Comcast to Provide KING 5 and KONG TV 6/16 IN H DEFINITION
PRNewswire (12/11/2003 6:07 PM ET)

/PRNewswire/ -- Comcast and KING 5 announced that Comcast will carry KING 5's broadcast programming in state-of-the-art high definition television format (HDTV) beginning today and KONG TV 6/16 in HD within 45 days. KING 5, the market's NBC affiliate and the ratings winner of every news time period, features The West Wing, ER, Friends, Law and Order, and Third Watch among its numerous network programming, in high definition format. KING 5 was the first local station to broadcast in full power high definition, and the first local station to offer a fully digital newscast. Today, KING 5's Evening Magazine and Northwest Backroads are the only regularly scheduled local magazine programs in the country that are produced in true HDTV. KONG TV 6/16 features Northwest Backroads and KING 5 News at 10 p.m. in high definition format. Comcast will carry KING 5's digital high-definition programming on channel 105 and KONG TV 6/16 on channel 106. HDTV technology provides video and audio that is clearer, sharper and more vibrant than previous video transmission systems. The service is available for customers with an HDTV-capable television set utilizing an HD-enabled digital cable set-top box provided by Comcast. "Comcast is committed to continually bringing our customers more and better choices for in-home entertainment, and we are thrilled to enhance our HDTV lineup with KING 5's great programming," said Rick Lang, Regional Vice President of Marketing for Comcast's Washington market. "KING 5 has been a pioneer in the development of high-definition television, launching our over-the-air service on February 14, 2000, and is pleased to extend our reach to Comcast viewers throughout Western Washington," said Dave Lougee, KING 5 Vice President and General Manager. HDTV programming is available to nearly 2 million homes within Comcast's service area in Western Washington and Spokane. With the addition of KING 5 and KONG TV 6/16, Comcast HD customers in Western Washington can receive up to nine services in HD, including KING 5 (NBC), KONG TV 6/16, KOMO 4 (ABC), KCTS (PBS), ESPN/HD, HBO/HD, Showtime/HD, INHD and INHD2. Comcast's Washington state market recently announced it will carry the premium movie channels STARZ and Cinemax in high definition, beginning in first quarter 2004. Comcast continues to work with other leading cable and broadcast programmers to offer the most robust HDTV content lineup possible. In addition to HDTV, customers who subscribe to Comcast Digital Cable can receive more than 250 channels, including dozens of commercial-free premium movie channels, 45 channels of commercial-free music, an interactive on-screen guide and more. For more information about Comcast's products and services, please call 1-800-COMCAST or visit the company's Web site at www.comcast.com. About Comcast Headquartered in Philadelphia, Comcast Cable is a division of Comcast Corporation, a developer, manager and operator of broadband cable networks and provider of programming content. Operating in 17 of the United States' 20 largest metropolitan areas, Comcast is one of the leading communications, media and entertainment companies in the world. Providing basic cable, Digital Cable, high-speed Internet and telephone services, Comcast is the company to look to first for the communications products and services that connect people to what's important in their lives. The company's 55,000 employees, serve more than 21 million customers. Comcast, whose regional offices are located in Beaverton, serves more than 550,000 customers and employs more than 2,600 people in Washington. About Belo KING 5 and KONG 6/16 are parts of Belo Corp. Belo is one of the nation's largest media companies with a diversified group of market-leading television, newspaper, cable and interactive media assets. A Fortune 1000 company with approximately 7,800 employees and $1.4 billion in annual revenues, Belo operates news and information franchises in some of America's most dynamic markets and regions, including Texas, the Northwest, the Southwest, Rhode Island, and the Mid-Atlantic region. Based in Dallas, Belo owns 19 television stations (six in the top 16 markets) reaching 13.7 percent of U.S. television households; owns or operates nine cable news channels; and manages one television station through a local marketing agreement. Belo publishes four daily newspapers: The Dallas Morning News, The Providence Journal, The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA) and the Denton Record-Chronicle (Denton, TX). Belo Interactive's new media businesses include 34 Web sites, several interactive alliances, and a broad range of Internet-based products. Additional information, including earnings releases, is available online at www.belo.com.