Submissions Close, Voting in High Gear for Local Bands Competing to Open Charter Center Stage

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As submissions closed last week, more than 300 local bands across the country are competing in a virtual battle of the bands to open Charter Center Stage, a music festival featuring national acts Panic! At the Disco, Fitz & The Tantrums, and Plain White Ts.

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Voting for all local bands continues until September 4, when the top bands based on fan voting – one from each of Charter's key market areas -- will be announced.

From the final 11 groups, the band with the most votes will be determined on September 26, winning a prize package valued at nearly $25,000 and opening Charter Center Stage, which will be webcast live, October 15, via Facebook® from Willow Island at Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI. The 10 remaining finalists each receive a gift card valued at $2,500.

Every voter with a Charter serviceable address is entered into the sweepstakes for a chance to win prizes that include a trip to the concert, tablet computers, HDTVs and game consoles. Voters are also eligible to win a free year of Charter services, including Charter Internet®, which delivers a fast, reliable online experience to consumers on multiple devices, as well as TV and phone service. Music enthusiasts can register to vote to select finalists at Charter.com/Concert until September 3. Additional information can be found at Charter.com/Concert or at Facebook.com/Chartercom.

Dates to Remember for Charter Center Stage Battle of the Bands

September 3: Last day to vote for your favorite band to become finalist.
September 4: Eleven finalists contacted.
September 18-25: Final voting period. Vote again to choose the winner.
September 26: The Grand Prize winner will be contacted
October 15: Charter Center Stage concert at Willow Island in Madison, WI. Concert will also be streamed live online via Facebook.

* No purchase is necessary to enter the contest or the sweepstakes. See Charter.com/Concert for full contest and sweepstakes rules and entry details. Void where prohibited. Sponsored by Charter Communications, Inc. Contest: The entry period for the "Battle of the Bands" contest began at 12:00 p.m. CDT on 7/15/2011 and ended at 12:00 p.m. CDT on 8/24/2011. Local band voting on contest entries began at 12:00 p.m. CDT on 8/11/2011 and continued through 12:00 p.m. CDT on 8/24/2011. Finalist voting on contest begins at 12:00 p.m. CDT on 9/18/11 and continues through 12:00 p.m. CDT on 9/25/11.  Contest is open to musical groups whose members are all 18 years of age or older and legal residents of one of the United States or D.C. Sweepstakes: The Sweepstakes began at 12:00 p.m. CDT on 7/15/2011 and ends at 12:00 p.m. CDT on 9/25/2011. Entries for the Grand Prize drawing will be accepted only through 12:00 p.m. CDT on 9/3/2011. To be eligible for the Grand Prize drawing, you must submit an entry by no later than 12:00 p.m. CDT on 9/3/2011. Entries for the First Prize and Second Prize drawings will be accepted through 12:00 p.m. CDT on 9/25/2011. The sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of one of the United States or D.C. (excluding Florida, New York and Rhode Island) who are at least 18 years old and live within a Charter serviceable area, as determined by Charter.

About Charter

Charter (NASDAQ: CHTR) is a leading broadband communications company and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States. Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband services, including advanced Charter TV® video entertainment programming, Charter Internet® access, and Charter Phone®. Charter Business® similarly provides scalable, tailored, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to business organizations, such as business-to-business Internet access, data networking, business telephone, video and music entertainment services, and wireless backhaul. Charter's advertising sales and production services are sold under the Charter Media® brand. More information about Charter can be found at charter.com.

SOURCE Charter