HORSHAM, Pa., July 30, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Music Choice, the pioneer in music programming for cable and satellite homes, today announced that it crossed the 30 million mark with an increase of 3.7 million new Music Choice customers in the first half of 2003. Music Choice now reaches 30.3 million digital cable and DIRECTV(r) homes in the United States. "Music Choice has solidified its position as the nation's leading music programmer. Unlike subscription-based music services that are vulnerable to high drop-off rates and nominal increases in customers, Music Choice has realized great success as a free service for digital cable and DIRECTV subscribers," said David Del Beccaro, President and CEO of Music Choice.
Music Choice will be launching two significant enhancements to its music service this year. Both enhancements will be offered free-of-charge to cable providers. The first enhancement is a customized music service for digital cable homes. The new service, MY MUSIC CHOICE, will enable digital cable customers to build their own music channels by choosing from thousands of selections available to them. Viewers pick the genres, sub-genres, and mix for their customized channels. With a few clicks of their television's remote, Music Choice viewers will be able to listen to the music they want, when they want. "This new music service represents the commitment by Music Choice to be the pioneer in custom music delivery. We heard the demands of music consumers and we responded," stated Del Beccaro.
Coming this fall, high-speed cable modem users will be able to listen to dozens of Music Choice channels through their computers. The music will be delivered via satellite, carrying a sound quality that is unmatched by any existing Internet music services. Listeners will have the unique opportunity to purchase digital downloads on demand. Additionally, the new music service will offer the technology to build custom music channels with the launch of MY MUSIC CHOICE for the Internet music service in early 2004.
The above enhancements are in addition to the non-stop music, and exclusive music shows, you can only find on Music Choice. "With the launch of MY MUSIC CHOICE and MUSIC CHOICE for high-speed Internet, we foresee a surge in consumer demand for our music service," added Del Beccaro.
About Music Choice
MUSIC CHOICE, the pioneer in music programming, nationally distributes non-stop music channels, exclusive music shows and concerts to homes and businesses through digital cable, satellite television, and the Internet. The MUSIC CHOICE(r) music channels reach 30 million households and the MUSIC CHOICE exclusive concerts air in over 42 million digital cable and DIRECTV(r) homes. Headquartered in Horsham, PA, Music Choice is a partnership among subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation, Motorola, Inc., Sony Corporation of America, Warner Music Group, Inc., EMI Music and several leading U.S. cable providers: Adelphia Cable Communications, Comcast Cable Communications, Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable. MUSIC CHOICE(r) is a registered trademark of Music Choice. Visit the Music Choice website at www.musicchoice.com.