Companies news

VeriFone eHealth Initiative Extends German Market PresenceLeader in US Health Payments Market Since 1995 Targets Burgeoning German Demand for Healthcard Systems and Expertise

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- VeriFone Holdings, Inc. today announced a new initiative designed to meet growing demand in Germany for electronic health card systems. As the leader of payment and value-added applications in the US market since 1995, VeriFone brings a broad product portfolio and years of experience to meet the needs of healthcare organizations striving to meet Germany's eHealth goals.

Germany has begun a major eHealth initiative that ties together health providers, pharmacies and insurers with a consumer electronic health card (eCH), aimed at migrating consumer health care information and payment needs to a national communications network based on electronic chip card. Led by Gematik, a management organization comprised by leading German health organizations, the system combines insurance eligibility, electronic prescriptions and electronic medical records on a consumer smart card.

"Germany is in the forefront of the movement to a eHealth system and VeriFone has years of expertise in providing medical card applications in the U.S.," said VeriFone Chief Executive Officer Douglas G. Bergeron. "We have worked with health providers, insurance companies and applications developers to provide electronic solutions to the resolve health records and reimbursement issues. This expertise is uniquely suited to the emerging needs of Germany's healthcare industry."

VeriFone currently offers a range of payment certified electronic card acceptance solutions in Germany, including the V x 570, V x 670 and Secura PIN device, as well as many communications options, including Ethernet, ISDN, GPRS and WiFi. In the coming quarter, the company will be introducing new product sets into the German market and specific eHealth applications.

In the US, VeriFone systems are used in a wide variety of applications, including New York and California Medicaid programs, Kaiser Permanente's co-payments acceptance, and Secure EDI's health claims management systems.

VeriFone's multi-application system and software solutions are HIPAA compliant and are specifically designed to meet the needs of medical providers, health plans, hospitals, schools, public health agencies and other organizations in the healthcare industry.

Additional resources: http://www.verifone.com/about-us/europe-middle-east-africa/germany.aspx About VeriFone Holdings, Inc. (http://www.verifone.com/)

VeriFone Holdings, Inc. ("VeriFone") is the global leader in secure electronic payment solutions. VeriFone provides expertise, solutions and services that add value to the point of sale with merchant-operated, consumer-facing and self-service payment systems for the financial, retail, hospitality, petroleum, government and healthcare vertical markets. VeriFone solutions are designed to meet the needs of merchants, processors and acquirers in developed and emerging economies worldwide.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 for VeriFone Holdings, Inc.:

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of VeriFone Holdings, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: our ability to successful introduce new eHealth product and application solutions into the German market, our customers' acceptance and adoption of our newly released products and applications, our ability to protect against fraud, the status of our relationship with and condition of third parties upon whom we rely in the conduct of our business, our dependence on a limited number of customers, uncertainties related to the conduct of our business internationally, our dependence on a limited number of key employees, short product cycles, rapidly changing technologies and maintaining competitive leadership position with respect to our payment solution offerings. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual report on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. VeriFone is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

VeriFone Holdings, Inc.

CONTACT: Pete Bartolik of VeriFone Media Relations, +1-508-283-4112,
pete_bartolik@verifone.com

Web Site: http://www.verifone.com/

Commercial Marine Operators Turning to KVH for Complete Satellite Communications SolutionMowinckel Ship Management latest to select TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT Broadband for multi-ship fleet

MIDDLETOWN, R.I., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Commercial maritime professionals have a keen eye for value in order to be successful. One feature that can add tremendous value to any ship is a versatile and affordable satellite communications solution. Broadband connections onboard are playing a valuable role in enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing competitive position. Increasingly, commercial shipping operators are turning to KVH Industries, Inc., and its comprehensive suite of satellite communications and entertainment solutions. Selected by tanker fleets, commercial fishing operators, ferries, government vessels, and other vessels, KVH's broadband Internet, telephone, and satellite TV solutions are proving to be powerful tools that strengthen ship management, boost crew morale and retention, and help meet regulatory requirements more efficiently.

One of these is Mowinckel Ship Management AS (formerly Vista), the latest commercial ship operator to convert to KVH's commercial-grade TracPhone V7 satellite communications system for its day-to-day satellite communications and crew use on seven chemical tankers.

"We are excited to have a new solution for day-to-day shipboard satellite communications that is both affordable and easy to install alongside our existing Inmarsat and GSM systems. This helps to keep our business operations efficient, and allows the crew to use the services to stay in touch with their loved ones," says Runar Gaarder, ICT Manager for Mowinckel Ship Management. "This is especially important, because in our industry retaining quality crew and officers is essential."

The TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT Broadband service offer highly valuable features for Mowinckel, including data service at 256 Kbps and two lines of enhanced Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service, dramatically increasing their network capacity while staying within their monthly airtime budget.

"We use the TracPhone V7 for a variety of applications, including daily reports, troubleshooting, quality control, supply requisitions and job instructions," explains Stephen Kemp, resource manager for Houston, TX-based Tesla Offshore, LLC, illustrating the many tasks that the TracPhone V7 supports on Tesla's geophysical data acquisition vessels.

KVH also offers its rugged satellite TV antennas for use aboard commercial vessels, including shipping and fishing vessels that are often at sea for long periods of time, to increase crew morale and support retention of quality staff. Many operators choose to have live TV onboard for this very reason - as competition for the best crew intensifies, amenities like satellite TV can help an operator succeed.

"The equipment was easy for our vessels' electrical engineers to install," says Sergey Minakov, Electrical Engineer Superintendent for Unicom Management Services Ltd., a member of SovComFlot, Russia's largest shipping company, which is in the process of fielding KVH TracVision systems on 60 vessels. "Now, the TracVision M9 allows our crew to watch the latest news. Having live TV onboard clearly increases the morale of our people."

Steven J. Griffin, commercial marine sales manager for KVH, will discuss these solutions in depth at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at the CMA Shipping 2009 Conference and Exhibition in Stamford, CT.

Please visit http://www.kvh.com/commercial for more information about KVH's comprehensive suite of satellite communications for the commercial maritime industry.

Visit http://www.kvh.com/whitepapers to download free case studies illustrating how commercial operators like Mowinckel are relying on KVH's satellite communications and entertainment solutions to improve shipboard operations and crew morale.

Note to Editors: High-resolution, press-ready photos of KVH's TracPhone and TracVision products are available at http://press.kvh.com/ for download and editorial use.

About KVH Industries, Inc.

Middletown, RI-based KVH Industries, Inc., and its wholly owned subsidiary, KVH Europe A/S, are leading providers of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 150,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH's mission is to connect mobile customers around the globe with the same digital television entertainment, communications, and Internet services that they enjoy in their homes and offices.

This release may contain certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include, for example, the functionality, characteristics, quality and performance of KVH's products and technology; anticipated innovation and product development; and customer preferences, requirements and expectations. The actual results could differ materially. Factors that may cause such differences include, among others, those discussed in KVH's most recent Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. KVH does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements to reflect new information or developments.

KVH, TracPhone, and TracVision are registered trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. mini-VSAT Broadband is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Brent Bruun

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=85214

KVH Industries, Inc.

CONTACT: Chris Watson of KVH Industries, +1-401-845-8138,
cwatson@kvh.com

Web Site: http://www.kvh.com/

DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc. Provides ACC5 Data Center Lease DetailsTenant's Platform Offers Data Center Access to Smaller Customers

WASHINGTON, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc. today announced details of a lease agreement at its ACC5 data center facility in Ashburn, Virginia, earlier announced with the fourth quarter 2008 results. A total of 2.275 megawatts (MW) of critical load was pre-leased to Net2EZ Managed Data Centers, a national provider of collocation, metro-connectivity and managed data center services. The space represents 12.5 percent of ACC5's Phase I available critical load and is included in the 57 percent of space pre-leased to date at that facility.

DuPont Fabros began ground-up construction of ACC5 in the first quarter of 2008 and expects to deliver the facility in the third quarter of 2009. When completed, ACC5 will comprise two phases of 18.2 MW totaling 36.4 MW of critical load.

Net2EZ currently leases 2.275 MW of critical load at the Company's ACC4 data center facility in Ashburn. The tenant's flexible platform and expanded presence at DFT's two Ashburn facilities provide an opportunity for companies historically considered too small to now gain access to top-tier wholesale data centers like ACC4 and ACC5.

Hossein Fateh, President and Chief Executive Officer of DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc., said, "Through this agreement with Net2EZ at ACC5 we are strengthening our relationship with a high quality and valued tenant at our Ashburn campus. Moreover, this will allow smaller companies to capitalize on the level of reliability we've made available through our best in class data centers. Looking ahead, it is our hope that Net2EZ will serve as an effective conduit through which smaller scale companies will develop, thrive and ultimately become direct tenants of DFT."

Pervez Delawalla, Chief Executive Officer of Net2EZ, said, "As a current tenant, we believe that DuPont Fabros Technology offers the best quality data center space available in the northern Virginia market today. Our decision to take additional space at the Company's new ACC5 data center demonstrates our confidence in these facilities and further strengthens a productive partnership."

About DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc.

DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT) and leading owner, developer, operator and manager of wholesale data centers. The Company's data centers are highly specialized, secure facilities used primarily by national and international technology companies to house, power and cool the computer servers that support many of their most critical business processes. DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc. is headquartered in Washington, DC. For more information please visit http://www.dft.com/.

About Net2EZ Managed Data Centers

Net2EZ Managed Data Centers is a leading provider of high-availability colocation, metro-connectivity, and managed data center services. They provide end-to-end IP solutions, including business resumption planning, security consulting services, mass storage, and network planning. With Tier-1 connectivity, Net2EZ is perfectly positioned to deliver a complete data center solution for both online and enterprise-grade clientele. Net2EZ enables some of the industry's top content providers, webcasters and enterprise customers to quickly deliver results while ensuring unmatched performance and security. Their innovative platform has been proven to dramatically reduce costs associated with high availability hosting, e-commerce, distance learning, online entertainment, and corporate connectivity. More information is available at (888) 931-3444 or http://www.net2ez.net/.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may be deemed to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including those statements related to cash flows. The matters described in these forward-looking statements describe expectations regarding future events, results and trends and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. The Company faces many risks that could cause its actual performance to differ materially from the results predicted by its forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the risk that the Company may be unable to obtain financing on favorable terms, the risks commonly associated with construction and development of new facilities, including the timing to complete development of ACC5, risks relating to compliance with permitting, zoning, land-use and environmental requirements, credit risks related to tenants, the risk of increases in interest rates and the risk that the Company may not be able to maintain its qualification as a REIT for federal tax purposes. The periodic reports that the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2008, contain detailed descriptions of these and many other risks to which the Company is subject. These reports are available on our website at http://www.dft.com/. Because of those risks, the Company's actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from the results, performance or achievements contemplated by its forward-looking statements. The information set forth in this news release represents management's current expectations and intentions. The Company assumes no responsibility to issue updates to the forward-looking matters discussed in this press release.

DuPont Fabros Technology, Inc.

CONTACT: Victoria Baker, Investor/Media Inquiries, +1-703-796-1798,
vbaker@mww.com, for DFT

Web Site: http://www.dft.com/

Now Shipping: Affordable New Viper 350 Plus Vehicle Security Systems

VISTA, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Directed Electronics, a business unit of DEI Holdings, Inc. (Symbol: DEIX), is pleased to announce that affordable new Viper(R) 350 Plus vehicle security systems are now available at authorized Viper retailers worldwide. Introduced at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the Viper 350 Plus is an upgrade to the all-time best-selling Viper 350, featuring new-style 4-button remotes with dedicated arm and disarm buttons.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090323/LA87615) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020424/DIRECTLOGO)

Other enhancements include the Control Center - a combined antenna, Valet switch and status LED in one unit - which means no more drilling holes in the dash. The Viper 350 Plus also now features a super-heterodyne XR+ receiver, for range of up to a quarter mile. With an MSRP of just $239, this is the most affordable Viper security system on the market. Available at the same low price are the new Python 460 Max and Clifford Matrix +1, also introduced at CES. For more information, please visit http://www.directed.com/

About DEI Holdings, Inc.

