Sony Begins to manufacture DVD recordable media in Europe * As part of strategy to achieve leading market position

PARIS August 25 (PROTEXT/PRNewswire) - Sony Recording Media &Energy Europe (RME) has today announced that it has started tomanufacture DVD Recordable media at Sony DADC Austria, Sony'sEuropean production centre for digital optical storage media,as part of its longer term strategy to achieve a leading positionin the European DVD recording media market.

Commenting on today's announcement, Sylvain Antol, ManagingDirector of Sony RME, said, "Sony has made significantinvestments in DVD media production in Europe. Our decision tobegin manufacturing DVD Recordable media reinforces our presencein the European market and our commitment toward DVD Recordingtechnology. It is an integral part of our strategy to become aleading player in this market."

In a separate press release, Sony RME has today announced thelaunch of a complete line-up of DVD Recordable and DVD Rewritablemedia. The range will consist of media for the DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW and DVD+RW formats, and will be available in normal single andmultipack jewel cases, as well as DVD video cases. The world'sfirst "Dual RW" DVD/CD ReWritable drives from Sony Home AudioVideo Europe support these four media types, thus eliminating theneed for consumers to choose one format over another.

Based in two locations, Anif and Thalgau, near Salzburg, SonyDADC Austria was founded in 1986 as a subsidiary of SonyCorporation of America. Since 1998 the company has produced morethan 150 million DVD discs, including DVD Video, DVD-ROM andPlayStation DVDs. The Sony DVD Center Europe, also based in Anif,offers DVD authoring services.About Sony

Sony manufactures audio, video, communications andinformation technology products for the global consumer andprofessional markets. With its music, pictures, game and onlinebusinesses, Sony is uniquely positioned to become a leadingpersonal broadband entertainment company in the 21st century. InEurope Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of EUR 14.76billion (yen 1,609 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31,2002, based on an average market exchange rate for the sameperiod of yen 109 to the EUR. Sony Europe, headquartered at theSony Center am Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, is responsible for thecompany's European electronics business and registeredconsolidated sales of EUR 9.36* billion for the fiscal year endedMarch 31, 2002. Within Sony Europe, Sony Recording Media & EnergyEurope is responsible for the retail and corporate data media,consumer and professional media and battery business.

Founded in 1986 as a 100% subsidiary of Sony Corporation ofAmerica, Sony DADC Austria stands as the experienced leader inthe manufacturing of optical storage media. Sony DADC is part ofSony's worldwide optical disc manufacturing network whichincludes facilities in Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Australia, theUSA, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and India. For more information aboutSony DADC Austria please visit http://www.sonydadc.com.

(* Figures for the cellular phones business from October 1,2001 are excluded from Sony Europe's consolidated sales.)

For more information please visit http://www.sony-europe.comFor high resolution images, please emaildanielle.williams@harvard.co.uk

For further information please contact:Sony RMEDanielle WilliamsHarvard Public Relationstel. +44 (0) 20 8759 0005 fax +44 (0) 20 8283 4948email: danielle.williams@harvard.co.ukSony EuropeMatthias ColliCorporate Communicationstel. +49 (0) 30 / 2575 5158 fax +49 (0) 30 2575 2174email: matthias.colli@eu.sony.com

For further information please contact:Sony RMEDanielle WilliamsHarvard Public Relationstel. +44 (0) 20 8759 0005fax +44 (0) 20 8283 4948email: danielle.williams@harvard.co.ukSony EuropeMatthias ColliCorporate Communicationstel. +49 (0) 30 / 2575 5158fax +49 (0) 30 2575 2174email: matthias.colli@eu.sony.com

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