Quad Rugby/Story - WeMedia Paralympic Coverage 8/2000

UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION

8/30/2000

WeMedia Paralympic Broadcast Production To Be Seen On CBS Sports, Fox Sports Net, And PAX TV

Most Extensive Coverage Of Paralympic Games In US Television History Planned

New York, U.S.A. and Sydney, Australia, July 20, 2000. Unprecedented broadcast coverage of the 2000 Paralympic Games from Sydney, Australia will be offered by WeMedia Inc. to viewers in the US later this year in a unique broadcast package comprising CBS Sports, Fox Sports Net, and Pax TV.

The three separate agreements were announced by WeMedia Sports, a division of WeMedia Inc, today - just following the 100-day countdown to the Opening Ceremony in Sydney.

In addition to its planned broadcast coverage, WeMedia has partnered with the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Organizing Committee (SPOC) to be the exclusive worldwide webcaster of the Games. WeMedia's webcast coverage will include the most ambitious production of live streaming video ever shown on the Internet. Live webcast coverage will run from October 18-29 at www.wemedia.com, a Website dedicated to the needs and interests of people with disabilities.

Fox Sports Net will be presenting a half-hour recap program in the late morning (ET, exact time TBA), on October 18-20, and 23-27 from Sydney, highlighting each day's competition.

The production for PAX TV will be a feature oriented half hour shown at midnight ET and PT, 11 p.m. CT and MT. This program will focus on a more personal look at the remarkable athletes competing in the same venues as the Olympic athletes did two weeks earlier. The program will run for 12 consecutive nights, October 18-29.

CBS Sports will present a two-hour special on December 31, adjacent to its coverage of the AFC Wild Card Game. This WeMedia production will take viewers back to the Games and tell the compelling stories of competition, courage, and dedication.

Rick Gentile will serve as Executive Producer for all WeMedia's broadcast and webcast coverage of the Games. Gentile is a 10-time Emmy award winner who, in addition to many major sports events, produced three Winter Olympic Games for CBS, and the network's coverage of the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta.

Wemedia.com is a full service Website for people with disabilities, their families and friends. Cary Fields, President and CEO of WeMedia said that, "the coverage WeMedia has planned will show the athletes and the Games in the fashion they have long-deserved. With our unique combination of broadcasts and webcasts, we will be presenting the true role models for the 21st century. We're especially pleased that CBS Sports, Fox Sports Net, and Pax TV agree that this will be extraordinary programming."

"This is great news," said Lois Appleby, CEO of SPOC, the Sydney Paralympic Organizing Committee. "The USA market is likely to be our biggest in terms of viewers, and we really appreciate the efforts of WeMedia in putting these deals together. The commitment they're showing towards the Sydney Games is outstanding, and they have such a good production team I'm sure we'll be seeing some wonderful programming."

"Today's announcement means that more Americans than ever before will have an opportunity to follow the remarkable accomplishments of our Paralympic athletes as they compete at the Paralympic Games in Sydney," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Norm Blake. "Media coverage of elite disabled sports has increased exponentially over the past few years and today's announcement represents an important step in continuing that trend."

"The Paralympic Games truly define the words world class athlete," says Rob Correa, Senior Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports. "CBS Sports is proud to be associated with the immense coverage of the Games which will surely provide a compelling broadcast for millions of viewers."

"FOX Sports Net is proud to provide daily exposure for the world's best Paralympic athletes," said Arthur Smith, Executive Vice President of Programming, Production and News, FOX Sports Net. "Their heart, courage and determination are an inspiration to us all, and it's that spirit we'll try to bring home."

"We are very pleased to be able to provide audiences across the country with this important event, particularly as PAX TV has broadcast the 2000 United States Olympic Team Trials," said S. William Scott, President, Pax TV Programming. "The Paralympics speak to the human spirit and provide a moving and living example of how much we can achieve if we choose to do so."

WeMedia Sports' other top managers are Jay Rosenstein, VP Programming, and Arthur Pincus, VP Content.

Program hosts for the broadcasts and for the webcast, will be announced shortly.

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