HDTV Enters New Era: 24-Hour Broadcasting Begins Saturday

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- In an event that has been compared to the launch of color television in 1951, Unity Motion is making entertainment history as it begins 24-hour HDTV broadcasting, Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998. This marks the first time around-the-clock high definition programming is available in the United States. Unity Motion, the groundbreaking high definition manufacturer and programmer, will air HD-1, its general entertainment channel.

HD-1 features movies, sports, travel, children's programs, animation, art, music, and special features. By the end of 1998, Unity Motion will transmit two additional HD channels, one each for movies and sports. To meet their programming commitment, Unity Motion will spend $250 million on movies alone through the year 2000. "We're buying from film distributors, movie studios and independent filmmakers," said Kim Gamel, director of communications. "Now that we're broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, we welcome the opportunity to work with anyone interested in bringing quality HDTV shows to North America."

"Our mission is to make HDTV a reality in the U.S. -- in a way that makes winners of consumers, high end home theater dealers, broadcasters, manufacturers and programmers," said Gamel. "This broadcast launch is one of many steps we will take toward achieving that goal."

"Austin Powers" And a World Premier Featured
New Line Cinema and Unity Motion are in the midst of negotiating high definition licensing rights for many movies. In a show of good faith, both for Unity Motion and for their own enthusiasm for the high definition transmission of movies, New Line has granted Unity Motion special permission to show "Austin Powers" as the first movie to be broadcast on HD-1. New Line believes HD provides additional value for film producers and home viewers. In addition, Unity Motion will broadcast the world premier of "Gringuito," a movie that is soon to be seen in movie theaters around the country and the world. This movie tells the story of an American boy of Chilean heritage who returns to Chile as a "little gringo." "Gringuito" was produced by Sergio Cestilla and made available to Unity Motion prior to world wide theater release because Cestilla, like many other filmmakers, believes HD is the way to bring true quality of a film to an international audience.

Based in St. Louis, Mo., Unity Motion is the only company involved in the entire high definition distribution process, including equipment sales, programming, transmitting and display. Unity Motion's High Definition Distribution System (HDDS) distributes high definition programming via satellite to a national and international subscriber base equipped to receive and display high definition signals. For more information on Unity Motion, call Kim Gamel at 314-592-9700, or access her on the Internet at http://www.unitymotion.com.

SOURCE Unity Motion
Web Site: http://www.unitymotion.com