Headquartered in Southern California, DEI Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of some of the most respected brands in the consumer electronics industry. DEI Holdings is the largest designer and marketer in North America of premium home theater loudspeakers (sold under the Polk Audio(R) and Definitive Technology(R) brand names), and consumer-branded vehicle security and remote start systems (sold under Viper(R), Clifford(R), Python(R), Autostart(R) and other brand names). DEI Holdings is also a supplier of mobile audio sold principally under the Polk Audio and Orion(R) brand names, and digital OEM Integration products sold under the XPRESSKIT(R) brand name. DEI Holdings markets its broad portfolio of products through many channels including leading national retailers and specialty chains throughout North America and around the world. Founded in 1982, the company has operations in California, Maryland, Canada, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit http://www.deiholdings.com/.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020424/DIRECTLOGO
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090323/LA87615
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Directed Electronics

CONTACT: Kennedy Gammage, Director of Communications of Directed
Electronics, +1-760-599-1325, ken.gammage@directed.com

Web Site: http://www.directed.com/

Communications & Power Industries Selected to Provide Crossed-Field Amplifier Repairs to Support Aegis Weapons System

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Communications & Power Industries, Inc. (CPI) has been awarded an approximately $2 million contract from the U.S. Navy for major repair/remanufacture of crossed-field amplifiers to support the AN/SPY-1B/D radar system on the Aegis weapons system. CPI, a subsidiary of CPI International, Inc. , is a leading provider of microwave, radio frequency, power and control solutions for critical defense, communications, medical, scientific and other applications.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060426/CPILOGO)

The contract was awarded by the Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) in Mechanicsburg, Pa. Shipments are scheduled to be completed within the next 12 months. Work on the contract will be completed at CPI's Beverly Microwave Division in Beverly, Mass.

The Aegis weapons system is the largest single defense program for CPI, and the company has supported it for more than 30 years. The AN/SPY-1 radar system is the primary air and surface radar on the U.S. Navy Ticonderoga-class cruisers and DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, as well as on several foreign navies' destroyers.

About CPI International, Inc.

CPI International, Inc., headquartered in Palo Alto, California, is the parent company of Communications & Power Industries, Inc., a leading provider of microwave, radio frequency, power and control solutions for critical defense, communications, medical, scientific and other applications. Communications & Power Industries, Inc. develops, manufactures and distributes products used to generate, amplify, transmit and receive high-power/high-frequency microwave and radio frequency signals and/or provide power and control for various applications. End-use applications of these systems include the transmission of radar signals for navigation and location; transmission of deception signals for electronic countermeasures; transmission and amplification of voice, data and video signals for broadcasting, Internet and other types of commercial and military communications; providing power and control for medical diagnostic imaging; and generating microwave energy for radiation therapy in the treatment of cancer and for various industrial and scientific applications.

Certain statements included above constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements provide our current expectations, beliefs or forecasts of future events. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the results projected, expected or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, competition in our end markets; the impact of a general slowdown in the global economy; our significant amount of debt; changes or reductions in the U.S. defense budget; currency fluctuations; U.S. government contracts laws and regulations; changes in technology; the impact of unexpected costs; and inability to obtain raw materials and components. These and other risks are described in more detail in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All future written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect us. We undertake no duty or obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events occurring after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes in our expectations.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060426/CPILOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
photodesk@prnewswire.com CPI International, Inc.

CONTACT: Amanda Mogin, investor relations of Communications & Power
Industries, +1-650-846-3998, amanda.mogin@cpii.com

Web Site: http://www.cpii.com/

Media General Announces New Market-Focused Business Structure

RICHMOND, Va., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Media General announced today that effective July 1, 2009, the company will alter its organizational structure, shifting from its current three division structure (Publishing, Broadcast and Interactive Media) to five geographic markets. All properties in a given market will report to a market leader regardless of platform. The company already manages its Florida market in this manner.

"Media General's strength is derived from its markets. Structuring our business along market lines will provide an even closer connection to our customers, accelerate our Web-First strategy and speed decision-making across the enterprise," said Marshall N. Morton, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We will be better able to pursue new opportunities to serve customers beyond our traditional market boundaries, especially using digital media," said Mr. Morton.

The following Media General executives have been named President, Market Leader, for these five market segments. They will report to Reid Ashe, Chief Operating Officer:

Virginia/Tennessee - James A. Zimmerman. Mr. Zimmerman is currently President of the Broadcast Division. In 2008, the VA/TN market had revenues of approximately $235 million.

Florida - John R. Schueler. Mr. Schueler is currently President, Florida Communications Group. In 2008, the FL market had revenues of approximately $215 million.

Mid-South - John R. Cottingham. Mr. Cottingham is currently Senior Vice President, Broadcast Stations. The Mid-South market includes South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. In 2008, the Mid-South market had revenues of approximately $170 million.

North Carolina - James R. Conschafter. Mr. Conschafter is currently Senior Vice President, Broadcast Stations. In 2008, the NC market had revenues of approximately $105 million.

Ohio/Rhode Island - Richard E. Rogala. Mr. Rogala is currently Vice President and General Manager, WCMH in Columbus, Ohio. In 2008, the OH/RI market had revenues of approximately $62 million.

Starting with its third quarter 2009 earnings report, Media General's operating segments will be the five geographic markets. There will also be a sixth segment, Interactive Advertising Services, which will include the results of Blockdot, Inc., DealTaker.com and NetInformer. Media General will reclassify prior-year results to conform to the new structure.

As part of the market-focused structure, a new position, Group Vice President, Growth and Performance, will report to Mr. Morton to further intensify the company's focus on digital media opportunities and operational excellence initiatives. James F. Woodward, currently Vice President, Corporate Human Resources, has been named to the new position. C. Kirk Read has been named President, Digital Media, and will report to Mr. Woodward. Mr. Read will continue to lead the team responsible for creating online products and services and developing Internet partnerships. Also reporting to Mr. Woodward will be Dale B. Lachniet, President, Newspaper Production and Distribution, and Ardell Hill, President, Broadcast Services. Succeeding Mr. Woodward as Vice President, Corporate Human Resources is Robert E. MacPherson, who is currently President, Community Newspapers.

H. Graham Woodlief, Jr., 64, President, Publishing Division, plans to pursue his long-planned retirement, effective July 1, 2009. "Graham has contributed significantly to the growth and success of Media General in his 47 years with the company. We look forward to his help with our transition to the market structure before he pursues his long-standing plans to retire," Mr. Morton said.

A video report from Mr. Morton to employees on this topic is available on http://www.mediageneral.com/ so that interested investors, reporters and others may have the opportunity to hear more about the new market structure and its benefits.

Biographical Information (Photos Available)

Mr. Zimmerman, 62, has been President, Broadcast Division since 1996. He joined Media General in 1975 as Director of Internal Audit. Before becoming President of the Broadcast Division, he was President and General Manager of WFLA in Tampa. He received a B.S. degree from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Mr. Schueler, 59, has been President, Florida Communications Group since 2005. Before joining Media General, he was President and Publisher of MediaNews Group's ANG Division in Oakland, Calif., where he served as Chief Executive Officer of its Northern California cluster. He received a B.B.A. degree from Western Michigan University.

Mr. Cottingham, 58, has been Senior Vice President, Broadcast Stations since 2005. He joined Media General in 2001 as Vice President and General Manager of three stations, including WSPA in Spartanburg, S.C. He earlier held management positions at a number of other broadcast stations. He attended Belmont Abbey College.

Mr. Conschafter, 57, has been Senior Vice President, Broadcast Stations since 2004. He joined Media General in 2000 as Vice President and General Manager of WSPA in Spartanburg, S.C., and two other stations. He earlier held management positions at a number of other broadcast stations. He received a B.S. degree from the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University.

Mr. Rogala, 48, has been Vice President and General Manager, WCMH in Columbus, Ohio, since 2007. From 1991-2001, he was President and General Manager of WFLA. He has more than 13 years of general manager experience at television stations throughout the country. He received a B.A. degree from Ohio University.

Mr. Woodward, 49, has been Vice President, Corporate Human Resources since 2005. During his 26 years with Media General, he has served as Staff Accountant, Audit Manager, Assistant Controller of Richmond Newspapers, Manager of Human Resources Systems for the Finance Department and Director of Human Resources from 1999 to 2005. He received a B.S. degree from James Madison University.

Mr. Read, 39, has been President, Interactive Media Division since 2007. He joined the company in 1995 and helped create TBO.com in Tampa and served as its first General Manager. He also served as a newspaper Publisher and Regional Publisher for several Media General newspapers in Virginia. He received a B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University.

Mr. Lachinet, 45, has been President of the newly formed Newspaper Production and Distribution unit since February 1, 2009. He joined the company in 1996 as Controller of the Publishing Division and was named Vice President in 1999. Before joining Media General, he worked for Ernst & Young and Price Waterhouse, where he worked with media and entertainment companies as well as other industries. He received a B.S. degree from Liberty University.

Mr. Hill, 60, has been Senior Vice President, Broadcast Operations since 2001 and has more than 40 years of broadcast operations and technology experience. He joined the company in 1982 as Operations Manager for WFLA in Tampa. Before joining Media General, he held engineering and operations positions at several television stations in Alabama and Louisiana. He attended the University of South Alabama.

Mr. MacPherson, 55, has been President, Community Newspapers since 2005. He joined the company in 1982 as Internal Audit Manager and has held many business and financial positions at Media General, including Director of Internal Audit and later Vice President and Business Manager for Virginia Newspapers. He received B.S. degrees from the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University.

About Media General

Media General is a leading provider of local news, information and entertainment over multiple media platforms. The company serves markets primarily in the Southeastern United States. Media General publishes 24 daily newspapers, including The Tampa Tribune, Richmond Times-Dispatch, and Winston-Salem Journal; and community newspapers in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina; plus more than 250 weekly newspapers and other targeted publications. The company owns and operates 19 network-affiliated television stations that reach approximately 30 percent of the television households in the Southeast and nearly 9 percent of those in the United States. The company's interactive media operations include Web sites and portals that are associated with each of its newspapers and television stations as well as with many specialty publications, and two growing interactive advertising services companies, Blockdot, Inc., NetInformer and DealTaker.com.

Media General

CONTACT: Investors: Lou Anne Nabhan, +1-804-649-6103, or Media: Ray
Kozakewicz, +1-804-649-6748, both of Media General

Web Site: http://www.mediageneral.com/

Lockheed Martin Reduces Water Usage by 275 Million GallonsCompany's Environmental Focus Earns Recognition in 2008

BETHESDA, Md., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Lockheed Martin announced that it reduced its total year-to-year water consumption by 11 percent in 2008. Equating to approximately 275 million gallons in water savings, the corporation focused on facility and cooling system efficiency projects, detecting and repairing leaks, and installing landscape irrigation controls.

"We're proud of our long-standing commitment to environmentally responsible business practices, through which we've made energy efficiency, waste and water use reduction part of our day-to-day operations, culture and long-term strategy," said Bob Stevens, Lockheed Martin's Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. "As global citizens, we view taking care of our planet as a matter of conscience. Environmental excellence is important to our customers, and we believe our strong performance in this area is a motivating factor for our employees."

