Peter Arnett to Report from Afghanistan for Broadcast News Networks and HDNet in High Definition Television

Peter Arnett to Report from Afghanistan for Broadcast News Networks and HDNet in High Definition Television

New York, NY - January 31, 2002 - In a significant development for the future of battlefield coverage for television, Broadcast News Networks (BNN) and HDNet have announced the broadcast of the first ever High Definition television reports from a war zone.
World-renowned war reporter Peter Arnett, who BNN had previously announced would be heading to the region to report for the companys worldwide client base, will also lead BNNs groundbreaking HDTV coverage from Afghanistan, Pakistan and other key regional news centers with reports that will be broadcast on the HDNet channel on DIRECTVâ.
As a company with a history of technological innovation, weve been actively exploring the utility of HDTV field broadcasts," said BNN CEO Steve Rosenbaum. Newly rugged High Definition gear and the growing number of HDNet viewers made the War on Terrorism an important one to document in HDTV, so were proud to be partnering with Mark Cuban and HDNet, pioneers in the technology, to create the first ever HDTV war coverage.

We also needed to know that we had a journalist to match the quality of the camera gear and Peter Arnett -- far and away the worlds most experienced war correspondent -- uniquely has the knowledge and ability to provide the stories, context and background to bring the reporting alive."

The premier broadcast can be seen 10:30pm -- 11:00pm, ET -- Friday January 11, and repeated throughout the week on channel 199 on DIRECTV. Subsequent broadcasts will follow a similar schedule. Any DIRECTV basic subscriber can receive Channel 199 at no additional charge if they have an HDTV and an HD DIRECTV receiver/dish.

Said Mark Cuban, Chairman of HDNet, "Our rapidly growing HDTV audience is demanding more high definition programming, and we are committed to providing them the compelling content they seek. In a complicated, continuing conflict, where thousands of Americans are literally putting their lives on the line to defend our security and freedom, Arnett and the BNN team will use the latest HDNet technology to bring home the reality, scope and scale of the war in a way that will provide our viewers with a perspective and understanding simply unavailable in traditional TV."

As radio was able to do in World War Two, or television during the Vietnam era, our HDTV coverage will set a new standard for immersing the audience in pictures and stories that increasingly convey to viewers the raw, visceral experience of the conflict," added Cuban.
Powerful HDTV pictures, and Pulitzer Prize winning journalism from Peter Arnett will bring the audience inside the story in a way traditional TV cant even begin to approach," Rosenbaum added.

BNN is a news organization with a well-deserved reputation for integrity, credibility, and reliability" said Peter Arnett. With HDNet we will literally be pioneering the way well all watch TV within a few years". Arnett continued After 40 years of war reporting, The depth and richness of HDTV gives me the opportunity to show viewers a far fuller picture of what we see on the ground everyday -- the devastating power of modern weaponry, the reality of day to day life for military personnel; the evolving relationships and interactions between key regional leaders; the impact of conflict on civilians and the extent and value of humanitarian assistance."
With its wide screen format and staggering resolution, HDTV pictures look and feel like real life," added Philip Garvin, General Manager and Co-founder of HDNet. From the mountain passes of the Afghan/Pakistan border, to the devastation of Kabul to the daily lives of US Marines, HDNet viewers will see the region as if they were there."
About BNN
Since 1983, BNN, the largest independent producer of news and documentary has been at the forefront of both production and innovation. The company has produced hundreds of hours of news documentary programming for clients that include A&E, CNN, CBS, CourtTV, NBC, RTL and the BBC. Most recently, the company produced Voices at Ground Zero for MSNBC, an extraordinary look at the destruction of the World Trade Center. In addition to the definitive coverage of September 11th and the aftermath, BNNs recent work includes groundbreaking coverage of the U.S. Militia Movement, homeless teens on the streets of Portland, Oregon and the dark world of middle class women who are heroin addicts. The companys numerous awards include the New York Festivals World Medal and two Emmys. Visit the company online at www.bnntv.com.
About HDNet
HDNet (www.hd.net), the leader in high definition broadcasting, produces and televises more hours of HDTV programming each week than any other network. HDNet broadcasts 16 hours per day of sports, entertainment and now news programming on DIRECTV channel 199. Co-founded by Mark Cuban, Chairman and President, and Philip Garvin, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer, the company has offices and facilities in Dallas, Texas and Denver, Colorado.
About Peter Arnett
Peter Arnetts career as a war correspondent spans more than 40 years. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his intrepid coverage in Vietnam and helped change the face of TV news with his live reporting from Baghdad during the Gulf War as the only western journalist to remain during the conflict where he conducted the only wartime interview with Saddam Hussein. Arnett has reported extensively from Afghanistan, covering the Soviet Invasion in 1979 and the resistance to it during the 1980s During the 1990s, he reported extensively on Afghanistans growing role in international terrorism including a groundbreaking interview with Osama Bin Laden in 1997.

Contact:
Shetal Amin, BNNtv (212) 779-0500 x263, shetal.amin@bnntv.com
Sherry Manno Yeaman, HDNet, (214) 366-3449, smanno@hd.net
For artwork: http://www.bnntv.com/presscenter