MuchMusic USA Kicksoff Interactive “Class Dismissed” Contest

Grand Prize Winner Awarded With Goo Goo Dolls Concert in their Home Town

Fans Create Their Own Goo Goo Dolls Music Video on www.mmusa.tv to Win

Programming to support cable operators in selling high-speed cable modems and digital service

New York, NY – February 19, 2002 – MuchMusic USA, the nation’s only viewer-driven all music network, is holding a nation-wide contest for a chance to win a surprise visit and special performance from the Goo Goo Dolls at their school. Applicants can log onto www.mmusa.tv through March 16th to enter themselves into “Class Dismissed with the Goo Goo Dolls” music video contest. Now in its second year, MuchMusic USA has again teamed up with TIDAL4, Inc., a convergence production company, to produce “Class Dismissed,” a unique on-air on-line contest that offers viewers nation wide the ability to create and submit their own music video, while promoting the usage of high speed web access for cable operators.

“The Goo Goo Dolls are one of the world’s premier music groups and MuchMusic is very excited about their participation in Class Dismissed,” said MuchMusic USA President, Marc Juris. “We received an overwhelmingly positive response and great participation from the students nation wide during our first Class Dismissed’ contest with Alanis Morissette and having a band with such broad-based appeal, like the Goo Goo Dolls, ensures that we can only build on our success.”

“But this contest is not only about reaching an important television demographic,” Juris added. “Cable operators benefited by seeing an increased demand for high-speed cable modems directly related to Class Dismissed. This level of interactivity and convergence programming helps drive the demand for and adoption of cable modems and high speed access from consumers, proving once again that MuchMusic USA is one of the cable operators’ greatest assets in their effort to drive technology.”

MuchMusic USA received an overwhelmingly positive response to the contest by cable operators for the 2001 contest with Alanis Morissette. For 2002, the show will be available to air on affiliate systems in efforts to support the value of their cable modem and digital tier services. Locally, cable affiliates around the country representing over 35 million subscribers, have pledged their support for the contest by organizing grassroots acquisition marketing plans focused on viewer participation and the sale of cable modem service. The MuchMusic USA network will also provide affiliates with marketing packages that include customized cross-channel advertising spots highlighting the use of cable modems and digital tiers, point-of-purchase displays and in-market advertising slicks, radio spots, and direct mailing.

“Class Dismissed” 2002 with the Goo Goo Dolls will air on the MuchMusic USA network as a one-hour show that includes performance footage of songs from “Gutterflower”, their new album to be released April, documentary footage from the contest winner’s visit with the Goo Goo Dolls, interviews with winner and the band. “Class Dismissed” will air in June.

HOW THE CLASS DISMISSED CONTEST WORKS:
To be a part of the contest, teens may log on to MuchMusic USA’s web site at www.mmusa.tv — using the site’s Viewer Made Video technology – to create and submit their own music video for the hit single “Slide” from the Goo Goo Doll’s album, Dizzy Up the Girl.

Online visitors may also vote for the submitted music videos. The top 25 selected videos will receive MuchMusic USA T-shirts and qualify for the final round of ten. The top ten finalists will then be asked to submit a short video explaining why they are fans of the Goo Goo Dolls, which will air on the MuchMusic USA network. The grand-prize winner will receive an exclusive visit and performance from the Goo Goo Dolls.

About MuchMusic USA
MuchMusic USA is the nation’s only viewer-driven all music network, featuring music videos and live concerts in an all-music-all-the-time format. The network programming is viewer influenced and generated. On MuchMusic USA, viewers voice their opinions, influence what’s on the air, participate in discovering new music and even create music video programming to air on the network. For more information about MuchMusic USA, please visit our Web site at www.mmusa.tv.

About Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc.
A subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation and NBC, Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. manages Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, American Movie Classics, We: Women’s Entertainment, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow Sports, News 12 Networks and MetroChannels as well as the Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation and Rainbow Network Communications. In addition, Rainbow is a fifty-percent partner in Fox Sports Net. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. owns a 20 percent stake in four of Rainbow’s national networks – AMC, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel and WE: Women’s Entertainment.

A new series of Cablevision common stock — Rainbow Media Group tracking stock (NYSE:RMG) — began trading on the NYSE on March 30 2001. The assets that comprise Rainbow Media Group tracking stock include: American Movie Classics, Bravo, The Independent Film Channel, WE: Women’s Entertainment, MuchMusic USA, Rainbow’s interest in the national service FOX Sports Net, Rainbow’s five regional sports channels outside of the New York market, and Rainbow Network Communications.

About TIDAL4
TIDAL4, a production division of Mosaic Media Group, is a convergence entertainment company that creates, develops and produces talent-driven content for television and the Web. TIDAL4 creates properties that allow top talent unprecedented freedom in all forms of media beginning with the integrated TV/Web experience.

TIDAL4 principals Lisa Hendricks, Beth Broday and Amber Cordero have two decades of combined expertise in all aspects of entertainment and technology. By providing talent with their unique blend of creative, business and tech savvy, TIDAL4 supports the ever-changing needs of the nascent broadband worlds.

Press Contacts

  • Matt Frankel
    Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc.
    212-446-1867
    mdfrankel@rainbow-media.com

  • Jocelyn Johnson
    Sloane &Company
    516-803-5141
    jjohnson@sloanepr.com