Water conservation is part of the Corporation's comprehensive environmental program that has established an aggressive 25 percent reduction goal for carbon emissions, waste and water use by 2012.

Additionally, Lockheed Martin continues to earn high-level recognition for its environmental performance, with facilities across the United States and the United Kingdom receiving numerous awards based on independent assessments and stringent metrics during 2008.

Representative examples of the accomplishments follow:

Eagan, MN and Grand Prairie, TX - These two facilities were recognized with Energy Star Awards in 2008. These awards are conferred annually by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, to honor organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency.

Denver, CO - The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment recently recognized Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company Denver as a Gold Leader in the Colorado Environmental Leadership Program (CELP). The award recognizes consistent compliance with environmental regulations and continual improvement beyond compliance requirements. This is the ninth year Lockheed Martin has been honored as a Gold Leader, the highest level of state recognition.

Syracuse, NY - Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors in Syracuse, NY was recognized with the 2008 Industrial Wastewater Achievement Award from the Onondaga County Department of Water Environment Protection.

Sunnyvale, CA - The California Integrated Waste Management Board named Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale a winner of the 2008 Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP). The award recognizes Lockheed Martin's environmental commitment through the implementation of waste reduction and recycling programs. WRAP honorees have diverted more than one million tons of material from landfills, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than one-half million tons of CO2 through recycling.

Manassas, VA - Lockheed Martin's facility in Manassas was a 2008 winner of the Virginia E4 Environmental Excellence Program. The Virginia Environmental Excellence Program encourages superior performance through environmental management systems and pollution prevention. The E4 level differentiates a facility with a fully implemented environmental management system, sustainable environmental progress and community involvement.

United Kingdom - Four Lockheed Martin UK business units recently were independently audited and awarded ISO 14001 by LRQA (Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance). ISO 14001 is a set of guidelines and requirements for how an organization determines its impact upon the environment, and arrangements for environmental management. Lockheed Martin sites Farnborough, Farnham, Havant and London have been granted this accreditation.

Marietta, GA - A finalist in the State of Georgia's Clean Air Campaign's 2008 PACE Innovator Award for electric vehicle use and savings associated with program. Since the program's inception in 2007, approximately 43.34 tons of carbon dioxide has been saved, along with more than 4,567 gallons of regular gasoline.

Fort Worth, TX - Lockheed Martin Aeronautics received two awards from the City of Fort Worth Water Department. One award was for 12 years of 100 percent compliance with local, state and federal pretreatment regulations. The second was a Pollution Prevention Award in recognition of the significant efforts in the use of materials, processes or practices that reduce or eliminate wastes and which serve to protect natural resources and our environment.

Lockheed Martin also continues to bring energy solutions to the market that meet the efficiency needs of our customers, such as the Department of Energy. Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Services was awarded a role on the Department of Energy's indefinite-delivery-indefinite-quantity vehicle to help reduce energy costs across the government.

For additional Lockheed Martin achievements and recognitions and to learn more about Lockheed Martin Energy, Environment, Safety and Health programs, go to: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/aboutus/energy_environment/index.html

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

For additional information, visit our website:

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

Lockheed Martin

CONTACT: Lockheed Martin Corporate, Gail Rymer, +1-301-535-9500,
gail.rymer@lmco.com

Web Site: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

America's #1 Family-Owned and Operated Appliance & Electronic Company to House America's Most Reliable Wireless ServiceVerizon Wireless to Open Stores Within More Than 30 P.C. Richard & Son Locations in Metro New York and New Jersey

WARREN, N.J. and FARMINGDALE, N.Y., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- When Peter Christiaan (P.C.) Richard opened a hardware store in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn in 1909, no one even imagined a telephone without wires. Over the years, P.C. Richard & Son, now based on Long Island, has grown into America's #1 family-owned and operated appliance and electronic company and today joined Verizon Wireless to announce a relationship that will bring Verizon Wireless' store-within-a-store concept to more than 30 P.C. Richard & Son showrooms located throughout the New York/New Jersey Metro area. With the addition of Verizon Wireless kiosks, P.C. Richard & Son customers now will have easy access to the latest wireless phones, devices and accessories, plus a variety of service plans on the nation's most reliable wireless network.

"Like Verizon Wireless, P.C. Richard & Son is synonymous with 'Honesty, Integrity and Reliability,'" said Pat Devlin, president of Verizon Wireless' New York Metro Region. "Both our companies have a long-standing commitment to providing customers with the highest quality shopping experience and superior customer service. This new relationship means added convenience for customers."

Verizon Wireless will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the P.C. Richard & Son kiosks, including hiring, inventory and displays.

"At P.C. Richard & Son, we have the largest display and selection of quality, name-brand appliances and electronics," said Gregg Richard, president. "We're excited to offer our customers the added convenience of an industry-leading wireless store in our showrooms. Verizon Wireless offers cutting-edge products and reliability our customers can count on."

Staffed by knowledgeable wireless professionals, the new kiosks offer consumers a broad range of services and equipment, including popular devices like the BlackBerry(R) Storm(TM) and the new LG Versa, offering touch screens and access to multimedia services like Verizon Wireless' V CAST Music with Rhapsody. New service features include Verizon Wireless Friends and Family(R) which lets customers on eligible calling plans enjoy unlimited calling to up to 10 numbers on any network, anytime, anywhere in America without using plan minutes. Customers can even include landline numbers or wireless numbers of those who haven't yet switched to the nation's largest, most reliable network.

The company's stores within P.C. Richard & Son also will carry the new Verizon Hub, an intuitive device that bridges wireline and wireless connectivity to create a communications command center in the home. In addition, Friends & Family for Business and Verizon Wireless business solutions, like unlimited e-mail and Web browsing plans, will be more convenient for local business people.

To celebrate the opening of these new locations, customers who purchase any Samsung phone, with a new two-year activation at a Verizon Wireless store within P.C. Richard & Son, are eligible to receive a $100 P.C. Richard & Son gift card. This special offer expires on May 31, 2009.

As the wireless customer loyalty leader over the past 17 quarters, Verizon Wireless offers customers many reasons to shop at its stores, kiosks and online. Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest and most reliable wireless voice and high-speed Mobile Broadband data network and offers quality products and services backed by its award-winning customer service. To increase the coverage and capacity of its premier nationwide network and to add new services, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $50 billion since it was formed in 2000.

For a complete list of new Verizon Wireless stores in P.C. Richard & Son locations please visit http://www.pcrichard.com/vzw. More information about Verizon Wireless products and services is available at http://www.verizonwireless.com/ or by calling 1-800-2-JOIN IN.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable and largest wireless voice and data network, serving more than 80 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with more than 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, visit http://www.verizonwireless.com/. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Howard Waterman, Verizon Wireless, +1-973-656-7370,
Howard.Waterman@verizonwireless.com; Jack Halperin, P.C. Richard & Son,
+1-631-843-4551, JackH@pcrichard.com

Web Site: http://www.pcrichard.com/vzw
http://www.verizonwireless.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

Atom.com and Comedian Nick Thune Launch 'Nick's Big Show'Original Web Series Chronicles Creation Of Thune's Unbelievable, World-Changing One Man Stage ShowMockumentary Also Features Nick Kroll, Kate Micucci, AD Miles, T.J. Miller, Mike O'Connell And Paul ScheerPremiere Episode Available Now At Atom.com and NicksBigShow.com

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Atom.com, a digital comedy network and COMEDY CENTRAL's anchor brand for original digital content, announced today the premiere of "Nick's Big Show." This new six-episode mockumentary, available now at Atom.com and NicksBigShow.com, follows Nick Thune as he puts his comedy career on hold to do something much more important: a dramatic one man show that will make that all-important demographic - humans - remember "what it's like to feel again."

"I've done comedy - so people are expecting me to make them laugh," said Thune. "Now I want to make people laugh because they're crying so hard."

Thune, who has appeared on "The Tonight Show," in his own "Comedy Central Presents" special, and in big-screen features including "Knocked Up," is joined in "Nick's Big Show" by series regulars including Kate Micucci, Nick Kroll ("I Love You Man",) AD Miles (head writer, "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,") T.J. Miller ("Cloverfield,") Mike O'Connell and Paul Scheer ("Human Giant"). The series was directed by Luke and Jeremy Jackson (directors of the new independent release "Highway 61"). In addition, Thune can be seen in the feature film "EXTRACT," opposite Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, Mila Kunis and Kristen Wiig for Miramax Films.

The launch of "Nick's Big Show" is sponsored by "Andy Richter Controls the Universe." The Complete Series DVD release (available March 24).

In coming weeks, "Nick's Big Show" will be distributed widely to consumers across Atom's multiplatform distribution network, including the "Atom TV" series on COMEDY CENTRAL, mobile phone partners including Verizon and AT&T and other leading Internet destinations including iTunes, AOL, Dailymotion, xBox Live and many more.

About Atom.com

Atom.com, a division of Viacom Inc.'s MTV Networks, is a digital comedy network for young men that reaches millions of consumers each month on the Atom.com Web site and millions more through multiplatform distribution on television, mobile phones, and the Internet. Atom.com's programming lineup features daily new releases of original comedy including animation, live-action narrative, topical videos, sketch comedies and spoofs. The site also offers a library of thousands of comedy productions previously developed by, licensed by and uploaded to AtomFilms and COMEDY CENTRAL. Drawing on a strategic partnership with COMEDY CENTRAL and its own 10-year history of online video innovation and leadership (formerly as AtomFilms), Atom.com delivers Web comedy like nobody else.

MTVN Entertainment Group

CONTACT: Aileen Budow, MTVN Entertainment Group, +1-212-767-3952,
aileen.budow@mtvn.com

Web Site: http://www.atom.com/

Frost & Sullivan Awards Philips Healthcare for Brilliance iCT 256 Slice and iCT SP 128 Slice CT Systems

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the medical imaging market, Frost & Sullivan presents Philips Healthcare with the 2009 North American Frost & Sullivan Product Innovation of the Year Award for its Brilliance iCT 256 slice and iCT SP 128 slice computed tomography (CT) systems. The Brilliance iCT imaging systems are not only leading edge technology; they are also part of a complete portfolio of solutions and services from Philips that facilitate the success of every CT imaging operation.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO)

To develop the Brilliance iCT CT system Philips has brought technology innovation to every component of the CT imaging chain. The iCT optimizes imaging speed, X-Ray tube power, detector coverage, and dose utility mechanisms to deliver unsurpassed diagnostic accuracy at lower radiation doses. The Philips Essence technology, comprised of new X-ray tubes, 8-centimeter nano-panel detectors and RapidView reconstruction, combined with other innovative technologies such as the air-bearing gantry allowing faster rotation, contribute to the Brilliance iCT's reputation as one of the most advanced CT imaging systems on the market. As a result of these technology advances, the system provides leading image quality and temporal resolution, and can reduce scan times by half, requiring significantly less contrast than previous models while also offering dual energy and leading dose management capabilities.

"In designing the Brilliance iCT scanner, Philips has successfully overcome technical trade-offs to develop a system that is both highly capable and cost-effective," explains Frost & Sullivan Senior Industry Analyst Nadim Daher. "The iCT was designed from the ground up to deliver the dependability and performance required in CT operations including the most mission-critical clinical environments."

