Sportsnet NY HD is Cablevision's HD Channel of The Day, as Part of the Company's Continuing '45 Days in HD, on iO TV SM' Countdown

Ongoing salute to excellence in HD programming recognizes each of the 45 high-definition services iO TV customers receive at no additional cost.

Bethpage, NY (PRWEB) February 1, 2008 -- Cablevision Systems Corp. today is recognizing SportsNet New York (SNY) as its HD Channel of the Day, as part of the ongoing "45 Days in HD, on iO TV" countdown. SNY HD, which is available to Cablevision's iO TV customers on channel 718, features unparalleled access to the 2006 National League East Division Champion Mets - including over 120 live Mets telecasts - and over 250 hours of year-round, in-depth New York Jets coverage. In addition to the network being the leader in Big East basketball and football coverage in the New York market, SNY also delivers the most comprehensive live sports and local news coverage of all the Tri-State area's professional and collegiate sports teams through three nightly "SportsNite" news programs, and "Daily News Live" (DNL). SNY's programming roster also includes other live professional and collegiate sports, as well as classic sports, event programming, original entertainment shows and exclusive interview and magazine programs.

During the countdown, Cablevision is recognizing each of the 45 high-definition services iO customers receive at no additional cost, including all nine local professional sports teams in HD. Unlike its satellite and phone company competitors, Cablevision does not impose additional fees and charges on customers who want to "see" in HD.

"Cablevision is pleased to honor SNY HD as today's Channel of the Day in our ongoing '45 Days in HD, on iO TV' countdown," said John Trierweiler, Cablevision's senior vice president of product management. "SNY offers New York sports fans a front row seat to New York Mets baseball action and behind-the-scenes access to all of the favorite Jets players as well as outstanding coverage of important local sporting events, in crystal clear high-definition."

Featured SNY Programming On February 1, 2008 Includes:

5 p.m. - 6 p.m. DAILY NEWS LIVE
DNL is renowned for its fast-paced, debate-driven discussions that focus on the hottest sports and entertainment topics meaningful to New Yorkers. Airing Monday-Friday, DNL features professional and collegiate athletes and coaches, commissioners, actors and actresses, sportscasters, musicians, and politicians who debate topical sports and entertainment issues. Friday's show will focus on the Superbowl and pitcher Johan Santana.

6 p.m. - 10m. SNY INVITATIONAL
Taking place at NYU's Coles Sports Center in Manhattan, the inaugural SNY Invitational will not only become a pillar of the network's involvement in the community, but New York's next great annual high school basketball event. This year's tournament features feature four elite boys' varsity basketball teams that possess deep roots in the New York City basketball landscape: The Abraham Lincoln Railsplitters, Benjamin N. Cardozo Judges, John F. Kennedy Knights and the Frederick Douglass Lions. One of the represented schools - Abraham Lincoln high school - boasts NYC basketball phenom Lance Stephenson, dubbed "the king of high school basketball in New York City."

Game 1: Friday, Feb. 1, 2008 at 6pm, SNY   Cardozo High School vs. Frederick Douglass Academy
Game 2: Friday, Feb. 1, 2008 at 8pm, SNY   JFK High School vs. Lincoln High School

10 p.m. - 11 p.m. SPORTSNITE
Geico SportsNite provides the most in-depth, comprehensive coverage of all New York sports - including every professional and collegiate team in the Tri-State Area. Geico SportsNite is broadcast in high-definition from SNY's street-level studio in Manhattan - and airs at 6pm, 10pm and 1am Monday-Sunday.

Cablevision's high-definition line-up has more than doubled over the last year, and the company has the capacity today to deliver hundreds of channels of high-definition programming over its fully-deployed fiber optic network. More than 900,000 of Cablevision's nearly 2.6 million iO TV customers have at least one high-definition television and HD-cable set-top box in the home.

In an effort to drive consumer awareness and continued adoption of HDTV, Cablevision recently launched a retail partnership with P.C. Richard & Son, the New York metropolitan area's leading consumer appliance and electronics retailer, which allows customers to conveniently sign up for all three Optimum products - iO TV digital cable, Optimum Online high-speed Internet access and Optimum Voice phone service - at 35 P.C. Richard & Son retail locations in Cablevision's service territory. Cablevision is also providing its award-winning digital cable service to more than 30 store locations, so customers can experience the best in high-definition programming while they shop for a new HD television set.

Nearly 83 percent of Cablevision's cable customers are iO TV digital cable customers, the highest digital penetration in the nation. iO TV offers customers access to more than 360 channels, including 53 premium movie channels, 48 channels of commercial-free digital music, more than 1,800 titles available on demand at all times, an interactive programming guide, 45 high-definition programming services and groundbreaking interactive television applications including News 12 Interactive.

About Cablevision
Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC) is one of the nation's leading entertainment and telecommunications companies. Its cable television operations serve more than 3 million households in the New York metropolitan area. The company's advanced telecommunications offerings include its iO: Interactive Optimum® digital television, Optimum Online® high-speed Internet, Optimum Voice® digital voice-over-cable, and its Optimum Lightpath integrated business communications services. Cablevision's Rainbow Media Holdings LLC operates several successful programming businesses, including AMC, IFC, WE tv and other national and regional networks. In addition to its telecommunications and programming businesses, Cablevision owns Madison Square Garden and its sports teams, the New York Knicks, Rangers and Liberty. The company also operates New York's famed Radio City Music Hall, and owns and operates Clearview Cinemas.

CONTACT:
Cablevision
Patrick MacElroy, 516-803-1249
pmacelro(at)cablevision.com

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