Special edition news release announcing NBC Universal Cable's plans to broadcast 65 live HD hours of US Open Tennis Championships on Bravo HD+, marking one of the largest live sporting events on cable in HD.
Source documentcirca 2004preserved as-is
Special
Edition News Release
US Open Tennis to be HDTV
BRAVO HD+ AND USA NETWORK UNVEIL PLANS TO
DELIVER US OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS TO AFFILIATES IN HIGH-DEFINITION
Exclusive US Open Programming Represents One of
the Largest Live Sporting Events Broadcast on Cable in HD To Date
Englewood
Cliffs, NJ– July 27, 2004 –
NBC Universal Cable today announced plans to present 65 ½ live
HD hours
of USA Network’s coverage of the US Open, one of the most prestigious
championships in professional tennis, on Bravo HD+, NBC Universal's
first cable network dedicated to the delivery of high-definition (HD)
content. The USA Network produced coverage on Bravo HD+ marks a
substantial expansion over last year’s 36 hours of HD coverage of the
US Open.
Bravo
HD+ will offer a simulcast of USA Network’s
primetime schedule (7:00-11:00 p.m.) for the first week of the
tournament beginning Aug. 30 with the opening rounds of the men’s and
women’s singles tournament. In the second week, beginning on Labor Day,
Bravo HD+ will offer full coverage every day leading up to the women’s
doubles final on Sept. 12 at 1:00 p.m. ET. This new HD offering of the
men’s and women’s final tennis Grand Slam event of the year is in
response to the cable industry’s accelerated demand for high quality
programming in true HD.
"We
are thrilled to have the opportunity to begin
utilizing our newly acquired Universal programming rights assets by
offering this national championship event in HD, " said David Zaslav,
President, NBC Universal Cable. "As the industry continues its
commitment to accelerate HD growth, Bravo HD+’s lineup offers our
affiliates high-quality diversified programming to attract new
subscribers to their digital tiers. This is the first of many ways that
NBC Universal will deliver quality programming on new platforms such as
HD and VOD."
"We
will continue to deliver unique and dynamic
HD programming which provides our viewers with a compelling experience
through Bravo HD+, " said Jean-Briac Perrette,
Senior
Vice President, New Media Development, NBC Universal Cable. "This type
of premiere programming, that viewers won’t find anywhere else, will
drive consumer demand for HD sets and help speed the transition from
analog to digital."
Bravo HD+ is a
division of Bravo, an NBC
Universal Cable Network. Launched in third quarter 2003, Bravo
HD+
offers contemporary arts, entertainment and sports programming in 100%
1080i HD, 24/7. Programming includes the most-honored series in
television history, The West Wing and the 2002 Winter
Olympic Games. Performing arts and entertainment content includes Cirque
du Soleil: Varekai; Music in High Places, featuring top
recording artists performing at the most ancient sites on earth; All
Access, featuring Grammy Award-winning rock stars such as Sting,
Sheryl Crow and Dave Matthews; and Cinderella’s Ballet.
Among those carrying the signals are Cablevision, Insight Communications,
Media Com, VOOM and numerous others.