The iCT also leads the way with system reliability and ease of use, two key characteristics of the Philips brand. With the iCT, Philips has effectively overcome the physical challenges of cardiac imaging such as the movement of the heart and the variability of heart rate, size and body habitus, allowing the breakthrough capability of imaging the heart within two heartbeats and with up to 80 percent dose reduction. In addition to outstanding cardiovascular imaging capabilities, the iCT constitutes an asset for the entire imaging enterprise, spanning the full spectrum of standard and advanced CT imaging services of cardiology, radiology, oncology, brain imaging, virtual colonoscopy, interventional imaging, and bariatric imaging.

"The innovation Philips brings to the CT market extends well beyond the imaging equipment itself. It extends to solutions aimed at helping customers overcome the constantly changing clinical and business challenges they face in all areas of their CT operation," adds Daher. "Philips understands that optimizing the CT imaging practice requires not only fast and efficient technology, but also technology enrichment at every step of the workflow."

Putting workflow solutions at the service of CT, the Brilliance Everywhere solution utilizes efficient thin client technologies to provide anywhere, anytime access to even the most advanced CT applications. Philips informatics solutions for CT expand the ability to collaborate with referring physicians, while enabling more efficient data distribution and storage management strategies and faster turnaround times. Philips also leverages its leadership role in imaging informatics and PACS to provide unique remote capabilities such as system monitoring and preemptive problem resolution, and support advanced remote service delivery models, with the end effect of optimizing system availability and clinical outcomes.

Philips is constantly helping its customers cope with tightening economic conditions, including the challenges related to reimbursement. Illustrative of this commitment is the fact that Philips is the uncontested industry leader for the upgradeability of its systems, and that beyond the leading edge technology it embodies, the Brilliance iCT platform is also the most scalable in the CT industry. With the Brilliance iCT SP, Philips provides an entry point into the full feature iCT platform at a lower cost, offering imaging providers a seamless and cost effective upgrade path to follow as they expand imaging service lines and as technology advances. In order to help customers extract as much utility as possible from every asset in their operation, each iCT system includes Philips innovative Utilization Reports. These reports measure critical performance metrics automatically and in real time, allowing customers to quickly identify and easily act upon every opportunity to improve the CT operation. Philips solutions support continuous improvements in efficiency and workflow. A services-based approach, Philips' systems involve every stakeholder along the care cycle, which effectively complements the company's leading edge in horizontal workflow integration.

With the Brilliance iCT platform, Philips has built a powerful value proposition for the CT practice that strengthens the foundation of today's imaging business and supports the success of today's imaging enterprise. Frost & Sullivan recognizes the unique work of Philips Healthcare in helping customers take the next leap in CT, and is proud to bestow upon the company the 2009 Product Innovation of the Year Award in medical imaging.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in new products and technologies within its industry. The award lauds innovation shown through the launch of a broad line of emerging products and technologies.

Frost & Sullivan's Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is a diversified Health and Well-being company, focused on improving people's lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of "sense and simplicity". Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 121,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of $38 billion in 2008, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/media

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best in class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best practice models to drive the generation, evaluation and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 31 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com/.

Contact: Jake Wengroff 210.247.3806 jake.wengroff@frost.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Frost & Sullivan

CONTACT: Jake Wengroff of Frost & Sullivan, +1-210-247-3806,
jake.wengroff@frost.com

Web Site: http://www.frost.com/

MTV Games, Harmonix and EA Announce 'Rock Band(R) Track Pack(TM): Classic Rock' Coming To All Consoles May 19, 2009New Rock Band Track Pack Allows Players to Download On-Disc Songs Into Their Rock Band Music Library at No Additional Cost(1)

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks, , along with distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc. , today announced plans for a North American release of Rock Band(R) Track Pack(TM): Classic Rock for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and Wii(TM) home video game console from Nintendo on May 19, 2009.

Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock is a standalone software product that allows owners of Rock Band and Rock Band 2 to keep the party going with more hit songs from the pantheon of rock music. In addition, Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock, like all Rock Band software, is compatible with all Rock Band instrument controllers and other current music-based video game peripherals. The 20-song pack features an outstanding mix of Rock Band fans' favorite classic rock hits including songs by mega artists The Who, Rush, Boston and Police.

Fans who buy the Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock for Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system can play directly from the disc or download the songs onto their consoles' hard drives through a free offer with Xbox LIVE(R) online entertainment network or the PlayStation(R)Network. Once downloaded, the songs will automatically appear in the player's custom Rock Band library and can be integrated into setlists and played in all game modes. With more than 600 tracks available in the Rock Band music catalogue and regular releases of downloadable content every week, Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock is yet another way rockers can continue to expand and customize their music libraries.

Complete Track List: Artist Song Title Decade 1. Boston Peace of Mind 1976 2. Boston Rock and Roll Band 1976 3. Dead Kennedys California Uber Alles 1987 4. Dead Kennedys Holiday in Cambodia 1987 5. Free All Right Now 1970 6. George Thorogood & the Bad to the Bone Destroyers 1982 7. James Gang Funk #49 1970 8. Jethro Tull Hymn 43 1971 9. Lenny Kravitz Let Love Rule 1989 10. Pat Benatar Hit Me With Your Best Shot 1980 11. The Police Can't Stand Losing You 1978 12. The Police Truth Hits Everybody 1978 13. Rush Closer to the Heart 1977 14. Rush Red Barchetta 1981 15. Siouxsie and The Banshees Kiss Them For Me 1991 16. Steve Miller Band Take the Money and Run 1976 17. Steve Miller Band The Joker 1973 18. The Stone Roses Love Spreads 1994 19. The Who Baba O'Riley 1971 20. The Who Behind Blue Eyes 1971 **All 20 tracks utilize original master recordings** Price: $29.99 MSRP

The Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock is the latest in a series of popular software releases developed to increase player's library of music for the Rock Band platform including Rock Band Track Pack 1, Rock Band Track Pack 2 and AC/DC LIVE: Rock Band(R) Track Pack(TM).

The Rock Band franchise is the ultimate platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before. The game challenges players to put together a band and tour for fame and fortune - all while learning to master lead/bass guitar, drums and vocals. Featuring the most master recordings of any music game ever by the world's biggest rock artists, the Rock Band music catalogue includes tracks that span every genre of rock ranging from alternative and classic rock, to heavy metal and punk.

Rock Band Track Pack: Classic Rock is rated "T" for Teen with a descriptor of Mild Lyrics by the ESRB. Rock Band and Rock Band 2 are currently available for Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION 3 and PlayStation 2 systems and Wii.

For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit http://www.rockband.com/ and http://www.harmonixmusic.com/.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom , is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.

About MTV Games

MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

About Harmonix Music Systems, Inc

Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, and established in 1995, is the leading developer of groundbreaking music-oriented videogames. Harmonix was founded by Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, who formed the company to invent new ways for non-musicians to experience the unique joy that comes from making music and have pioneered music and rhythm gaming in the US. For more information please visit http://www.harmonixmusic.com/.

About Electronic Arts Inc.

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA(TM), EA SPORTS Freestyle(TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is http://www.ea.com/. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com/.

(C) 2009 Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Harmonix, Rock Band and all related titles and logos are trademarks of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., a MTV Networks company. Rock Band developed by Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., MTV: Music Television, MTV Games and all related titles and logos are trademarks of MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft, Xbox. Xbox 360 and Xbox Live are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. "PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION" and "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

(1) Online connection and membership to Xbox LIVE(R) online entertainment network or the PlayStation Network required.

MTV Games

CONTACT: media, Tracie Snitker of Reverb Communications for Harmonix,
+1-209-586-1495 x104, Tracie@reverbinc.com; or Jeff Castaneda of MTV
Communications, +1-212-846-6774, jeff.castaneda@mtvstaff.com; or Bryce Baer of
Electronic Arts, +1-650-628-5102, bbaer@ea.com

Web Site: http://www.rockband.com/

McGraw-Hill Higher Education Brings Literature to Life With Online Video ContentNew Content Helps Instructors Engage Students in the World of Composition Through Interviews With Modern Writers

NEW YORK, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent studies have found that today's students spend more time reading online than they do reading print material. In response to this shift in learning styles, McGraw-Hill Higher Education has developed new literary content that engages students with reading in an entirely new way, leading them to view literary passages in a new light.

Literature: Craft & Voice, a revolutionary new introductory-level English composition resource, is designed to encourage students to interact with their coursework. By enhancing traditional literature content in design and format and supplementing it with online video interviews of world-renowned authors, students are intimately connected with literature from all genres, such as fiction, poetry and drama, in a format they recognize and understand. This approach, used by authors Nicholas Delbanco and Alan Cheuse, is completely different from all other approaches to introductory literature resources currently available to students.

"Encouraging students to become advanced readers and writers is critical in helping them succeed academically and professionally," said Steve Debow, president of McGraw-Hill Higher Education's Humanities, Social Sciences and Languages Group. "Literature: Craft & Voice brings writers and readers together in a familiar format so students can interpret meaning and truly understand a writer's point of view. Just as a student learns the craft of architecture from an architect, Literature's print and online video content aims to teach literature students first-hand, using the writing experiences of some of literature's greatest authors."

The online counterpart to Literature: Craft & Voice offers students access to 30 informative videos, titled "Conversations on Writing." Each video is a recording of an interview between the text's authors and a modern literary luminary, including John Updike, Amy Tan, Joyce Carol Oates in fiction, Li-Young-Lee, Al Young, and Carolyn Forche in poetry, and actors and playwrights Marian Seldes, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and Arthur Kopit in drama. Because the interviews were conducted exclusively for this project, each corresponds to a specific chapter in the text. The selected 30 writers speak directly to students about the craft of writing, their own work and writing process, and the selection in Literature: Craft & Voice - as well as their personal passion for writing.

The print portion of Literature: Craft & Voice is designed to make reading and interpreting literature as easy as possible for today's students. Through their own experiences in the classroom and through a series of ethnographic research studies conducted by McGraw-Hill, Delbanco and Cheuse were able to understand the teaching goals of professors who teach introductory composition as well as learn about the kind of material, concepts and ideas that motivate students to read, write and learn. The authors of Literature: Craft & Voice are committed to helping students become engaged in their introduction to literature courses by using content that is both visually appealing and intellectually stimulating.

The soft-cover resource, reminiscent of a literary magazine, is divided into three volumes, so that students can carry each easily in a backpack like a favorite magazine. The book is also visually rich - using color, inviting images, author profiles, quotations, and an open design with wide margins for annotating a selection to draw students into reading. This approach helps students pay attention to specific passages and pick up on the author's main idea, purpose and tone. "Writing from Reading" sections encourage students to summarize, analyze, synthesize and interpret what they have just read so they become involved with each passage and can apply its techniques to their own writing.

Excerpts of the recorded interviews are also included within the text, connecting the traditional content with digital media and creating an opportunity for students to fully immerse themselves in their reading and writing.

Nicholas Delbanco, the author of 24 fiction and non-fiction books, is the Robert Frost Distinguished University Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Michigan. Alan Cheuse has been reviewing books on National Public Radio's All Things Considered program since the 1980s, and has written three novels and two collections of short fiction.

About McGraw-Hill Higher Education:

McGraw-Hill Higher Education, a unit of McGraw-Hill Education, is a premier provider of teaching and learning solutions for 21st century post-secondary and higher education markets worldwide. Through a comprehensive range of traditional and digital education content and tools, McGraw-Hill Higher Education empowers educators and prepares professionals and students of all ages to connect, learn and succeed in the global economy. McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies , has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 65 languages. Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com/.

