CHATSWORTH,
CA (FEBRUARY 14, 2000) -- Image Entertainment, Inc. announced the signing
of an exclusive worldwide multi-year home video agreement with Black Entertainment
Television and BET on Jazz which will see the companies coproducing a series
of concerts from some of the music world's most respected artists.The first series of programs, featuring Jeffrey Osborne, Chaka Khan, Bobby Womack, Lou Rawls and Mark Whitfield, were filmed at BET's Washington D.C. studios last month. The concerts will air on BET and the BET on Jazz Network.
Under the terms of the agreement, Image will have worldwide home video rights to the concert series. The DVD releases will feature DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 and two channel stereo sound, as well as behind-the-scenes footage and other ancillary materials. The home video versions will also contain exclusive musical numbers not shown in the television airings.
Image plans day-and-date VHS and DVD releases in June to coincide with National Black Music Month.
Martin W. Greenwald, Image's President and CEO, stated, "This is one of the most exciting relationships we have forged as a company. The ability to work with the creative forces at Black Entertainment Television and BET on Jazz is all an extension of our stated strategy to become the leading provider of music programming on DVD in the industry.
Greenwald continued, "The opportunity to work with the professionals at BET has been very exciting. To produce a series of definitive programming, documenting some of the greatest musicians of our time, has been a rich and rewarding experience that I hope to continue for some time to come."
Paxton K. Baker, Senior Vice President of BET on Jazz, said, "I am very happy to have found a partner, in Image, that will work with us to establish BET on Jazz as one of the premiere providers of high quality music programming in the world.
Baker continued, "I am especially proud to be showcasing the exceptional talents of Jeffrey Osborne, Chaka Khan, Bobby Womack, Lou Rawls and Mark Whitfield on the DVD format."
BET On Jazz: The Jazz Channel is the principle location for the fulfillment of all jazz interests. The network is the first 24-hour television programming services dedicated exclusively to jazz music. BET On Jazz features many of the finest names in jazz through in-studio performances, festivals, concert coverage and celebrity interviews. Many of the shows feature original as well as historic footage unavailable on any other broadcast network.
BET Holdings, Inc. is the first and only black-owned and operated media/entertainment company to provide quality television programming, products and services specifically designed to appeal to African-American interests. Recognized for two consecutive years by Forbes magazine as one of "American's Best Small Companies," BET Holdings, Inc. also owns and operates four networks (BET On Jazz: The Jazz Channel, Black Entertainment Television, BET Action Pay Per View, and BET International networks), three magazines (Emerge, BET Weekend, and Heart & Soul), and Arabesque Books, the leading African-American line of romance novels. The company has also established a new film division, BET Pictures II, to develop African-American made-for-television movies and theatrical releases.
Other BET Holdings ventures include: BET.com, an interactive web site based upon a joint venture with Liberty Digital, News Corporation, USA Networks, and Microsoft; BET SoundStage Restaurant, an entertainment-themed restaurant outside of Washington, DC; BET SoundStage Club, a dance club at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando; BET On Jazz Restaurant, a fine dining restaurant in Washington, DC, Tres Jazz, a restaurant that recently opened in Bally's Paris Resort and Casino in Las Vegas; and BET Movies/STARZ!, a premium movie channel joint venture with Encore Media.
Image Entertainment, Inc. is a aggregator of content for DVD. Visit Image on-line at http://www.image-entertainment.com for corporate and marketing information and the latest in DVD, laserdisc and exclusive VHS releases.