Comcast Cable Eastern Division and the Pentagon Channel Deliver 2009 Service Academy Graduations On Demand

Comcast Cable Eastern Division and the Pentagon Channel Deliver 2009 Service Academy Graduations On Demand

Unique Offering to Feature Noted Commencement Speakers Including President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates

OAKS, Pa., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Friends and family members unable to attend the U.S. Service Academy graduation ceremonies of loved ones can now watch the commencements On Demand thanks to a unique offering from Comcast and the Pentagon Channel. The two have partnered to bring coverage of this year's U.S. Service Academy graduations, including the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy at West Point and U.S. Air Force Academy, to Comcast Digital Cable customers throughout Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia via Comcast's signature Local Video On Demand service.

"For the second year in a row, Comcast is pleased to make such significant and poignant programming available to the thousands of servicemembers and their families across our footprint," said Michael Ortman, vice president of Programming for Comcast Cable's Eastern Division. "Through our signature On Demand platform, we are able to give customers, who might not have witnessed these ceremonies live, an opportunity to revel in the accomplishments of their loved ones and experience it on their own schedule - all with just a few simple clicks of the remote."

Digital Cable customers can view the commencement exercises by tuning to Channel 1 on their lineup or pressing the On Demand button on their remote control, then clicking on the "Get Local" category. The ceremonies, available through June 2009, can be found in the "College Programming" folder, under "Commencements." Each graduation ceremony profiled will feature distinguished speakers and the best and brightest of our nation's military services. Ceremonies will be available On Demand on the following dates:

-- Thursday, May 28 - U.S. Naval Academy - Featured address from
President Barack Obama (broadcasting live Friday, May 22)
-- Thursday, May 28 - U.S. Military Academy at West Point - Featured
address from Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense (broadcasting live
Saturday, May 23)

-- Saturday, May 30 - U.S. Air Force Academy - Featured address from
Vice President Joe Biden (broadcasting live Wednesday, May 27)

"We appreciate Comcast's decision to carry the Pentagon Channel's coverage of the military service academy graduations again this year," said Brian Natwick, general manager of the Pentagon Channel. "For family and friends unable to attend, this coverage will provide a wonderful opportunity to see the excitement and traditions of military graduations."

From military-specific programming and signature "Get Local" content like Troop Greetings On Demand, a service that allows military personnel stationed overseas to send special holiday greetings to their loved ones back home, to military-related donation and volunteer efforts including its support of programs like Cell Phones for Soldiers and Take a Veteran to School Day, Comcast helps connect service members and their families to what matters most in their lives.

Comcast's On Demand service continues to be a one-stop destination for local and entertainment programming - available anytime a customer wants to watch, with the ability to fast-forward, pause or rewind. Comcast's expanding On Demand library today offers more than 10,000 titles per month, the vast majority of which are free. Since 2003, Comcast customers have viewed more than 11 billion On Demand programs.

Comcast Cable's Eastern Division continues to lead the way with Local Video On Demand offerings in hundreds of categories ranging from pet adoptions to candidate interviews, missing children, high school sports and much more.

About Comcast

Comcast Corporation (www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 6.8 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's Eastern Division serves six million residential and business customers across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC. The Eastern Division is based in Oaks, Pennsylvania and employs more than 20,000 people.

About Pentagon Channel

The Pentagon Channel broadcasts military news and information for and about the 2.6 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces -- Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve. The channel is available on-base to more than 1.3 million service members who live and work on more than 365 military bases, camps and installations in the U.S. The channel is also available to the 800,000 service members and their families serving overseas in 177 countries via the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS). The channel also reaches more than 16 million households through commercial distribution on satellite and cable systems nationwide. In addition, the channel programming is streamed live 24/7 at http://www.pentagonchannel.mil/, is available via Video On Demand, and podcast - both audio and video -- from this website.

Source: Comcast Cable Eastern Division

CONTACT: Jaye Linnen of Comcast, +1-301-836-9367,
Jaye_Linnen@cable.comcast.com, or Michael Winneker of the Pentagon Channel,
+1-703-428-0200, Michael.Winneker@pentagonchannel.mil

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

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