Frankfurt, Germany, 29 June 2005 — Infront Sports & Media and Host Broadcast Services ("HBS") are today giving an impressive preview of the "HDTV experience" at a special press briefing and during a live demonstration of one of the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 matches.
 
HBS, the dedicated Host Broadcaster of next year's FIFA World Cup™ in Germany, will be covering the 2006 event entirely in High Definition television ("HDTV") and has also been using this format for all matches of the FIFA Confederations Cup Germany 2005.
 
This has enabled HBS to test and refine all the systems that will be in place for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ and work closely with companies such as T-Systems and Philips. T-Systems, the German telecommunications company, is key to the delivery of the signals within Germany and to viewers throughout the world. Philips, as an Official Partner of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™, is involved in a joint initiative with FIFA and Infront to promote the High Definition viewing experience.
 
A press conference in the morning will give the CEO of HBS, Francis Tellier and Executive Director of Infront, Dominik Schmid, a platform to explain the production plan for 2006 in some detail, explain and answer questions on the proposed HDTV coverage as well as the reasoning behind the decision to commit to HDTV.
 
In the afternoon, a demonstration will show High Definition ("HD") running alongside Standard Definition ("SD"). This will take place during the 3rd/4th place playoff match, broadcast live from Leipzig to the TSI Tower and shown on big screens provided by Philips: on one screen in SD 4/3, on another screen in HD 16/9. It will help journalists to appreciate the extent to which HDTV will represent an exciting improvement over standard definition.
 
"The difference in quality is breath-taking — seeing really is believing," says Francis Tellier. "The HDTV viewer could be in the cinema. The experience is further enhanced with Surround Sound, which will also be produced by HBS for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™."
 
HDTV means a much sharper image than Standard Definition TV because it has more horizontal lines and each picture has up to 2 million pixels, far more than Standard TV's 400,000 pixels. This means up to five times more picture detail on the HDTV screen. This combination of clarity and widescreen is a marriage made in heaven when it comes to showing football at its best.
 
The number of countries who currently broadcast in HDTV is still limited to Japan, Korea, the USA and Canada, but HBS now believes that several of Europe's leading broadcasters will follow Premiere in Germany by choosing to opt for HDTV next year and there is also strong interest from Latin America and Asia.
 
"The HDTV tide has turned," says Dominik Schmid. "More and more broadcasters believe that the new format is going to take over fast. We feel that our decision will prove with hindsight to be a defining moment in the history of High Definition — like other major sporting events before it, the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ will provide the momentum for the adoption of a new television standard."
 
All 64 matches will be produced in HDTV and made available in both Standard and High Definition. 4/3 SD is the option that most clients will choose. HBS serves almost 300 broadcasters from more than 200 countries and must service all with equal commitment.
 
"The production standards of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ will be the highest in sporting history and leave a lasting legacy for the television industry, the host country and football fans around the world," is the promise made by Francis Tellier on behalf of HBS and Dominik Schmid on behalf of Infront.
 
For further information, please contact:
John Kristick
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723-1516
info@infrontsports.com
 
Nicola Taylor Director Communications
Host Broadcast Services
Tel. +33-1-55 19 20 08
Fax +33-1-55 19 20 12
ntaylor@hbs.tv
www.hbs.tv
 
Sacha Wigdorovits
Contract Media AG
Tel. +41-1-209 60 00
Fax +41-1-209 60 10
sacha.wigdorovits@contractmedia.ch
www.contractmedia.ch