Gaylord Cable Networks' Managing Director Awarded Country Music Association's International Media Achievement Award.

Business/Entertainment Editors

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 10, 2000

Gill Robert, Managing Director of Gaylord Cable Networks' CMT Asia-Pacific Rim, was this year's recipient of the Country Music Association's Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award. The award, recognizing outstanding achievements in the media contributing to the development of Country music outside of the United States, was presented at the CMA's annual meeting on Thursday, October 5.

Roger Sovine, a vice president at BMI and chairman of the CMA Board's International Committee who presented the award, noted that Robert is "regarded as a champion for Country music, and has been instrumental in supporting the CMA in several initiatives over the past two years." Those initiatives have included co-sponsoring a major exhibition booth with the CMA at the Pacific Circle Music Conference in Sydney, Australia, partnering with the CMA and Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA) in the 1999 "Australia's Sold on Country" conference, and working with the CMA to license the CMA Awards for Gaylord Cable Networks' CMT Asia-Pacific Rim feed.

Mr. Sovine also pointed out that in overseeing programming and marketing for CMT Asia-Pacific Rim since 1998, Gill Robert has had the opportunity to introduce its 1.7 million subscribers to the diversity and quality of today's country music.

This award comes to Robert as Gaylord Cable Networks is poised to take country music to an even bigger audience. In November, CMT Asia-Pacific Rim will be rebranded as MusicCountry; this new network's innovative programming mix will feature a creative, sophisticated blend of rock, country, folk and rhythm & blues, appealing to a target 25-54 year-old audience.

In a career that spans 36 years, Gill Robert has been involved in virtually every aspect of the Australian music industry, and is considered instrumental in helping to develop it from a cottage industry to a substantial player on the international stage.

Gill began as an R&B and pop recording artist in 1965. In 1971 he joined Festival Records, one of the most significant Australian labels at the time. Gill rose through the ranks in sales and promotions, ending as National Marketing Promotions Manager.

Between 1986 and 1998, Gill was at Sony Music in various roles, including Director of Marketing and Sales, General Manager of the label division, and General Manager of Strategic Marketing. When Gill was announced in June 1998 to helm Australian and Pacific operations of CMT International, he entered into a pay-TV industry that was only five years old.

Robert is an originating board member of the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Awards and a board member since 1985 for the Golden Stave Foundation, an industry charity organization. He is a member of the 22-strong board of the Country Music Association of Australia (CMAA).

Gaylord Cable Networks develops and delivers compelling, quality music-based entertainment television to a global audience. Its networks include MusicCountry Latin America, MusicCountry Asia-Pacific Rim, MusicCountry Brasil, Solo Tango and Video Rola. Part of Gaylord Entertainment Company (NYSE:GET), Gaylord Cable Networks is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn.