Starz on High with MSO Deals

Starz Encore Group LLC landed two key combination carriage and
video-on-demand contracts with cable operators as it widens its customer
base.

Starz Encore announced an affiliation and carriage agreement with Insight
Communications Co. Inc. for the Starz! and Encore movie channels and the "Starz
On Demand" subscription-VOD service.

Under the deal, all Insight digital VOD systems will gain the Starz On Demand
content lineup, which features more than 100 movies, including newer releases
XXX and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. The service is
offered for $10 monthly.

Insight also is expanding its Starz! carriage lineup, adding East and West
Coast feeds of Starz! and theme channels Starz! Theater, Black Starz!, Starz!
Cinema and Starz! Family.

At the same time, Starz Encore also extended its long-term
affiliation-carriage agreement with Charter Communications Inc. for its "Starz
Super Pak" and "Encore Movie Pak."

Under that agreement, Charter will also launch Starz On Demand as part of its
new on-demand platform rolling out in select cable systems -- the largest launch
for the Starz SVOD service to date.

"With the pending launch of Starz On Demand, Charter has secured an
incredibly robust competitive offering, and we look forward to assisting them
with their marketing efforts in the coming months to make this launch a true
success," said Que Spaulding, president of distribution for Starz
Encore.