McGraw-Hill Higher Education

CONTACT: Tom Stanton of McGraw-Hill Education, +1-212-904-3214,
tom_stanton@mcgraw-hill.com

Web Site: http://www.mheducation.com/

STMicroelectronics Announces Commitment to Continue Minimizing the Environmental Effect of Set-Top BoxesNew technology drastically reduces power consumption and minimizes environmental impact

GENEVA, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- STMicroelectronics , the world's leading supplier of silicon chips for set-top boxes (STBs), and a Company well known for its global program for continuously reducing the impact of its operations on the environment, today extended its commitment to saving energy to STB applications. ST supports the moves toward an assessment of STB performance through total energy consumption as used in other sectors of the consumer electronics industry.

Reducing the energy consumption of STBs benefits all parties within the supply chain: OEMs can differentiate their products by receiving energy-efficient markings, such as the Energy Star award, while consumers can potentially benefit from reduced electricity bills.

Today, STBs are sold predominantly on features and cost. In the future ST believes that consumers will take a broader view looking at the total cost of ownership, which includes the initial purchase price as well as power-on costs and disposal of the equipment when it is no longer required. To that end, ST's strategy focuses on reducing waste energy by including flexible power management features that monitor and adjust the energy consumed by components within the STB environment. These components can be outside the STB, in the case of the low-noise block (LNB) within a satellite dish, for example, large subsystems within the STB such as a hard disk, or even individual modules within the silicon devices themselves.

"We do not expect consumers to sacrifice functionality in return for reduced power consumption and lower cost of ownership," said Philippe Lambinet, Executive VP and General Manager of the Home Entertainment and Displays Group, STMicroelectronics. "Rather, by monitoring the way in which a product is being used and intelligently configuring the underlying hardware, we'll make ensure that power consumption is minimized."

ST's latest STB devices, including the high-definition single-chip STi7105, STi7111 and STi7141 decoders, are supplied with a software driver called STPOWER that controls all power aspects of the device. This application programming interface (API), which can be called from any application within the STB software stack, is common to all devices, allowing flexible control at a component-level, for the creation of application-specific active- and passive-standby modes. In this environment, STB will feature very fast resume times from passive standby, thereby encouraging people to use this feature.

In addition to programmable power-management features, ST is also developing silicon technologies and design methodologies that reduce power consumption. ST is now manufacturing in a 55nm process technology, which is also optimized for lower power and this alone saves approximately 10% of power when compared to non-power-optimized 55nm technologies. This technology has already been employed in the STi7105, STi7111 and STi7141 decoders for STB applications.

With this combination of programmable power-management features and low-power silicon technology, ST fully expects its STB platforms to be capable of achieving Energy Star Tier-2 performance.

About STMicroelectronics

STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2008, the Company's net revenues were $9.84 billion. Further information on ST can be found at http://www.st.com/.

STMicroelectronics

CONTACT: Michael Markowitz of STMicroelectronics, +1-212-821-8959,
michael.markowitz@st.com

Web Site: http://www.st.com/

Ascom Announces the Acquisition of TEMS From Ericsson - Creating a Global Leader in Mobile Network Testing

ZURICH, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascom has signed a binding agreement to purchase TEMS, a test business, from Ericsson for a total consideration of CHF 190 million in cash (on a debt and cash-free basis).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/297903 )

TEMS is a software company with a global market leadership position in optimization solutions for mobile networks. TEMS has approximately 300 employees in 17 countries around the globe. Its principal locations are in Skelleftea (Sweden), and Reston, Virginia (USA). In 2008, TEMS generated total revenues of CHF 165 million and is highly profitable. The acquisition significantly increases Ascom's revenue and is expected to be EPS (earnings per share) accretive in 2010. Ascom anticipates the transaction to close in June 2009.

This acquisition represents an important strategic step for Ascom, creating a global market leader for mobile network benchmarking and optimization. TEMS will form, with Ascom's Mobile Test Solutions (MTS), a new third division named "Network Testing", from January 2010.

The acquisition of TEMS (http://www.tems.com) forms an excellent strategic fit with the current offering of MTS, a market leader in mobile and stationary network testing and benchmarking solutions. TEMS adds global market leadership in mobile network optimization with a presence in 17 countries around the globe to MTS. As a result, Ascom will now be able to offer "one-stop shopping" solutions in the area of mobile testing and optimization for mobile telecom operators. TEMS currently has over 450 customers, including the world's twenty largest mobile network operators.

"This acquisition is a logical next step, following the take-over of Argogroup and Comarco WTS in 2008. TEMS represents an excellent strategic addition for Ascom and can be merged with the Mobile Test Solutions business unit to form a powerful third Ascom division. This will strengthen Ascom's global presence and, due to TEMS' very solid profitability, our target of a two-digit EBIT margin on a Group level becomes realistic in 2010," says Riet Cadonau, Ascom CEO.

Ascom will finance the purchase price of CHF 190 million through a combination of cash (CHF 70 million) and a syndicated credit facility (CHF 120 million) secured from a consortium of eight Swiss banks led by UBS and Credit Suisse. Closing of the transaction is expected in June 2009.

With this transaction, Ascom will have three clearly focused divisions going forward: Wireless Solutions, Security Communication and Network Testing - all three being homogenous units under the common umbrella of "mission-critical communication".

About Ascom

Ascom is an international solution provider with comprehensive technological know-how in Mission-Critical Communication. The company concentrates on the core areas of Wireless Solutions (high-value, customer-specific on-site communications solutions) and Security Solutions (applications for security, communication and control systems for infrastructure operators, public security institutions and the army). The company has subsidiaries in 16 countries and a workforce of some 2,000 employees worldwide. Ascom registered shares (ASCN) are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange in Zurich.

This document does not constitute an offer or solicitation to subscribe for, purchase or sell any securities. This document is not being issued in the United States of America or the United Kingdom and should not be distributed in any jurisdiction in a manner where such distribution would not comply with regulatory requirements. In particular, this document may not be distributed into the United States, to United States persons or to publications with a general circulation in the United States. In addition, the securities of Ascom have not been and will not be registered in any jurisdiction outside Switzerland. The securities of Ascom may not be offered, sold or delivered and no solicitation to purchase such securities may be made within the United States or to U.S. persons absent an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the United States securities laws or within any other jurisdiction and in a manner where such offer, sale, delivery or solicitation might not be in compliance with regulatory requirements (including the United Kingdom).

Ascom (Sweden) AB

Ascom Corporate Media Office, Daniel Lack, General Secretary and Director of Corp. Communications, E-mail: daniel.lack@ascom.com, Tel.: +41-44-823-1330, Fax: +41-44-823-1333

Ascom Announces the Acquisition of TEMS From Ericsson - Creating a Global Leader in Mobile Network Testing

ZURICH, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ascom has signed a binding agreement to purchase TEMS, a test business, from Ericsson for a total consideration of CHF 190 million in cash (on a debt and cash-free basis).

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/297903 )

The acquisition of TEMS (http://www.tems.com/) forms an excellent strategic fit with the current offering of MTS, a market leader in mobile and stationary network testing and benchmarking solutions. TEMS adds global market leadership in mobile network optimization with a presence in 17 countries around the globe to MTS. As a result, Ascom will now be able to offer "one-stop shopping" solutions in the area of mobile testing and optimization for mobile telecom operators. TEMS currently has over 450 customers, including the world's twenty largest mobile network operators.

About Ascom

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080325/297903 Ascom (Sweden) AB

CONTACT: Ascom Corporate Media Office, Daniel Lack, General Secretary
and Director of Corp. Communications, E-mail: daniel.lack@ascom.com, Tel.:
+41-44-823-1330, Fax: +41-44-823-1333

GeoEye's Subsidiary MJ Harden Buys Another Aircraft and a Digital Mapping CameraNew Integrated System Will Offer Engineering-Level Accuracy, Increased Capacity and Wider Range for Aerial Imagery Collection

DULLES, Va., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- GeoEye, Inc. , a premier provider of satellite, aerial and geospatial information, announced today MJ Harden's purchase of a new Intergraph Z/I Imaging Digital Mapping Camera (DMC(R)) along with an additional aircraft, a Cessna Conquest. The digital camera is a complete imaging system that simultaneously captures black-and-white, color, and near-infrared digital imagery with engineering-level accuracy. MJ Harden expects the new camera and aircraft to be fully operational this spring.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080625/LAW528LOGO)

MJ Harden has been a leader in digital image acquisition since 2004 and has successfully collected thousands of square miles of aerial imagery. The Cessna Conquest is a proven aircraft for aerial imagery acquisition and greatly increases MJ Harden's collection capacity. It has a cruising speed of 360 mph, an operating ceiling of approximately 28,000 feet above sea level and a range of over 2,100 miles. Combined with its current assets, MJ Harden will have two Intergraph DMCs for aerial imagery collection, which presents more opportunity to support our customers' needs and to pursue a wider range of projects.

Digital imagery is ideally suited for applications that include mapping utility and telecommunication corridors and transportation infrastructure, supporting facilities management, and assisting with planning and assessment activities for state and local governments. The complementary combination of GeoEye's high-resolution satellite and MJ Harden's aerial imagery helps customers solve challenging location-based problems.

"As we continue to grow from a regional to a national practice, our projects are becoming more complex and expansive," said Doug Leibbrandt, general manager of MJ Harden Associates, Inc. "This investment in aircraft and proven digital-imaging technology will ensure that our customers continue to have access to leading-edge technology while meeting their schedule and cost requirements."

Bill Wilt, GeoEye's vice president of North American sales, said, "Satellite and aerial imagery are ideal for mapping and monitoring infrastructure projects. Since every project has some type of geospatial or location-based component, the use of our technology is a cost-effective solution for customers involved in improving our nation's infrastructure."

About MJ Harden

MJ Harden Associates, Inc. (MJH) is a wholly owned subsidiary of GeoEye. MJH, an ISO 9001:2000 certified business, offers a wide-range of high-quality photogrammetry and geospatial technology services. Professional services provided by MJH leverage over 50 years of experience and include: image acquisition, photogrammetric mapping, and GIS consulting and implementations. Through experience and technological expertise, MJH provides value to its customers from planning to deployment, to maintenance and support. Founded in 1956, MJH is located in Mission, KS. For more information, visit http://www.mjharden.com/.

About GeoEye

GeoEye's products and services enable timely, accurate, and accessible location intelligence. The company is recognized as one of the geospatial industry's most trusted imagery experts, delivering reliable service and exceptional quality imagery products and solutions to customers around the world. GeoEye has developed an advanced information technology infrastructure for collecting, receiving, processing and distributing imagery information products and processing services to the U.S. Government including the national security community as well as international governments and commercial customers. These products serve applications including defense and intelligence, precision mapping, on-line mapping, infrastructure development, planning and monitoring, and environmental assessment. The company collects tens of millions of square kilometers of imagery per year with its existing satellites and aerial assets, which includes GeoEye-1, the world's highest resolution commercial imaging satellite. The company also provides support to academic institutions and non-governmental organizations through the GeoEye Foundation (http://www.geoeyefoundation.org/). Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, GeoEye is a public company listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol GEOY. It maintains a comprehensive Quality Management System (QMS) and has achieved company-wide ISO accreditation. For more information, visit http://www.geoeye.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements including words such as "anticipate", "believe", or "expect" and statements in the future tense are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. GeoEye's actual financial and operational results could differ materially from those anticipated. Additional information regarding these risk factors and uncertainties is described more fully in the Company's SEC filings. A copy of all SEC filings may be obtained from the SEC's EDGAR web site, http://www.sec.gov/, or by contacting: William L. Warren, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, at 703-480-5672.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080625/LAW528LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com GeoEye, Inc.

