Interactive TV
Platform Continues to Innovate as DISH Network Celebrates Successes with
Platform Partners
ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 29, 2007--EchoStar
Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) and its DISH Network(TM)
satellite TV service announced today a prestigious group of interactive
TV (iTV) 2006 award winners recognized for their ingenuity in
development, marketing campaigns, programming and more. EchoStar
executives announced the awards at the 6th Annual DISH Network iTV
Summit in Englewood, CO, March 1-2.
"DISH Network has some of the most exciting iTV applications
available today, made possible by extensive and creative work with our
iTV partners," said Scott Higgins, director of iTV at DISH Network.
"These partners have become the key to making DISH Network an innovator
in iTV applications and enhancing DISH Network's overall offering to its
subscriber base of 13.1 million."
DISH Network offers the most robust iTV services in the U.S. with an
interactive menu that includes more than 40 different virtual and
enhanced channels including games, sports, news, shopping, customer
support and entertainment. Subscribers can launch any iTV application by
going to DishHOME channel 100, choosing a category, and selecting any of
the available iTV applications.
The judging criteria for iTV programmers differed depending on the
award category but in general developers were selected for their
excellence in application delivery, the impact of the channel for
subscribers, quality of the application and originality.
DISH Network iTV Award Winners for 2006 (alphabetically by
programmer):
#1 Watched iTV Program - Instant Weather from AccuWeather, created by
OpenTV
AccuWeather provides the Instant Weather application where DISH
Network subscribers can access their current local weather, five-day
forecast, set favorite cities and check weather in cities across the
U.S. with the touch of a button.
Best iTV Shopping Program - DishMOBILE from Cellpoint, created by
Navic
DishMOBILE offers the latest in wireless entertainment through a
catalogue of ring tones, java games and pictures available through cell
phone downloads.
Best iTV News Program - CNN Enhanced from CNN, created by OpenTV
This exciting interactive channel from CNN allows viewers to read top
news stories in categories such as US & World, Business, Tech & Science,
Sports, and Showbiz & Health while watching CNN in quarter-screen mode.
Viewers can participate in CNN's daily poll question via text messaging
and what's next on CNN.
Best iTV Marketing Campaign - DishGAMES created by PixelPlay
PixelPlay partners with leading content owners around the world to
license branded games for DishGAMES including WPT(TM), Asteroids(TM),
Missile Command(R), Centipede(TM), Monopoly(R), Boggle(R), Scrabble(R)
and web hits including Chainz, PileUp(TM) and more. DishGAMES engages
subscribers in tournaments by giving away thousands of dollars in cash
and prizes to multiple winners each month. They utilize every marketing
tactic available from cross channel spots on DISH Network to direct mail
pieces and email campaigns.
Best iTV Ad Campaign - Reebok, created by Ensequence
This interactive ad campaign was the first to offer viewers the
opportunity to purchase NFL jerseys of Reebok-sponsored players. The
campaign featured a new player and jersey each week and viewers were
able to participate in a single-question trivia game that was also
updated each week.
Best iTV Special Event - ESPN (Interactive Indy 500) created by
OpenTV
DISH Network and ESPN offered the 2006 Indianapolis 500 as a
multi-camera event in addition to an interactive application which
offered special features and included a quarter-screen video of the
race.
Best iTV Developer - PixelPlay
PixelPlay developed the NBC Olympics Showcase iTV application for the
Torino 2006 Winter Olympics. The application featured a recommended
event of the day, Olympic TV listings, medal counts, and the team USA
report as well as information about Torino and athlete biographies.
PixelPlay also developed the highly successful game service DishGAMES.
Best iTV Game Service - Playin'TV, created by Visiware
Playin'TV offers action, adventure, sports, casino-style, puzzle,
board and strategy games. Customers can choose from 18 games rotated
weekly such as Carrot Mania, Sudoku, Air Hockey and other great games
that entire families can enjoy. Visiware also partners with major
entertainment companies such as Universal Studios (King Kong, The Fast &
The Furious) in order to bring excitement to all the players.
Best iTV Entertainment Program - Showtime Interactive from Showtime,
created by OpenTV
Showtime Interactive is an on-screen destination for the latest
information about the Showtime Unlimited movie package (six channels of
Showtime, two channels of The Movie Channel, Sundance Channel and Flix).
Subscribers can see what's playing, go behind the scenes of their
favorite shows, view statistics on the heavyweight champion, get
information about actors and instantly add Showtime to their programming
package.
Best iTV Sports Program - The TVG Horse Race Wagering application
created by TVG Network
The TVG Horse Race Wagering application allows TVG account carriers
to place bets on horse races using a DISH Network receiver and phone
line. Subscribers are provided with up-to-date odds and results where
wagering is allowed.
DISH Network has the most iTV-enabled set-top boxes with more than
13.1 million households. These award-winning applications are built on
the OpenTV platform and include CNN, Showtime, and The Weather Channel.
OpenTV (NASDAQ GM: OPTV) serves as the underlying middleware and
application execution environment for advanced digital television
services provided by DISH Network. DISH network is the largest and most
successful network operator utilizing OpenTV's technology in the world.
For more information about DISH Network, call 1-800-333-DISH (3474),
visit www.dishnetwork.com, or visit your local DISH Network retailer.
About EchoStar Communications Corporation
EchoStar Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) serves more than
13.1 million satellite TV customers through its DISH Network(TM), the
fastest-growing pay-TV provider in the country since 2000. DISH
Network's services include hundreds of video and audio channels,
Interactive TV, HDTV, sports and international programming, together
with professional installation and 24-hour customer service. EchoStar
has been a leader for more than 25 years in satellite TV equipment sales
and support worldwide. EchoStar is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index
(NDX) and is a Fortune 300 company. Visit EchoStar's Web site at
www.echostar.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
CONTACT: EchoStar Communications Corporation
Kevin Hubbard, 720-514-5039
SOURCE: EchoStar Communications Corporation
