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ION Media Networks and Sony Pictures Television Announce Programming Agreement for TV Series and Feature Films

Posted on: Wednesday, 5 July 2006, 15:00 CDT

ION Media Networks, Inc. (AMEX:ION) and Sony Pictures Television ("SPT") today announced a programming agreement that provides ION with the rights to broadcast dozens of classic television series and a large selection of award-winning feature films from the Sony library on the i television network, reaching over 90 million homes.

"This agreement reflects our strategy of strengthening our i network's programming schedule with popular series and theatrical hits with proven audience appeal," said Brandon Burgess, CEO of ION Media Networks. "We look forward to working with Sony on developing a compelling entertainment line-up that continues to appeal to our current audience, while attracting new viewers to the network."

"The i network and its stations will benefit from a wide variety of titles from our extensive library of television series and feature films, which have proven to deliver audiences," said John Weiser, president, distribution for Sony Pictures Television. "We are pleased to be in partnership with ION, helping them grow and making them a destination for great programming."

Under the terms of the agreement, ION will have access to many of SPT's most popular TV series from the last three decades, including "Charlie's Angels,""Starsky & Hutch,""The Partridge Family,""The Monkees" and "Silver Spoons," among others.

In addition, titles from Sony's extensive library of theatrical films will be available to ION, including "A River Runs Through It,""Oliver!,""Bram Stoker's Dracula,""Short Circuit" and many more.

"We are pleased to have access to Sony's diverse collection of movies and classic TV shows," said Stacey Nagel Galper, ION's Senior Vice President of Programming and Strategic Planning. "We will begin scheduling the Sony movies on the i network this month, with plans to launch the television series in August."

About ION Media Networks

ION Media Networks, Inc. (formerly Paxson Communications Corporation) owns and operates the nation's largest broadcast television station group and the i network, reaching approximately 92 million U.S. television households via its nationwide broadcast television, cable and satellite distribution systems. For more information, please visit http://www.ionmedia.tv.

About Sony Pictures Television

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. SPT produces and distributes top-rated, award-winning programming in every genre, including series, movies and family entertainment for network and cable television; first-run syndicated series; off-network syndicated programs; and theatrical releases. SPT (http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

Source: Business Wire

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