LodgeNet Debuts sigNETure TV At HITEC 2003 - New Digital Interactive TV System Tailored For Hotels' Specific Marketing and Entertainment Needs
NEW ORLEANS, LA, June 24, 2003 - LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation
"SIGNETURE TV is a whole new ballgame in interactive guest room television," said Scott C. Petersen, President and CEO for LodgeNet, explaining that SIGNETURE TV integrates:
- A tailored guest user interface, co-created by LodgeNet and the hotel customer to match the "look and feel" of the hotel's overall brand identity
- A robust marketing engine enabling the hotel to reach guests with multiple, branded "touch points" at virtually every stage of their interactive TV experience
- Television programming and interactive content compatible with the entertainment, information and productivity needs of the hotel's particular guests
"LodgeNet designed this new system - which incorporates highly configurable on-site software, powerful back-end database systems and a nationwide satellite distribution network - to enhance guest satisfaction and increase revenues on- and off-property," said Petersen. "And it gives hotels an unprecedented opportunity to market directly to guests."
LodgeNet began deploying SIGNETURE TV last month and expects to serve up to 100,000 hotel rooms with the new platform by the end of this year.
"Now, interactive guest room television has the promise to become an essential part of every hotel's integrated marketing plan," Petersen said. "With SIGNETURE TV we have committed our entire company's technological, operating and human resources to delivering on that promise today."
Along with marketing applications, SIGNETURE TV uses LodgeNet's 310,000+ room digital satellite distribution network to deliver a wide range of content aligned with each hotel's unique guest demographics. This content includes digital movies, music and on-demand TV programming - all with On-Screen Controls offering DVD/CD functionality. Select SIGNETURE TV systems will also feature high-definition (HDTV) programming, TV Internet access and/or Nintendo GameCube video games.
LodgeNet is demonstrating SIGNETURE TV at Booth 1202 of the HITEC show, today through Thursday, June 26.
About LodgeNet - LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation (www.lodgenet.com) is the leading provider in the delivery of broadband, interactive services to the lodging industry, serving more hotels and guest rooms than any other provider in the world. These services include on-demand digital movies, digital music and music videos, Nintendo® video games, high-speed Internet access and other interactive television services designed to serve the needs of the lodging industry and the traveling public. As the largest company in the industry, LodgeNet provides service to 960,000 rooms (including more than 900,000 interactive guest pay rooms) in more than 5,700 hotel properties worldwide. More than 260 million travelers have access to LodgeNet systems on an annual basis. LodgeNet is listed on NASDAQ and trades under the symbol LNET.
This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following: general economic and business conditions, and trends in the lodging and entertainment industries in particular; changes in hotel occupancy rates, business and leisure travel rates and the "buy rate" of our customers; our ability to access popular movies, video games, music and other content on terms that are acceptable to us; the impact of regulations or competition on our products and services and changes to the competitive environment for our products and services, including the ability of our competitors to deliver on demand guest pay services through the Internet or cable; the occurrence of one or more future terrorist attacks, wars, public health concerns or other domestic or international crises; the ability of our suppliers to provide key components and services necessary for the manufacture and assembly of our interactive systems; uncertainties inherent in our new business strategies, such as our efforts to expand our digital system to a broader segment of our customer base; uncertainties inherent in our efforts to improve operating results by increasing revenue and decreasing costs; our ability to secure additional capital on terms that are acceptable to us and sufficient to execute our business plan, including expanding the installation of our digital system in our customers' guest rooms, and to adapt to technological changes in our industry; changes in the nature of our relationships with hotel chains and their franchisees, including our ability to obtain new customers and to retain existing customers; the outcome of any litigation; the results of our product development efforts relating to the development of new technologies and the enhancement of existing technologies; and other factors detailed, from time to time, in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
LodgeNet and sigNETure TV are service marks or registered trademarks of LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation. All rights reserved.
Ann Parker
Director Of Corporate Communications
605/988-1000
