGBOARD is a unique production resource. Founded by Grammy-winning producer Hank Neuberger in 2007, the company has delivered groundbreaking new media solutions at high-profile live events for broadcast, broadband, mobile, and IPTV. Springboard consistently combines the highest quality with just the right technology to best realize its clients' presentation goals. More information is available by visiting http://www.springboardproductions.net/.

iStreamPlanet

iStreamPlanet(R) develops and provides digital media strategy, managed webcasting services, and Rich Internet Applications. The company successfully integrates managed services and SaaS-based digital media applications that cover all aspects of a media delivery, enabling enterprises and other content owners to distribute and monetize their digital media across multiple platforms. iStreamPlanet's team of digital media and broadcast experts has managed and enabled the deployment of more than 1,000 large live events viewed online by millions. The world's top business leaders (American Express, AT&T, Caterpillar, Microsoft), trendiest music festivals (Bonnaroo, Coachella, SXSW), most popular sporting events (Masters Golf Tournament, Phoenix Suns, World Series of Poker), and major broadcasters (CBS Television, Cablevision, Fox International) rely on iStreamPlanet's digital media solutions. Through its partnership with Smart City, iStreamPlanet also supports over 60 of the largest U.S. convention centers and event facilities. Founded in 2000, the privately held company is headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in Orlando, Florida; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Washington, D.C. More information is available by calling 702-492-5900 or visiting http://www.istreamplanet.com/.

Move Networks

Move Networks, Inc. is a leading provider of Internet television services that drive the growth and support of online audiences for leading broadcasters and publishers including Fox, ABC, the CW, and Discovery. The video technologies and services developed and managed by Move Networks enable leading brands to deliver live and on-demand programming to millions of people without the buffering, stalling, and low-quality viewing experiences common with competing technologies. More info is at http://www.movenetworks.com/.

AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation's fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation's leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine's lists of the World's Most Admired Companies and America's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/.

(C)2009 GRAMMY is a registered trademark of The Recording Academy in the United States and/or other countries. Other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Information is subject to change without notice. All rights reserved.

Media Contact:
Lisa Hawes
Sterling Communications for iStreamPlanet
408-884-5155
lhawes@sterlingpr.com

Hank Neuberger
Springboard Productions
(847) 475-1562
hank@springboardproductions.net

Mary Kay Evans
Move Networks
801-592-5575
mkevans@movenetworks.com

Janet Wyles
AT&T Public Relations
908-234-6067
wyles@att.com

Source: iStreamPlanet

CONTACT: Lisa Hawes, Sterling Communications for iStreamPlanet,
+1-408-884-5155, lhawes@sterlingpr.com; Hank Neuberger, Springboard
Productions, +1-847-475-1562, hank@springboardproductions.net; Mary Kay Evans,
Move Networks, +1-801-592-5575, mkevans@movenetworks.com; Janet Wyles, AT&T
Public Relations, +1-908-234-6067, wyles@att.com

Web Site: http://www.istreamplanet.com/

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