Starz & Comcast Strike New Affiliation Pact

ENGLEWOOD/PHILADELPHIA: The terms of a new affiliation agreement with Comcast Corporation covers the distribution of Starz Entertainment’s Starz, Encore and MoviePlex premium channels, in addition to the related HD, on demand, HD on demand and online advanced services.

The new agreement replaces the separate Starz and Encore deals previously in place. The multi-year pact includes distribution for Starz Entertainment’s suite of authenticated online product offerings as well. Comcast’s respective Starz and Encore subscribers receive Starz Online and Encore Online. MoviePlex Online is expected to launch later this summer.

"Comcast is pleased to continue its partnership with Starz Entertainment and bring the wide selection of exclusive movies and increasingly popular original content to our existing and prospective Starz, Encore and MoviePlex customers," said Matt Bond, the executive VP of content acquisition for Comcast. "Extending the broader relationship between the companies provides a great pipeline of commercial-free movies and original programming for years to come."

"The agreement with Comcast extends and expands our relationship in a way that benefits consumers and provides Comcast with even more flexibility in presenting our programming," added Bill Myers, Starz Entertainment’s president and COO. "We are extremely pleased to enter into an agreement with one of our long-standing partners and provide them with a value-rich collection of premium programming across multiple platforms."