Charter Communications Launches HDTV Service In St. Louis Metro Area

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis area television viewers who own High-Definition Televisions (HDTV) can now get HDTV programming from Charter Communications as Charter officially launches HD service on cable to consumers this week.

Viewers will receive the signals for four cable channels – Showtime-HD, HBO- HD, HDNet and HDNet Movies and one commercial broadcast network, KSDK (NBC) Ch. 5 -- through Charter Communications' special HDTV set-top box.

“We're proud to lead the way as new technologies allow us to improve the viewing experience for our audience,” said Barry Wilson, Sr. Vice President of Operations for Charter's St. Louis Metro Area. Charter's high-definition programming is available to nearly 436,000 Charter customers in the metropolitan area.

Charter's initial supply of 500 Motorola set-top boxes was snapped up the first day the public was notified that HDTV was available from us,” according to Mr. Wilson. “We doubled the initial order, rushed the receivers here and are ready to give St. Louis viewers what they've obviously have been waiting for,” Mr. Wilson said.

“I would describe High-Definition Television as the most significant evolution in television since black-and-white pictures became color,” he said.

“This year has been a landmark year for HDTV and for Charter as high-definition service was launched in more than 25 markets across the country. We are fortunate to have KSDK Ch. 5 on the forefront of HD broadcast rollouts.” KTVI (Fox) Ch. 2 is broadcasting programming in digital high resolution.

Charter's high-definition programming includes:
HDNet on Ch. 770
HDNet Movies on Ch. 771
HBO-HD on Ch. 777
Showtime-HD on Ch. 778
KSDK HD (NBC) on Ch. 785
KTVI Fox 2 currently offers programming in wide-screen high resolution on Ch. 782.

“Making certain that consumers know what high-definition television is and what it is, is important,” said Mr. Wilson. He explained that HDTV is simply a new way of producing, sending and receiving video programming – whether over-the-air, by satellite, or by cable-- that results in a much better picture on new, specially designed television sets. HD requires a combination of things for the viewer to be able to see that new, incredibly sharp and vivid picture: The programming has be produced in HD, it has to be transmitted or delivered in HD, and the consumer's home has to have equipment capable of decoding the new HD signal and displaying it on a specifically designed HD television. If any one of those components is missing, the viewer is not going to see a picture with up to five times the resolution (picture density or quality) of today's television sets.

“HDTV isn't just an experiment, it's on its way to becoming a viable viewing alternative,” said Charter's Wilson.

About Charter Communications

Charter Communications, A Wired World CompanyÔ, is the nation's third-largest broadband communications company. Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband services to the home, including cable television on an advanced digital video programming platform via Charter Digital Cable® brand and high-speed Internet access marketed under the Charter Pipelineâ brand. Commercial high-speed data, video and Internet solutions are provided under the Charter Business Networksâ brand. Advertising sales and production services are sold under the Charter Mediaâ brand. More information about Charter can be found at www.charter.com.