Lionsgate signs First Run High-Def Deal

'Lord of War' Scheduled to Premiere on sigNETure HDTV(SM) Systems in December 2005; 'Saw II' Coming in January 2006. LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation, the world's largest provider of interactive television and broadband solutions to hotels, and Lions Gate Films today announced an agreement that authorizes LodgeNet to distribute high-definition versions of first-run Lions Gate titles over LodgeNet's sigNETure HDTV systems.  Lions Gate Films is the motion picture acquisition, production and distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF; TSX), the premier independent filmed entertainment production and distribution studio.
 
These Lions Gate feature films have been recently released in theaters and have not yet been made available for consumer purchase or rental in HD resolution.  Currently LodgeNet is the only way to view this content in a high-definition format.  The agreement will enable the high-definition premiere of "Lord of War" in December 2005, followed in January 2006 by "Saw II", which has already grossed more than $80 million at the North American box office.

"Staying in for a movie will become more appealing as colder weather settles over much of the country," said William M. Coleman, Vice President Studio Relations & Film Licensing Worldwide for LodgeNet.  "By adding titles from Lions Gate to our high-definition video-on-demand (VOD) selections, we will be making the in-room entertainment experience that much richer in hotels featuring our sigNETure HDTV platform." 

Coleman added that LodgeNet will enhance high-definition Lions Gate titles with its PowerPlay(SM) media playback controls, providing Pause, Skip and Save functionality to bring guests a better than home theater experience.

"In LodgeNet we have found a hotel entertainment provider that shares our vision for the future of digital entertainment and understands the importance of absolutely protecting digital content in the hotel environment," said Lions Gate Executive Vice President, Jon Ferro.  "This is another example of Lions Gate's commitment to first mover status in adopting new technologies and entering new markets to add value to its content.  We are pleased to join LodgeNet in blazing new trails across the in-room entertainment landscape."

LodgeNet has distributed high-definition programming to select hotel guest rooms since 2003.  LodgeNet's sigNETure HDTV systems integrate Pro:Idiom(TM), an open standard security solution developed by LG Electronics to protect the integrity of premium digital content at every point in the distribution chain.

This innovation has directly resulted in a series of industry-first distribution agreements through which LodgeNet delivers high-definition satellite programming from such premium content suppliers as ESPN HD and HBO HD, as well as high-definition, first-run VOD titles from Paramount Pictures and VOD features originally produced for IMAX(R) Theaters.