Carl D. Harnick Appointed To Board of Directors of Classic Communications; Company Also Announces Retention Of Waller Capital As Financial Advisor.

Business Editors

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 31, 2001

Classic Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSC) today announced that Carl D. Harnick, a former partner of Ernst & Young LLP, was appointed to the Company's Board of Directors.

James A. Kofalt, Chairman of the Board of Classic Communications, said, "On behalf of the entire Board, I want to welcome Carl Harnick as a Director of the Company. Carl brings to Classic a wealth of business and financial experience from his 40 years with one of the nation's leading business consulting and accounting firms, and an in-depth understanding of the media and entertainment industry generally and the cable business in particular. With his outstanding background and qualifications, Carl will be an invaluable part of the leadership of Classic as we work to position the Company for a future of sustained growth and long-term profitability."

Mr. Harnick said, "I am very pleased to have this opportunity to work with Jim Kofalt and the distinguished group of business leaders who comprise Classic's Board and with the first-rate management team at Classic to address the strategic challenges and opportunities facing the Company. Classic is a great Company with great people, and I am proud to be able to have this role in continuing to move it forward."

In a separate announcement, the Company said it has retained Waller Capital Corporation to advise and assist it in exploring the potential sale or exchange of small cable systems and, possibly, a limited number of selected other systems. The Company does not intend to make any further announcements concerning the retention of Waller or any possible transaction involving the systems until a definitive transaction is approved by the Board of Directors. There can be no assurance that the retention of Waller will lead to a definitive transaction.

Mr. Harnick, 66, was a partner of Ernst & Young, LLP and its predecessor, Arthur Young & Company, from 1967 until his retirement in September 1997. His clients were primarily in the media, entertainment and venture capital industries. Since retiring, he has served as a director and consultant to various public and private companies. He is a trustee and treasurer of Prep for Prep, a New York-based charitable organization dedicated to enhancing the leadership potential of highly motivated minority students.

A certified public account, Mr. Harnick holds a B.S. degree with honors in economics from Brooklyn College and an M.B.A from Syracuse University, where he was elected to Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honor society.

Waller Capital Corporation, based in New York City, is the nation's leading investment bank for the cable television industry. Waller's past clients have included AT&T, AOL Time Warner, Cablevision Systems Corporation and Charter Communications.

Classic Communications, Inc., based in Austin, Texas, provides communications and entertainment services in approximately 600 non-metropolitan markets in Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Ohio and New Mexico. Classic trades on the NASDAQ under the trading symbol "CLSC."

This release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risk uncertainties, including those described in our filings with the SEC. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.