Universal Worldwide Television Completes Polygram

Domestic Television Integration UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (ots-PRNewswire) - Universal Worldwide Television has completed the integration of PolyGram domestic television, it was announced by president Ned Nalle. Universal Worldwide Television, the television development, financing and distribution unit of Universal Television & Networks Group (UT&NG), now assumes responsibility for the PolyGram shows Motown Live, Total Recall 2070 and Blind Date as well as other programming, including development of a number of MOWs and additional first-run strip programming. The combined business unit, Universal Worldwide Television, includes scripted development, reality development, business affairs and marketing. The finance and legal functions are now centralized into UT&NG's existing group service functions. Syndicated sales efforts are now dual reporting to Universal Worldwide Television and to UT&NG's worldwide sales operations. Research will continue to report to syndicated sales. "The television marketplace will look different tomorrow than it does today. Our plan is to be flexible and to anticipate the tastes of the market and identify the opportunities for success. Our team is focused on capitalizing on the changes in the media landscape," said Mr. Nalle, who was responsible for overseeing Universal's Action Pack, a profitable movies for television franchise which spawned the highly successful first-run syndication action hours "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess." In addition to the new domestic television responsibilities, Universal Worldwide Television will continue to manage the successful international talk shows "Vera am Mittag" (Germany) and "Catherine" (Netherlands), which are each number one in their time periods. In the last year, Universal launched two additional international talk shows, "Lenferink!" (Netherlands), and "Trisha" (UK) which is currently number one in its time period. As a result of the restructuring, Deana Elwell, chief operating officer of PolyGram Television, has elected to pursue other endeavors outside the company. "I would like to recognize the contributions Deana accomplished from the start of PolyGram television all the way through this integration," said Mr. Nalle. Universal Worldwide Television is part of Universal Television & Networks Group which distributes: Universal's current and library feature films throughout the world in all television media; Universal's television library in all television media outside the United States; and USA Networks Inc.'s original programming, including Studios USA's television product, outside the United States in all television media. It also produces television programming throughout the world; develops and acquires films for domestic and international production and distribution. The Group also includes Universal Studios Networks, which is comprised of USA Network Latin America, distributed in 18 Latin American countries; USA Network Brazil, a joint venture with Globosat; ScioFi, available in the United Kingdom and southern Africa; 13th Street: The Action & Suspense Channel, which launched in November 1997 in France and May 1998 in Germany; and Studio Universal, a movie channel launched in Italy in May 1998. Universal Television & Networks Group is a part of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com), a unit of The Seagram Company Ltd. (NYSE: VO), a global entertainment and beverage company. For further information please contact Karin Timpone, 818-777- 1385, or Zenon Dmytryk, 818-777-8072, both of Universal Television & Networks Group. ots Original Text Service: Universal Worldwide Television Internet: http://www.newsaktuell.de Contact: Karin Timpone, 818-777-1385, or Zenon Dmytryk, 818-777-8072, both of Universal Television & Networks Group Web site: http://www.universalstudios.com Subscribers please note that material bearing the slug "PROTEXT" is not part of CTK's news service and is not to be published under the "CTK" slug. Protext is a commercial service providing distribution of press releases from clients, who are identified in the text of Protext reports and who bear full responsibility for their contents. PROTEXT