CONTACT: Mark Brender of GeoEye, +1-703-629-5368,
brender.mark@geoeye.com; or Heather Lindemann of LeGrand Hart,
+1-303-298-8470, ext. 212, hlindemann@legrandhart.com, for GeoEye

Web Site: http://www.geoeye.com/

Cimatron to Demonstrate New Version at WESTEC 2009CimatronE Version 9.0 Offers New Capabilities for Mold, Die, Tool Makers and Manufacturers

GIVAT SHMUEL, Israel, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Cimatron Limited , a leading provider of integrated CAD/CAM solutions for mold, tool and die makers as well as manufacturers of discrete parts, today announced that a new version of CimatronE will be demonstrated at WESTEC 2009. The exhibition will take place March 30 - April 2, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. Cimatron will co-exhibit with Gibbs and Associates in booth #3268.

Helping tool makers and manufacturers deliver higher quality tools and products at lower costs and shorter cycle times, the CimatronE CAD/CAM solution suite addresses the entire process from quoting through design, engineering changes, NC, and EDM programming to delivery.

Highlights of the new and enhanced capabilities in CimatronE 9.0 include: - A new application for transfer die design - A new die quote generator - Greater mold design automation - A new application for defining electrode measuring points and probe path - New machining strategies for High Speed Machining (HSM) and 5-Axis milling - New capabilities for handling Product Manufacturing Information (PMI) throughout the design and manufacturing process

"We are excited to be presenting the latest enhancements to our two product lines, CimatronE and GibbsCAM, at the west coast's largest cutting-edge machine tool and manufacturing event", said Bill Gibbs, President of Cimatron Technologies Inc. and Gibbs and Associates. "With economic times being what they are, the need for tool shop optimization and efficiency has never been greater. We are proud to be able to help Mold, Die, Tool Makers and Manufacturers stay ahead of the competition with our advanced solutions," concluded Mr. Gibbs.

The CimatronE solutions will be presented at booth #3268, March 30 - April 2, 2009 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California. For information and registration, visit http://www.sme.org/westec.

About Cimatron

With over 25 years of experience and more than 40,000 installations worldwide, Cimatron is a leading provider of integrated, CAD/CAM solutions for mold, tool and die makers as well as manufacturers of discrete parts. Cimatron is committed to providing comprehensive, cost-effective solutions that streamline manufacturing cycles, enable collaboration with outside vendors, and ultimately shorten product delivery time.

The Cimatron product line includes the CimatronE and GibbsCAM brands with solutions for mold design, die design, electrodes design, 2.5 to 5 axes milling, wire EDM, turn, mill-turn, rotary milling, multi-task machining, and tombstone machining. Cimatron's subsidiaries and extensive distribution network serve and support customers in the automotive, aerospace, medical, consumer plastics, electronics, and other industries in over 40 countries worldwide.

Cimatron is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol CIMT. For more information, please visit the company web site at: http://www.cimatron.com/.

This press release includes forward looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act Of 1995, which are subject to risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such statements may relate to the company's plans, objectives and expected financial and operating results. The words "may," "could," "would," "will," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "plan," and similar expressions or variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of the future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's ability to control. The risks and uncertainties that may affect forward looking statements include, but are not limited to: currency fluctuations, global economic and political conditions, marketing demand for Cimatron products and services, long sales cycle, new product development, assimilating future acquisitions, maintaining relationships with customers and partners, and increased competition. For more details about the risks and uncertainties of the business, refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchanges Commission. The company cannot assess the impact of or the extent to which any single factor or risk, or combination of them, may cause. Cimatron undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For More Information Contact: Idit Pass Lagziel Marketing Manager Cimatron Ltd. Phone: +972-3-5312098 Email: iditp@cimatron.com Ilan Erez Chief Financial Officer Cimatron Ltd. Phone: +972-3-531-2121 Email: ilane@cimatron.com Yael Nevat Commitment-IR.com Phone: +972-3-611-4466 +972-50-762-6215 Email: yael@commitment-IR.com

Cimatron Ltd

CONTACT: For More Information Contact: Idit Pass Lagziel, Marketing
Manager, Cimatron Ltd., Phone: +972-3-5312098, Email: iditp@cimatron.com.
Ilan Erez, Chief Financial Officer, Cimatron Ltd., Phone: +972-3-531-2121,
Email: ilane@cimatron.com. Yael Nevat, Commitment-IR.com, Phone:
+972-3-611-4466, +972-50-762-6215, Email: yael@commitment-IR.com

Elbit Systems of America Teamed to Develop an Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Elbit Systems of America, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd. announced it has joined as a team member for the commercialization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project to develop an Energetically Autonomous Tactical Robot (EATR). This ambitious project is to develop an autonomous unmanned ground vehicle, or self-driving vehicle, capable of foraging - finding and consuming its own fuel. Elbit Systems of America joins project leader, Robotic Technology Incorporated (RTI) of Potomac, Maryland, and the University of Maryland in the EATR project.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080408/300488 )

The EATR system consists of four main subsystems: (1) an autonomous intelligent control system and sensors; (2) a manipulator system consisting of a robotic arm and end effectors (hands); (3) a hybrid engine system consisting of a biomass combustion chamber, a Stirling (i.e., external combustion) engine and a re-chargeable battery pack; and (4) a mobility platform, which may consist of any type of vehicle, such as a modified High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) or specially-designed robotic vehicle. A basic goal of EATR is to develop a robotic ground vehicle that obtains its own fuel. The initial proof-of-concept demonstration, a Phase II SBIR project sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA), will focus on the ability of the EATR to recognize biomass sources of energy from non-energy materials, properly manipulate and ingest the biomass materials into the engine system and generate electrical power to operate the various subsystems.

The EATR project is being led by RTI under project managers, Dr. Robert Finkelstein and Dr. Jim Albus. The academic partner is the University of Maryland, who will help perform basic research. Elbit Systems of America will contribute to the development of fuel-recognition algorithms and to the large-scale robotic arm.

Raanan Horowitz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Elbit Systems of America, stated "We are pleased to be a part of this exceptionally talented team. This endeavor demonstrates collaborative efforts on the part of many to provide forward-thinking initiatives in support of this important complex program."

About Elbit Systems of America, LLC

Elbit Systems of America is a leading provider of high performance products and system solutions focusing on the commercial aviation, defense, homeland security, and medical instrumentation markets. With facilities throughout the United States, Elbit Systems of America is dedicated to supporting those who contribute daily to the safety and security of the United States. Elbit Systems of America, LLC is wholly owned by Elbit Systems Ltd. , a global electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs for innovative defense and commercial applications.

About Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of defense-related programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned air vehicle (UAV) systems, advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military communications systems and radios. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing military platforms and developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial aviation applications.

Trademarks

Elbit Systems of America and other trademarks, service marks and logos are registered or unregistered marks of Elbit Systems of America companies in the United States and in foreign countries. Copyright (c) 2009 Elbit Systems of America. All rights reserved.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries (collectively the Company), to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current fact. Forward Looking Statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings. The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

Contact: Lynn Peugh, +1-817-234-6696, lynn.peugh@elbitsystems-us.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080408/300488 Elbit Systems of America

CONTACT: Contact: Lynn Peugh, +1-817-234-6696,
lynn.peugh@elbitsystems-us.com

Optelecom-NKF's Siqura(R) C-50 E MC, the World's First Hardened Triple-Stream Video Server, is Now Supported by OnSSI

GERMANTOWN, Md., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Optelecom-NKF's Siqura C-50 E-MC, the world's first available triple-stream video server for extreme environments, is now supported by On-Net Surveillance Systems, Inc. (OnSSI).

OnSSI's IP software solutions, with more than 22,000 deployments worldwide, joins both Genetec and Milestone on the Company's list of VMS software providers compatible with the C-50 E MC.

Capable of streaming MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and MJPEG simultaneously, the C-50 E-MC's Open Streaming Architecture (OSA) ensures effortless integration and guaranteed compatibility with third party Video Management System (VMS) software.

Optelecom-NKF anticipates additional vendors will quickly follow with Siqura C-50 E MC ready software offerings.

Features of the Siqura C-50 E MC include: -- Multi-codec video encoder -- Open Streaming Architecture -- Triple streaming support -- Simultaneous MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and MJPEG -- Duplex stereo audio -- Duplex serial data -- Field-hardened, NEMA 2 compliant -- Video Motion Detection -- 3-level access control -- SNMP and network time (NTP) support -- Remotely upgradeable -- Small dimensions About Optelecom-NKF

Optelecom-NKF, Inc. , manufacturer of Siqura(R) advanced video surveillance solutions, provides a full range of cameras, video servers/codecs, network video recorders, fiber transmission equipment, video content analysis applications, and video management software based on an open technology platform that simplifies integration and installation.

Our Siqura solutions offer a perfect blend of ease of use and processing power, enabling end-users to optimize the effectiveness of their surveillance systems while reducing the total cost of ownership. All products and solutions are developed and tested for professional and mission critical applications.

We deliver complete solutions for the Traffic Monitoring, Public Transport, Industrial and Commercial Security, and Government markets. Our systems are deployed by professionals at highway departments, airports, seaports, casinos, public transport authorities, hospitals, city centers, shopping centers, and corporate, military and government campuses.

Founded in 1972, Optelecom-NKF is committed to providing its customers with expert technical advice and support. Corporate headquarters are in Germantown, Maryland, USA. The Company's European corporate offices are located in Gouda, The Netherlands. Optelecom-NKF has sales offices or support covering Latin America, France, Spain, the UK, Germany, Italy, Dubai, and Singapore.

Investor inquiries should be directed to Mr. Rick Alpert at +1 301-948-7872.

For more information please visit our website: http://www.optelecom-nkf.com/.

Optelecom-NKF, Inc.

CONTACT: North, Latin and South America, and Japan, Betsy Lanning,
+1-301-444-2276, blanning@optelecom-nkf.com, Europe, Middle East, Africa and
Asia, Jolanda Medendorp, +31-182-592-470, jmedendorp@optelecom-nkf.com, or
Investor Inquiries, Mr. Rick Alpert, +1-301-948-7872, all of Optelecom-NKF,
Inc.

Web Site: http://www.optelecom-nkf.com/

ARRIS Upstream Channel Bonding Enables Japan Cablenet to Deploy Super High Speed Data Service

SUWANEE, Ga., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ARRIS today announced that Japan Cablenet Limited, the nation's second largest cable operator, will begin wide-scale deployment of its 160 Mbps Super High Speed Data service, called "Speed Star 160", across its cable system footprint, beginning at its JCN Koala Katsushika site this month.

The "Speed Star 160" rollout is especially significant in that it incorporates what is believed to be the industry's first deployed service using Upstream Channel Bonding technology, which greatly enhances data rates. This technology not only greatly increases data throughput speeds to customers, but also ensures greater network reliability through noise reduction.

Japan Cablenet selected the ARRIS Cable Modem Termination System solution in 2009 to deliver ultra-fast wideband data service to its customers. The ARRIS CMTS solution consists of the DOCSIS 3.0-qualified C4 CMTS and DOCSIS 3.0-certified WBM760C wideband modems, capable of delivering data speeds up to 160 Mbps, along with carrier-grade voice service. The technology is based on the DOCSIS 3.0 standard that supports both Upstream and Downstream channel bonding capabilities.

The sale of the ARRIS I-CMTS solution was conducted with the assistance of ARRIS Value-Added Resellers Net One Systems and KDDI.

"We are very excited to be the first network in Japan, if not the world, to deploy Upstream Channel Bonding for our High Speed Data customers," said JCN General Manager of business planning department and DOCSIS3.0 project manager, Hiroyoshi Takeyama. "This critical feature will make activities like the sharing of family pictures, home movies or other user-generated content a far more satisfying experience for our subscribers. It is our mission to provide our customers with the world's fastest, most secure and most reliable super high-speed data service."

