Regional News Rep Adds Mid-South News Network and Philly TV News to Lineup; RNR Continues Its Rapid Nationwide Expansion.

Business Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 2000

Two New Affiliates Bring Company's Total Reach to More Than 20 Million

Regional News Rep (RNR) today announced that it has signed affiliation agreements with two major regional news networks: Mid-South News Network of Memphis, Tenn. and Philly TV News of Philadelphia, Penn.

As a result of this increase, RNR now represents 22 regional news networks across the country, reaching a total of 20.5 million households.

"RNR's tremendous growth over the last two years is reflective of the quality of our affiliates' news product, and of RNR's ability to provide customized packages tailored to our clients' needs," said Deborah Cuffaro, senior vice president at RNR. "Advertisers clearly recognize the value of regional news as an impactful way to reach target audiences in markets throughout the United States. For regional news organizations, RNR is the most effective way to win those advertising dollars."

Cuffaro added, "RNR's affiliation with these two regional news networks facilitates even greater customer flexibility by providing market penetration in five additional states."

Mid-South News Network reaches 236,632 households. It is carried on Time Warner cable systems covering Crittenden, Ark.; DeSoto and Marshall, Miss.; and Hardeman, Haywood, Shelby and Tipton, Tenn. Time Warner Smart Link customers receive the network on Channel 2; customers with cable-ready sets receive the network on Channel 7.

Philly TV News reaches 1,567,413 households in the greater Philadelphia area and is carried on Adelphia, Blue Ridge Cable, Comcast, Greater Media, Harron, RCN, Service Electric, Suburban and Time Warner cable systems. The network is also carried on systems serving Harrisburg and Allentown, Penn. as well as Delaware's New Castle County.

Formed in 1984, Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation (RASCO), the advertising division of Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., is now the cable industry's largest and most diverse advertising representation firm. With a staff of over 500 sales professionals in 32 offices nationwide, RASCO manages ten divisions including: Local, New York Interconnect (NYI), Regional News Rep (RNR), News 12 Sales, Northern Ohio Interconnect (NOI), MetroChannels, MuchMusic, Bravo Networks, AMC Networks and Interactive Sales. In 1999, RASCO billed approximately $250 million across the 10 divisions it manages.

Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation and NBC, is at the forefront of innovation in cable programming. Rainbow manages American Movie Classics, Romance Classics, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow Sports, News 12 Networks and MetroChannels as well as the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. Rainbow holds a majority stake in Madison Square Garden Properties, which includes the Madison Square Garden Arena complex, the Knicks and the Rangers professional sports teams, the MSG television network, Radio City Entertainment and a long-term lease on Radio City Music Hall. In addition, Rainbow is a fifty-percent partner in Fox Sports Net.