Cablevision Celebrates Freedom With the Addition of 15 New Channels of Free HD for iO TV(SM) Customers

Cablevision Celebrates Freedom With the Addition of 15 New Channels of Free HD for iO TV(SM) Customers

Leading HD Line-Up Will Expand To 60 Channels On August 1, With The Introduction Of Popular Cable Networks Like Nickelodeon, Discovery Channel, FX, FOX News Channel, AMC, And The Weather Channel - All Offered To iO TV Customers At No Additional Cost

BETHPAGE, N.Y., July 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cablevision Systems Corp. (NYSE:CVC) is celebrating freedom by announcing plans to deliver 15 new free high-definition channels to iO TV digital cable customers -- bringing iO's HD line-up to 60 channels, without the extra equipment or programming fees Cablevision's competitors charge for HD.

The new additions will launch over a five-day period starting July 28 and will be available across Cablevision's entire service area by August 1. More than 1.1 million iO TV customers today have at least one high-definition television and HD-enabled set-top box, an HD customer base that has grown by more than 50 percent in the last year, as Cablevision's high-definition programming line-up has expanded from 23 channels a year ago to 45 today and 60 by the beginning of next month.

Cablevision expects its high-definition line-up to continue to expand, and to ultimately deliver all of the channels it carries in HD, as networks convert to the superior format and the company taps the enormous capacity of its fiber optic network and advanced technology.

The full list of new HD channels will be announced when the services become available later this month, but the additions will include many of cable's most popular networks, including Nickelodeon, WE tv, AMC, Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, Travel Channel, FOX News Channel, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Movie Channel and FX.

"With our nation poised to celebrate the holiday that marks our freedom, we thought it was a perfect time to announce even more free HD for our iO TV digital cable customers," said John Trierweiler, Cablevision's senior vice president of product management. "Free HD has become an important competitive differentiator of our digital cable service, and with these additions iO TV customers will have access to 60 of the best HD channels at no additional cost, including all of the HD games of all nine New York-area professional sports teams."

With nearly 2.7 million iO TV customers, more than 85 percent of Cablevision's cable customers are iO TV digital cable customers, the highest digital penetration in the nation. iO TV offers customers access to up to 360 channels, including 53 premium movie channels, 48 channels of commercial-free digital music, more than 3,500 titles available on demand at all times, an interactive programming guide, 45 high-definition programming services -- moving to 60 services by August 1 -- and uniquely valuable and relevant interactive television applications including News 12 Interactive.

About Cablevision

Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE:CVC) is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve more than 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its iO TV(SM) digital television, Optimum Online(R) high-speed Internet, Optimum Voice(R) digital voice-over-cable, and its Optimum Lightpath integrated business communications services. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings LLC operates several successful programming businesses, including AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv, along with other national and regional networks. In addition to its telecommunications and programming businesses, Cablevision owns Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. The company also operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall, and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas.

Source: Cablevision Systems Corp.

CONTACT: Jim Maiella of Cablevision Systems Corp., +1-516-803-3947

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

---

Profile: International Entertainment