"ARRIS was one of the innovators in the definition of Channel Bonding during the creation of the DOCSIS 3.0 specification," said Bruce McClelland, President, ARRIS Broadband Communications Systems. "Our C4 CMTS solution has been supporting Downstream Channel Bonding in the field for some time and now, with the expected changes in customer usage, we are very proud to be delivering greater upstream speeds using Upstream Channel Bonding for JCN. These technologies will permit JCN and other MSOs to support anticipated bandwidth demands of the future."

About Japan Cablenet Limited:

JCN provide residential broadband service through 17 System Operators in the Tokyo metropolitan region of Japan. It was founded in March, 2001 and its major shareholders are KDDI Corporation and TEPCO. More information on JCN can be found at: http://www.j-cnet.co.jp/

About ARRIS

ARRIS is a global communications technology company specializing in the design, engineering and supply of technology supporting triple- and quad-play broadband services for residential and business customers around the world. The company supplies broadband operators with the tools and platforms they need to deliver reliable telephony, demand driven video, next-generation advertising and high-speed data services. ARRIS products expand and help grow network capacity with access and outside plant construction equipment, reliably deliver voice, video and data services and assure optimal service delivery for end customers. Headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, USA, ARRIS has R&D centers in Atlanta; Chicago; State College, PA; Beaverton, OR; Wallingford, CT; Cork, Ireland; and Shenzhen, China, and operates support and sales offices throughout the world. Information about ARRIS products and services can be found at http://www.arrisi.com/.

ARRIS

CONTACT: Alex Swan of ARRIS Media Relations, +1-678-473-8327,
alex.swan@arrisi.com

Web Site: http://www.arrisi.com/

Verizon Wireless Continues to Hire Customer Service Representatives in Hanover, MarylandInterested Applicants Encouraged to Attend Open Houses on April 3 and April 25

HANOVER, Md., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- While the economic forecast is discouraging, job seekers in Maryland have reason to cheer. Verizon Wireless continues to hire customer service representatives to staff its call center in Hanover. The company will hold a hiring open house on Friday, April 3 from 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. and on Saturday, April 25 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the center located at 7401 Coca Cola Drive, Hanover, Maryland, near the intersection of Routes 100 and 295.

Benefits Begin on Day One

Verizon Wireless offers the industry's leading compensation and benefit packages. Benefits include health care coverage that begins on the first day of employment, participation in the company's 401(k) program, profit sharing, tuition assistance for continuing education, and short-term (annual bonuses) incentive plans. Employees can also take advantage of numerous opportunities for career advancement.

"In addition to continually investing in the industry's best wireless network, Verizon Wireless is recruiting the industry's best employees to support our customers," said Robin Linton, Human Resources Field Operations Manager for Verizon Wireless. "An ideal job candidate should demonstrate a strong interest in wireless technology and a passion for delivering superior customer service." Linton added, "A college education is strongly preferred."

Employees participate in a comprehensive, ongoing training program to prepare to serve customers in their new jobs. Intensive training lasts from four to six weeks. In addition, the goal is for each customer service employee to take between 6-8 hours of additional training every month. The continuous focus on training and customer satisfaction helps prepare these employees to provide Verizon Wireless customers with exceptional customer service.

A Great Place To Work

In addition to being an industry leader in network reliability and customer loyalty, Verizon Wireless is consistently ranked as one of the best places to work in the country because of its employee-friendly policies and opportunities for career advancement. For the eighth consecutive year, Verizon Wireless was recognized as a 2008 Working Mother 100 Best Company for Working Mothers by Working Mother magazine. In addition, Verizon Wireless was the only wireless carrier to be honored by Working Mother as an employer of choice for working families that invests in unique programs and benefits to meet the needs of all employees and their families.

Strong demand for Verizon Wireless products and services continued during 2008 as the company added 1.2 million net new customers in the fourth quarter and became the wireless industry's largest carrier. Verizon Wireless now serves more than 80 million customers nationwide and for the seventeenth consecutive quarter remained the nation's wireless leader in customer loyalty.

To learn more the about career opportunities within Verizon Wireless, or to submit a resume for consideration, interested candidates can visit the company's website, http://www.verizonwireless.com/careers and select Job Opening #231524.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Sherri Cunningham for Verizon Wireless, +1-202-364-5856

Web Site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/

In Recognition of Financial Literacy Month, Thinkfinity.org Highlights Lesson Plans and Educational Resources to Help Teachers Increase Students' Knowledge of Basic EconomicsVerizon Foundation Web Site Offers Free Teaching Resources and Student Activities About Credit Cards and Calculating Compound Interest and College Tuition Costs

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Teachers seeking educational resources to help students gain a strong knowledge of basic finances and economics can find a host of free lesson plans and student activities at Thinkfinity.org.

In recognition of Financial Literacy Month, observed in April, free teaching resources and economics lesson plans about student credit cards and calculating compound interest and college tuition costs will be highlighted on the home page of the Verizon Foundation's Thinkfinity.org.

"It has never been more important for our children to have a firm grasp of economics and financial literacy," said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston. "The challenging times everyone faces today provide a tremendous teachable moment that opens the door for educators to help students gain the skills needed to make wise financial decisions in the future."

Thinkfinity.org is the Verizon Foundation's free, comprehensive Web site that contains thousands of educational resources including K-12 lesson plans, online educational activities, videos and other materials to enhance teacher effectiveness and improve student achievement.

Among the resources included in the Thinkfinity.org Financial Literacy Month feature are:

-- Compound Interest Calculator -- This simulation, from the Council for Economic Education's EconEdLink, provides examples of consistent monthly savings to teach students learn the power of compound interest. For grades 3 to 12. http://www.econedlink.org/interactives/interest.html -- Exploring Cost and Savings Using Children's Literature -- In this lesson from the International Reading Association and National Council of Teachers of English's ReadWriteThink.org, students read and discuss "A Chair for My Mother," by Vera B. Williams, then explore the concept of saving for specific purposes, the book's theme. For grades 3 to 5. http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=1119 -- You're Going to College -- Students learn about the true costs of attending college, its benefits and its impact on potential lifetime earnings in this interactive game from the Council for Economic Education's EconEdLink. For grades 8 to 12. http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/popup.php?lesson_number=789&&flash_n ame=college3.swf -- Predicting Your Financial Future -- Students use their knowledge of exponents to determine an investment's worth, using a formula and a compound interest simulator, in this lesson from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Illuminations. Students also use the simulator to analyze credit card payments and debt. For grades 9-12 http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L761 -- Rates and Taxes -- Students learn how to determine the amount of tax a family will pay, based on a certain income, in this lesson from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' Illuminations. For grades 9-12. http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?id=L378

"With the constant time demands that classroom teachers face -- from students, administrators and parents -- it's a struggle to cover just the basic content," said John LeFeber, curriculum and instructional developer for the Council for Economic Education. "During Financial Literacy Month, teachers can turn to EconEdLink to find ready-to-use, time-saving lesson plans that give their K-12 students the financial literacy skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy."

Content for Thinkfinity.org is provided through a partnership between the Verizon Foundation and 11 of the nation's leading organizations in the fields of education and literacy: the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Council for Economic Education, International Reading Association, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, National Center for Family Literacy, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Council of Teachers of English, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Geographic Society, ProLiteracy and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit http://www.verizonfoundation.org/.

Verizon Communications Inc. , headquartered in New York, is a leader in delivering broadband and other wireline and wireless communication innovations to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 80 million customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operations include Verizon Business, which delivers innovative and seamless business solutions to customers around the world, and Verizon Telecom, which brings customers the benefits of converged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advanced fiber-optic network. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of nearly 224,000 and last year generated consolidated operating revenues of more than $97 billion. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com/.

VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches and biographies, media contacts, high-quality video and images, and other information are available at Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at http://www.verizon.com/news. To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.

Verizon

CONTACT: Brian C. Malina of Verizon, +1-908-559-6434,
brian.c.malina@verizon.com

Web Site: http://www.verizon.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/094251.html

The Quantum Group to Present at the 2009 RedChip Investor Conference and Health Tech Forum in San Francisco

WELLINGTON, Fla., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Quantum Group, Inc. (NYSE Amex: QGP), a Healthcare Services Organization (HSO), announced today that Pete Martinez, Quantum Senior Vice President and Chief Technology & Innovations Officer, is scheduled to present at the 2009 RedChip Small-Cap Investor Conference and Health Tech Investment Forum in San Francisco. The presentation is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 at the Le Meridien San Francisco hotel (333 Battery Street).

Martinez will provide an overview on The Quantum Group and will highlight PWeR(TM) (Personal Wellness electronic Record(TM)), the innovative, patent-pending healthcare technology system developed by the Company. PWeR bridges the communication gap between physicians, hospitals, clinics, payers (insurers) and patients as it connects all of the applications and systems utilized by healthcare professionals into one web-based, patient-centric platform. Hosted by IBM, PWeR provides the scalability and security required to facilitate the business needs of payers, providers, facilities and governmental agencies.

Martinez commented, "We believe PWeR is the right solution at the right time. There is now a federal mandate to technologically drive healthcare into the 21st Century. The federal Stimulus Package has allocated $19.2 billion for healthcare technology, largely to implement and promote architecture that supports a nationwide electronic information exchange. To achieve the level of transformation required to accomplish this objective, we believe that a system-wide, comprehensive approach to connect patients to their complete health record must be put into play. We believe the solution must provide high value for payers, providers, facilities and health agencies to incentivize the interconnectivity required to drive this transformation - and PWeR does just that."

RedChip investor conferences are a nationally-known forum for emerging small-cap companies to present their stories before hundreds of fund managers, institutional and accredited investors, and research analysts. For this event, RedChip has partnered with the Health Technology Investment Forum to bring together leading investors, market leaders, and high-growth companies for a full day of dynamic presentations and Q&A sessions by CEOs and executive teams. The event will feature a dedicated presentation track for healthcare technology companies and a second track for emerging growth companies representing a diverse range of sectors.

Investors around the world will be able to view live webcasts of the company presentations via http://www.redchip.com/. An archived version of Quantum's presentation will be available on RedChip's Web site for up to 90 days.

For additional information or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with The Quantum Group Inc. at this event, please contact Jon Cunningham at 407-644-4256, Ext. 107, or email conference@redchip.com.

About The Quantum Group, Inc.

The Quantum Group is an innovation-driven Healthcare Services Organization (HSO) that provides business process solutions, service chain management, strategic consulting and leading edge technology to the healthcare industry.

We have developed PWeR(TM), a cutting-edge, patent-pending healthcare technology platform that we believe to be in line with President Obama's agenda for healthcare reform. The Stimulus Package provides $19 billion for the implementation of healthcare information technology to infuse efficiencies, reduce costs and improve the quality of patient care. PWeR can integrate all of the functions a physician/provider, hospital, clinic and related professionals utilize in one patient-centric, web-based platform and falls well within the economic incentives offered by the new law. We believe we are positioned to be a catalyst for change as we take aim at the $700 billion inefficiency gap in the United States healthcare industry.

About PWeR(TM)

PWeR stands for Personal Wellness electronic Record(TM). This HIPAA-compliant, intelligent healthcare information platform hosts medical records and permits interactive use. Medical records will follow the patient, giving every healthcare provider that sees a particular patient access to all the information needed to assist in their diagnosis and treatment plan. Providers can access a patient's entire medical record at one glance. Patients can look back over physician instructions or track their wellness progress. In critical situations or in providing treatment to PWeR patients, hospitals are enabled to access full medical histories and make educated treatment decisions based on accurate data. That's PWeR - complexity meets simplicity.

