Bethpage, NY – Rainbow Media’ Holdings, Inc.’s MuchMusic USA will launch on the Cox Communications system in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 15, 2000. The all-music network will be carried on Cox’s “Variety Pack” on the Digital Tier, which is available to 560,000 basic subscribers, bringing the total number of MuchMusic USA basic households to 17.8 million nationwide.
In addition to launching MuchMusic USA, Cox Phoenix will begin telecasting MuchaMusica on the local channel Cox 9, which reaches approximately 610,000 households in the greater Phoenix area. MuchaMusica is an exclusive, 30-minute program that spotlights Latino music that is not part of MuchMusic USA’s regular programming schedule. The network offers the program to affiliates as a special tool to target the fast-growing Latino market. The MuchaMusica program also helps promote digital products by showcasing programming that is part of the cable operator’s digital lineup.
“Music is a driver of digital services and we have created specialized programming, like MuchaMusica, to help promote these services to the important Latino audience,” said MuchMusic USA General Manager Nora Ryan. “MuchMusic is dedicated to delivering the highest quality music programming and we are delighted to launch this program and our network on the Cox Communications system in the Phoenix area.”
Cox Communications Vice President of Marketing, David Harris said, “The addition of MuchMusic USA and MuchaMusica to Cox’s programming lineup continues to expand the variety of quality programming Cox offers to it’s valued customers.”
To kick off the launch in Phoenix, MuchMusic USA will run an on-air promotion with local Phoenix radio station KEDJ 106.3FM – The Edge. MuchMusic premiums will be given away to radio station listeners and one lucky grand-prize winner will receive two tickets to the South By SouthWest music festival in Austin, Texas. While at the festival, the winners will attend “Bar-B-Acoustic,” a special party sponsored by MuchMusic USA and hosted by MuchMusic VJ Sook-Yin Lee. Local Phoenix band, “The Funk Junkies” will be one of the eight acts performing at “Bar-B-Acoustic.” MuchMusic and Cox Phoenix will also be co-sponsors of “Cinco de EdgeFest” on May 5th at the Desert Sky Pavilion featuring musical headliner, “Bush”.
MuchMusic USA is a state-of-the-art music television network featuring a diverse playlist with live, spontaneous, interactive programming. The all-music, all-the-time network provides an unprecedented showcase for emerging and established artists from around the world. Programming consists of musical series, concerts and videos for an eclectic audience ranging from rock, pop, and alternative, to blues, metal, rap, jazz and folk. MuchMusic USA produces up to 13 hours of live programming each day from its high-tech television facility and has established an international reputation for its pioneering approach to interactive programming, bringing music artists to a passionate audience. MuchMusic USA is a partnership between Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Chum Limited.
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.
Cox Communications in Phoenix is owned and operated by Atlanta-based Cox Communications, Inc., (NYSE:COX) and is among the nation’s largest operators of broadband communications. Approximately 70% of Cox’s 11,000-mile hybrid fiber coaxial cable network upgrade is completed throughout the greater Phoenix area, providing high speed internet access, digital telephone service and digital television. Cox Communications currently serves more than 610,000 customers in 23 communities throughout the Valley. Additional information about Cox Communications in Phoenix is available at www.phx.cox.com.
Contact:
Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc.
Christine Levesque
516-803-5136
Dan Klores Associates, Inc.
Sean Cassidy/Andrea Thabit
212-685-4300
Cox Communications
Alex Horwitx
623-322-8013