CBS Inc. selects Panasonic DVCPRO four conversion of TV station news to digital.

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 4, 1997--

Major Purchase Valued at Over $24 Million Includes 1400+ Units

CBS, Inc., New York, N.Y., has agreed to purchase more than 1400 units of DVCPRO equipment from Panasonic Broadcast & Digital Systems Company (PBDSC) to equip 13 of its Owned Television stations with the compact component digital format, it was announced today by Panasonic. The sale is valued at more than $24 million.

The new equipment will enable the 13 CBS Television stations to convert their news and editing operations to DVCPRO. The CBS stations to acquire DVCPRO include WCBS-TV, New York; KCBS-TV, Los Angeles; WBBM-TV, Chicago; KYW-TV, Philadelphia; KPIX-TV, San Francisco; WFOR-TV, Miami, FL; WCCO-TV, Minneapolis; KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh; WBZ-TV, Boston; WJZ-TV, Baltimore; KCNC-TV, Denver; KUTV-TV, Salt Lake City; and WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI.

Included in the purchase is the following Panasonic DVCPRO equipment: AJ-LT75 laptop editing systems, AJ-D750 studio editing VCRs, AJ-D700 ENG camcorders, AIJ-D230 desktop VCRs, AG-EZ1U hand-held DV- format camcorders, and accessories.

"We were faced this year with having to replace our aging analog equipment at many of our stations," said Robert Ross, Vice President, Engineering and Operations, CBS Television Stations. "We could not wait for DTV to arrive, and to continue with analog did not make sense either. We analyzed the digital formats and the equipment available this year. It was clear that DVCPRO provided CBS with the best solution."

"The selection of Panasonic DVCPRO by CBS for its Owned Television stations is a great endorsement of the system for ENG use. We welcome CBS to our growing worldwide family of DVCPRO users," said Bob Mueller, Vice President, Sales, PBDSC. "The CBS stations recognized the many advantages of DVCPRO, including the unique laptop field editor for expanding the portability and flexibility of their news acquisition and editing operations, the component digital quality for their on-air look, and the lower operating and maintenance costs."

"The AJ-LT75 laptop field editors provide the CBS stations with a lightweight, all-in-one editing system that permits news to be edited anywhere, at anytime," said Mueller.

Panasonic will begin delivery of the DVCPRO equipment to CBS stations KYW and WFRV in April.

In the U.S., Panasonic Broadcast & Digital Systems Company markets Panasonic's extensive lines of broadcast and profession video and audio systems and products. Panasonic Broadcast & Digital Systems Company is a division company of Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, the principal North America subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (MC, NYSE), one of the world's leading producers of electronic and electric products for consumer, business and industrial use.

CONTACT: Jim Wickizer or Michael G. Silver

Panasonic Broadcast CBS/Communications

[phone] [phone]

[e-mail]