Si TV Takes the Lead in High-Definition TV for Young Latinos: Network Announces the 2008 Launch of Si TV-HD, The Nation's First and Only HD Channel for the U.S. Latino Audience

Si TV Takes the Lead in High-Definition TV for Young Latinos: Network Announces the 2008 Launch of Si TV-HD, The Nation's First and Only HD Channel for the U.S. Latino Audience

Verizon FiOS TV to Carry Si TV-HD

More Than One in Three English-Dominant Latino 18-34 TV Viewers Has HDTV

LOS ANGELES, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Consistent with its leadership in serving America's young Latino audience, Si TV announced today that it will launch Si TV-HD in 2008, the first network to offer this nation's large and growing Latino audience a 24/7 channel of compelling high-definition content designed for their tastes and lifestyle. The channel will be packed with high energy shows shot in original high-definition format, covering music, reality, comedy and other genres. Si TV has been preparing for this moment since the inception of the network in 2004, when it first began producing high-definition programming, creating to date more than 200 hours of original hi-def programming. Verizon FiOS TV, Verizon's new fiber-optic television service, which currently operates in 10 states and already carries Si TV on its most widely distributed tier of service, expects to launch Si TV-HD in 2008.

Si TV's target audience, the 18-34 bilingual and English-dominant Latino, is the primary engine powering the explosive growth of the U.S. Latino population, the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in America today. The acculturated Latino audience, for its part, controls the majority of the almost $900 billion of current U.S. Hispanic buying power, which is forecasted to surpass $1.2 trillion by 2010. Research also confirms the intuitive concept that this group of consumers spends the vast majority of its television viewing hours watching English-language programming, which is the basis for Si TV's English-language programming format. Largely overlooked until now, however, is that young acculturated Latinos purchase large volumes of HDTV sets: more than one in three (35%) English-dominant Latino 18-34 TV viewers has HDTV, according to the Simmons NCS/NHCS Fall 2006 Adult Full Year Study.

"Young Latinos are a huge economic and political force in America today and they deserve -- like every consumer -- the ability to enjoy the benefits of high-definition television made by and for them," said Michael Schwimmer, CEO of Si TV. "Si TV's audience is a vibrant influence in our country, and it shouldn't have to wait any longer for HDTV now that it's become mainstream fare. Si TV was the first to serve the acculturated Latino audience with a dedicated network and we'll be the first to provide Latinos the best in high-definition digital entertainment."

Si TV is currently in production on two new high-definition series for 2008 that will exploit the benefits of the HD format. Past Port, in which young U.S. Latinos return to the countries of origin of their parents or grandparents, will feature scenic footage from a variety of stunning Latin American locations. Total Combat, a gritty reality series about a young Latino couple running a Mixed Martial Arts Fighting League, will bring the blood, sweat and in-your-face intensity of mixed martial arts vividly to life in high definition. Other new Si TV series for 2007-2008 -- including Flow & Tell and Home Page -- will also be shown in HD on Si TV-HD.

Si TV's lively, authentic content-which the network produces specifically for its 18-34 acculturated Latino audience-lends itself well to the HD format. The network already features more than 200 hours of original programming that were shot in HD, including: The Drop, Unacceptable Behavior, The Rub, Dating Factory, and Latino Laugh Festival: The Show.

About Si TV

Si TV is America's first media company to reach the millions of 18-34 year old Latinos who prefer their content in English and seek it across all platforms-including television, online, video-on-demand and wireless devices. Si TV offers authentic, relevant content and a 60% original programming slate that ranges from outrageous comedy to music, independent movies, lifestyle and talk. The network is available nationwide on Dish Network, and in more than 200 cities and communities across America, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Denver, San Antonio and Las Vegas. Si TV's cable and telco affiliates include AT&T, Cox, Comcast, Insight, Qwest, Time Warner Cable and Verizon, among others. For more information about Si TV, please visit http://www.sitv.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Si TV

CONTACT: Jenny Snegaroff, +1-310-474-7717, jennysnegaroff@earthlink.net,
for Si TV

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

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Profile: International Entertainment