Discovery Channel DVDs.....................
Discovery Channel Multimedia and Multicom Publishing Finalize
Multi-Tiered Licensing and Distribution Agreement
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1997--Discovery Channel
Multimedia, a division of Discovery Communications, and Multicom
Publishing (NASDAQ:MNET) today announced they have signed a contract
agreeing to a multi-faceted licensing and distribution partnership.
The five-year deal gives Multicom the right to work with Discovery to
create four Discovery-branded titles per year in the reference and
how-to category. Additionally, the agreement gives Discovery
international distribution rights for Multicom's existing title catalog,
including the four Discovery-branded titles Multicom will develop with
Discovery each year.
Multicom will also sublicense Discovery's existing reference titles for
North American distribution, including DVD rights and other platform
rights.
"We believe Multicom's successful history and business expertise in the
reference and how-to category and Discovery's well-known high-quality
brand are a perfect match," said Andrew Sharpless, senior vice
president, Interactive Media at Discovery. "This agreement will allow
Discovery titles to realize their full potential in these categories."
"We are very excited about the long-term relationship between Multicom
and Discovery Channel," said Tamara L. Attard, CEO Multicom Publishing.
"We are pleased with the addition of the high-quality Discovery Channel
titles, which will increase our award-winning line to over 70 titles."
Through the agreement, Multicom will gain North American distribution
and DVD-ROM rights to a variety of titles. Some of them include the
following: The Beer Hunter, Michael Jackson's World Beer Hunter,
Carrier: Fortress at Sea, Beyond Planet Earth, Whales, Normandy, Ocean
Planet, and Sharks!
Multicom will be creating bundled suites from the Discovery titles they
have acquired to increase the value of each SKU. "We feel that by
creating bundled suites, we will be able to offer the consumer
high-quality products at affordable prices," Attard said.
Some of the Discovery suites that Multicom is now offering include
UNDERSEA WORLD: Sharks!, In the Company of Whales, and Ocean Planet.
Multicom is also bundling Discovery titles with Multicom titles to
create other suites such as, OUTER SPACE: Beyond Planet Earth, Americans
in Space, Journey to the Planets and THE WORLD'S BEST BEER AND WINE:
World Beer Hunter, The Beer Hunter, and Wines of the World -- Gold
Edition.
Multicom Publishing Inc., founded in 1991, creates and distributes
high-quality, award-winning titles, developed with the most respected
consumer brands in the world including Better Homes and Gardens(R),
American Express Publishing(R) and The Home Depot(R) and the works of
world-renowned authors. The company specializes in offering a variety of
culinary, do-it-yourself and educational interactive products at
attractive consumer price points. The company is located in Seattle,
Wash., and San Francisco. The telephone number is 415/777-5300.
Multicom's Web site can be located at multicom.com .
Discovery Communications Inc. (DCI) is a privately held, diversified
media company headquartered in Bethesda, Md. Fueled by an original
production engine that now includes films for theatrical and
large-format release, DCI operates four distinct business units
including:
-- Discovery Networks, U.S., consisting of Discovery Channel
(over 72.8 million subscribers), The Learning Channel (over 60.7
million subscribers), Animal Planet (24.3 million subscribers) and
the recently launched package of Discovery digital services:
Discovery Kids Channel, Discovery Science Network, Discovery Travel
& Living Network and Discovery Civilization: The History and
Geography Channel
-- Discovery Networks International, consisting of 19 different feeds of
12 separate Discovery networks transmitted worldwide in 18 separate
languages;
-- Discovery Enterprises Worldwide, consisting of Discovery
Channel Multimedia, Discovery Channel Online, Discovery Channel
Video, Discovery Channel Publishing and Discovery Channel Education.
-- Discovery Channel Retail and Theme, consisting of 110 stores of The
Nature Company, 18 Discovery Channel Stores and 3 Scientific Revolution
stores.
-- DCI also operates a wholly owned subsidiary, Your Choice TV Inc.
DCI's ownership consists of four shareholders -- Liberty Media Corp., a
division of Tele-Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:LBTYA/LBTYB), Cox
Communications (NYSE:COX), Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S.
Hendricks, the company's founder, chairman and CEO.
CONTACT: Multicom Publishing
Sharael Feist, 415/777-5300 x103
sfeist@multicom.com
or
Discovery
Susan Bluttman, 301/771-5673
Katherine Lamoureux, 301/771-5438
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