Blockbuster Extends Midnight Return Policy by 12-Hours With Release of Nationwide Store Manager Survey ``Uncovering'' What People Wear During Midnight Return Moments.

Entertainment Editors

DALLAS--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2000

Customers "Caught" in Everything from Curlers, Flippers and

Glow-in-the-Dark Boxers to Nothing at All

A recent survey of Blockbuster store managers reveals frequent sightings of customers returning videos late at night in everything from pajamas, bathrobes and curlers to bunny slippers and shower caps. Other reports offer more tantalizing visuals including customers wearing gorilla suits and glow-in-the-dark boxer shorts, while some were even caught "streaking" to the drop box from their cars.

Starting today, there may be an end to the interesting attire now found at many Blockbuster video drop-in boxes. Thanks to an all-new Customer Convenience Program launching today, Blockbuster members have an additional 12-hours to return videos, making rentals due back to retail locations by noon the next day, as opposed to midnight the previous evening.

"We really appreciate our customers' efforts to be on time, but we're dedicated to making life easier for them and so, we have eliminated the need for late-night trips to the video store in pajamas and who knows what else," said Nigel Travis, president, Blockbuster operations.

While it's entertaining for Blockbuster employees to see the wide range of attire when customers return videos, the company hopes to avoid some of the following scenarios with the new 12-hour extension:

-- A gorilla suit -- not on Halloween

-- Flippers

-- Shorts during a blizzard

-- A towel -- only

-- Glow-in-the-dark boxer shorts

-- Lots of pajamas, robes, curlers and slippers

-- A coat -- just a coat

-- Dr. Seuss hat

-- Prom dresses

-- Wedding dresses

-- Bikinis

-- Cowboy outfit, complete with hat, chaps and spurs

Blockbuster's Customer Convenience Program is in direct response to many months of local market testing, focus groups and customer surveys. The program also includes a new extended viewing fee (EVF) policy, as well as speed-of-service enhancements, such as free popcorn if customers believe they have been waiting in line too long.

"When we surveyed our customers, we found that 37 percent said they had forgone at least one rental occasion in the past three months as a result of inconvenience issues. In addition, over 50 percent of our members said they incurred extended viewing fees because they didn't want to go out late to return their tape," said Travis. "The solution was simple, create an added value rental and return experience for our customer by giving new extended viewing options and reasons to wear more clothes."

The program will be rolled out to almost all of Blockbuster's corporate stores and more than half of Blockbuster's franchised stores.

Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI) is a publicly traded subsidiary of Viacom Inc. and is the world's leading renter of videos and video games with approximately 6,900 stores in the United States, its territories and 26 other countries. The company may be accessed internationally at blockbuster.com. Viacom Inc. is one of the world's largest entertainment companies and a leading force in nearly every segment of the international media marketplace.