Sony Pictures Entertainment Renames Television Operations; Domestic and International Divisions Take Sony Name

    CULVER CITY, Calif., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- In a strategic move aimed at
 capitalizing on the overall strength of the Sony brand, Sony Pictures
 Entertainment has renamed its domestic and international television
 operations, it was announced today by John Calley, Chairman and CEO of Sony
 Pictures Entertainment.  Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (CTDT) and
 Columbia TriStar International Television (CTIT) will now operate under the
 names Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and Sony Pictures Television
 International (SPTI), respectively.
     "By more closely aligning our television operations with the Sony name, we
 will be able to leverage the power of one of the world's most recognized and
 respected brands," Calley said.  "This move further enforces our commitment to
 television production, distribution and syndication around the world."
     "The Sony name stands for quality, innovation, endless possibilities and
 fun, the very ideals we're embracing in the television division," said Steve
 Mosko, President, Sony Pictures Television.  "Extending the Sony brand to our
 division underscores our commitment to those values."
     "The Sony brand is recognized and appreciated worldwide," said Michael
 Grindon, President, Sony Pictures Television International.  "For television
 audiences, advertisers and our broadcast clients, the Sony name reinforces the
 quality, innovation and technological sophistication we associate with our
 programming and channels throughout the world."
     As the first television business created by a major Hollywood studio,
 SPE's television operations trace their history to the founding of Screen Gems
 in 1948.  Currently, SPE's television divisions produce or distribute
 approximately 60 programs worldwide, spanning all formats and genres with
 local programming in eight languages.  SPE also grants licensing rights to its
 large library of television programs and motion pictures to network affiliates
 and independent stations in the United States and to international television
 stations and other broadcasters throughout the world.
     Sony Pictures Television's current programming includes:  Prime Time
 Series -- "The King of Queens" (CBS), "The Guardian" (CBS) and "Dawson's
 Creek" (WB); The #1 and #2 Network Daytime Serials -- "The Young and the
 Restless" (CBS) and "Days of Our Lives" (NBC); The world's #1 and #2
 Syndicated Game Shows -- "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!"; Made-for-Cable --
 "The Shield" (FX), "Odyssey V" (Showtime), "Ripley's Believe It or Not!"
 (TBS), "Strong Medicine" (Lifetime), "Worst-Case Scenario" (TBS), "Street
 Time" (Showtime), "Russian Roulette" (Game Show Network) and "Residents"
 (TNT); First-Run Syndication -- "Ricki Lake," "Judge Hatchett," "Shipmates,"
 "Pyramid" and "eBayTV" (Fall '03); Off-Network Syndication -- "Seinfeld,"
 "Just Shoot Me," "Mad About You," "The Nanny," "Married ... With Children,"
 "The Steve Harvey Show" and "The Larry Sanders Show"; Upcoming Telefilms --
 "Murder in Greenwich" (USA), "Martin and Lewis" (CBS), "Christmas Rush" (TBS);
 Family Entertainment (animated series) -- "Jackie Chan Adventures" (WB),
 "Harold and the Purple Crayon" (HBO) and "Dragon Tales" (the #1 series on
 PBS); upcoming animated projects include "Spider-Man" (MTV) and "Stuart
 Little" (HBO Family).
     Sony Pictures Television International continues to expand its worldwide
 distribution capabilities and leverage its motion picture and television
 library assets, with over 30 channels reaching more than 140 million viewers
 worldwide.  SPTI's international productions are a key strategy in the
 Company's long-range commitment to the global marketplace.  A major
 distributor of quality entertainment, SPTI also recognizes the need for
 localized content.  With dedicated offices in France, Germany, Hong Kong,
 India, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom, SPTI currently oversees
 production in eight countries, yielding some 2,300 hours of television.
     SPE's television library includes over 35,000 television episodes,
 275 television series and more than 22,000 episodes of game show programming
 from 50 years of television history, including such TV classics as THE THREE
 STOOGES, I DREAM OF JEANNIE, BEWITCHED, ALL IN THE FAMILY, THE JEFFERSONS,
 CHARLIE'S ANGELS, DIFF'RENT STROKES and MARRIED ... WITH CHILDREN.
 
     Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a division of Sony Corporation of
 America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation.  SPE's global
 operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television
 production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution;
 worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and
 distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment
 products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment
 in 67 countries.  Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide
 Web at http://www.sonypictures.com .
 
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SOURCE  Sony Pictures Entertainment