Starz Entertainment to Launch Fifth HD Channel

ENGLEWOOD, May 14: This
July, Starz Entertainment will roll out its fifth distinct high-definition
channel, Encore HD, featuring exclusive new movie releases and recent films.

Starz’s flagship Encore
channel already has more than 31 million subscribers. The HD version of the
channel will air titles like Cars,
Click, The Guardian, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Contact, Dances With Wolves,
Gone in Sixty Seconds,
Independence Day, The Mummy, Backdraft and Remember The Titans.

Encore HD will be made
available in an East Coast feed for its cable, satellite and telco affiliates.
Encore HD will be presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Upon launch,
Starz Entertainment will be providing its affiliates with up to six
high-definition movie channels: Starz HD (East), Starz HD (West), Starz Comedy
HD, Starz Edge HD, Starz Kids & Family HD and Encore HD.

“Consumer demand for HD
movies, rising HDTV sales and continuing growth in Encore’s 30-plus million
subscriber base make Encore HD an ideal choice for our next new high-definition
offering,” said Ed Huguez, the executive VP of sales and affiliate marketing at
Starz Entertainment. “Further, because Encore HD On Demand has proven to be one
of the more popular offerings on the VOD platform in terms of usage, we expect
strong interest from consumers and customers in this new channel. Encore HD
will be a ‘must have’ for those who love movies in HD.”

—By Irene Lew