About RedChip Companies, Inc.

RedChip Companies is an international, small-cap research and financial public relations firm headquartered in Orlando, Florida; with affiliate offices in Qingdao, China; Paris, London, Atlanta, Los Angeles and San Diego. Since 1993, RedChip has been a source for small-cap research and investor awareness services for emerging growth companies. RedChip delivers concrete, measurable results for its clients through its extensive national and international network of small-cap institutional and retail investors. To learn more about RedChip's products and services please visit: http://www.redchip.com/visibility/productsandservices.asp.

Certain statements contained in this news release, which are not based on historical facts, are forward-looking statements as the term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to substantial uncertainties and risks in part detailed in the respective company's Securities and Exchange Commission 10-KSB, 10-QSB, S-8, SB-2, S-1 and 8-K filings (and amendments thereto) that may cause actual results to materially differ from projections. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "plans," "will," "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates" "could" and other words of similar meaning. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or quantified and, consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Such risk factors include, without limitation, the ability of the Company to properly execute its business model, to raise substantial and immediate additional capital to implement its business model, to continue revenue growth trend in fiscal year 2009, to control patient medical cost relative to income received, to attract and retain executive, management and operational personnel, to continue growing its patient base, to negotiate favorable current debt and future capital raises, to negotiate favorable agreements with a diversified provider base and to continue to supply the services needed by its HMO clients as well as physician clients. We have further risk in the deployment of our technology platform, the utilization by our clients, technical and software setbacks, cost of development, as well as the capital to deploy it. We are subject further to interruptions of service. Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements. As a result, investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Red Chip Companies Jon Cunningham 1-800-733-2447, Ext. 107 jon@redchip.com or The Quantum Group, Inc. Danielle Amodio: 561.798.9800 DAmodio@QuantumMD.com

The Quantum Group, Inc.

CONTACT: Jon Cunningham, Red Chip Companies, 1-800-733-2447, Ext. 107,
jon@redchip.com; or Danielle Amodio, The Quantum Group, Inc., +1-561-798-9800,
DAmodio@QuantumMD.com

Web Site: http://www.thequantumgroupinc.com/

LodgeNet Healthcare Selected by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to Provide Digital and Interactive Television Solution

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LodgeNet Healthcare today announced a plan to deliver a comprehensive patient television solution in a partnership with one of the nation's most respected cancer hospitals. The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has agreed to contract with LodgeNet Healthcare for a variety of services related to interactive patient television. These include DIRECTV(R) satellite programming, professional services (including architecture design and installation, TV installation and digital TV migration planning), high-definition (HD) interactive patient television, and a patient education application.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080115/AQTU120LOGO)

LodgeNet Healthcare, a division of LodgeNet Interactive Corporation , is gaining recognition within hospitals as the leading provider of television solutions and connectivity. "For years hospitals have gotten by with simply placing a TV on the wall," explains General Manager Gary Kolbeck. "Technology is forcing hospitals to look at how they deliver television to the patient room, and our company is well positioned to get them up to speed in addressing their patient television and connectivity needs." Kolbeck adds that many hospitals have not performed the kind of maintenance to their cable plants and infrastructure that is required to support the robust programming currently available from cable and satellite companies. As bulky TVs are replaced with flat screen HD sets, hospitals need a company that can provide a migration plan to meet today's requirements. "For almost thirty years, the biggest brands in the hospitality industry have looked to LodgeNet to address their television and connectivity solutions. That experience - as well as the breadth of 10,000 facilities served around the world - makes LodgeNet the logical solution," Kolbeck says.

In addition to supporting M. D. Anderson's solution with a nationwide field service team, call center, patented architecture and the most advanced remote diagnostic capabilities available, LodgeNet's Professional Services team will completely overhaul the facility's cable plant and fiber backbone, install television sets in more than 1,000 rooms, and deliver analog and digital DIRECTV(R) service. Utilizing this upgraded infrastructure, the LodgeNetRX(R) Interactive Patient Television System will deliver HD movies and interactive menus directly to the patient rooms, maximizing the organization's investment in new HDTVs from LG. LodgeNet's patented delivery platform will deliver all the content and interactivity to the patient rooms without the need of a set-top box or additional in room equipment. Available only from LodgeNet, this solution assures that staff is not responsible for more equipment and service, which means visiting the patient room is virtually never needed.

In addition, LodgeNet Healthcare and M. D. Anderson are deploying an interactive patient education solution that will allow patients to learn more about their condition through on demand educational videos. Taking advantage of the simple and familiar remote pillowspeaker, the LodgeNetRX solution will help patients take advantage of M. D. Anderson's extensive education library without making any changes to their existing process.

"We are pleased to be able to provide our patients with this new and expanded interactive broadcast system," said Larry Jones, Executive Director of Academic Technology at M. D. Anderson.

About LodgeNet Interactive

LodgeNet Interactive Corporation is the leading provider of media and connectivity solutions designed to meet the unique needs of hospitality, healthcare and other guest-based businesses. LodgeNet Interactive serves more than 1.9 million hotel rooms representing 10,100 hotel properties worldwide in addition to healthcare facilities throughout the United States. The company's services include: Interactive Television Solutions, Broadband Internet Solutions, Content Solutions, Professional Solutions and Advertising Media Solutions. LodgeNet Interactive Corporation owns and operates businesses under the industry leading brands: LodgeNet, LodgeNetRX, and The Hotel Networks. LodgeNet Interactive is listed on NASDAQ and trades under the symbol LNET. For more information, please visit http://www.lodgenet.com/.

LodgeNet and LodgeNetRX are registered trademarks of LodgeNet Interactive Corporation. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080115/AQTU120LOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com LodgeNet Interactive Corporation

CONTACT: Ann Parker, Director of Corporate Communications of LodgeNet
Interactive Corporation, +1-605-988-1000, communications@lodgenet.com

Web Site: http://www.lodgenet.com/

AT&T Investment in 2009 Will Add More Than 40 New Cell Sites Throughout IllinoisAT&T Continues to Expand Nation's Fastest 3G Wireless Network Across Illinois

CHICAGO, March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As people's lives become increasingly mobile and fast-paced, and to address the growing demand for advanced wireless data products and services, AT&T* today unveiled its wireless network expansion plans for Illinois in the coming year. As part of the expansion, AT&T will add more than 40 new cell sites throughout Illinois in 2009. Some of these sites are planned for Chicago, Springfield, Danville and Quincy.

The investment in its 3G wireless broadband network - the nation's fastest, according to recent data compiled by leading independent wireless research firms - is part of AT&T's ongoing effort to build the broadband networks that will create jobs and fuel economic growth, and enable its customers to access the content, applications and services that matter most to them. As part of its 2009 investment, AT&T plans to expand its 3G footprint in new cities, including Champaign, Kankakee, LaSalle, Ottawa and Peoria.

"Expanding the technology available to Illinois residents and businesses is vital to our state being able to compete economically with other states," said Rep. John Shimkus, a senior member of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. "New third generation networks are where technology is headed, and we need to be a leader. That's also why I am supportive of expanding broadband to every part of the state. I congratulate AT&T on its investment in this infrastructure."

This builds on AT&T's 2008 wireless investment in which it added 55 new cell sites in Illinois. From 2006 to 2008, AT&T's total capital investment in Illinois was more than $3.3 billion. In addition, more than 70 cell sites were added in Illinois, boosting coverage in Belvidere, Rockford, Barrington, Chillicothe, Lombard, Franklin, Jackson and Williamson counties. . In addition to wireless investments, AT&T continues to enhance its wireline network to provide AT&T U-verse(SM) TV and U-verse High Speed Internet to more customers following a new state law that encourages broadband investment and video competition in Illinois.

"We continue to make significant investments to deliver dependable, high speed wireless access in more places across Illinois for consumers and business customers who need to stay connected to work, family and friends," said Paul La Schiazza, president, AT&T Illinois. "Our ongoing investments in Illinois will help us fulfill this vision while ensuring that our state has access to the advanced wireless broadband services that help drive economic growth."

AT&T's 3G network delivers LaptopConnect users typical downlink speeds ranging between 700 kilobits per second (Kbps) and 1.7 megabits per second (Mbps), and faster uplink speeds ranging between 500 Kbps and 1.2 Mbps. The network opens the door to a new era of advanced mobile services, devices and feature-rich audio and video content, such as AT&T Video Share(SM), a first-of-its-kind technology that allows users to share live video during a wireless call.

"A top priority in 2009 is to continue to enhance the wireless network so our customers have a top notch experience every time they make a call, check an e-mail or surf the Internet on their AT&T device," said Kevin Petersen, vice president and general manager for AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets in Illinois.

AT&T's wireless network is based on GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) technologies, the most open and widely used wireless network platform in the world. As a result, only AT&T can offer 3G data roaming in more than 70 countries, as well as voice calling in more than 200 countries, in addition to AT&T's continuous 3G expansion in the U.S. AT&T completed 3G network expansions last year in Monroe County and Rockford. AT&T's 3G network is now available in nearly 350 U.S. major metropolitan areas, including several parts of Illinois.

AT&T operates more than 70 AT&T-owned retail locations in Illinois. AT&T's products and services are also available at a number of other authorized dealers and national retail locations.

For more information about AT&T's wireless coverage in Illinois or anywhere in the United States, consumers can go to http://www.wireless.att.com/coverageviewer/. The online tool can measure the quality of coverage based on a street address, intersection, ZIP code or even a landmark.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation's fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation's leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/.

All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

AT&T Inc.

CONTACT: Meghan Roskopf of AT&T Inc., Mobile, +1-312-369-9346,
mroskopf@attnews.us

Web Site: http://www.att.com/

Industry's Top Vendors Unveil New Products and Services at VoiceCon Orlando 2009Leading Enterprise Communications Event Provides Platform for First Time Announcements

SAN FRANCISCO, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- VoiceCon(R) Orlando, produced by TechWeb, today previews more than 20 product and service announcements to be made at the upcoming VoiceCon Orlando 2009. The event offers a unique venue for solution providers to introduce the latest news and technology innovations in IP Telephony, Converged Networks and Unified Communications to a targeted audience of enterprise decision-makers. VoiceCon Orlando 2009 will be held March 30-April 2 at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, FL. To register or for more information on the event visit: http://www.voicecon.com/orlando/.

"We are proud that VoiceCon Orlando continues to be the choice venue for leading industry providers introducing their latest products and services to the enterprise communications market," said Fred Knight, VoiceCon General Manager. "It's a critical time for our attendees to get a full understanding of all available technologies for migrating their networks and for learning the best ways to efficiently leverage their communications platform."

The list of VoiceCon Orlando 2009 exhibitors making announcements or showcasing new products will continue to grow throughout the event, and currently includes the following:

911 Enable will introduce Desk Alert, an application installed on the security desk workstation. Desk Alert pops-up when 911 is dialed, notifying security personnel of the 911 call and providing them with the caller's name, callback number, location and a URL link that includes additional location-specific information (i.e. building map).

911 ETC introduces RedConnect(TM): Added to 911 ETC's Crisis Connect solution for the large enterprise, RedConnect(TM) is developed specifically for the smaller end-user. Utilizing traditional Telco emergency routing, RedConnect(TM) cost-effectively delivers emergency location information to authorities even when the end-user is employing a VoIP-based PBX.

Acme Packet launches the Net-Net 3800, a new low-end session border controller for small enterprise sites requiring up to 500 secure, high-quality VoIP/UC sessions. Slashing Acme Packet's entry SBC price by 50 percent, the Net-Net 3800 supports features and high-availability operations that have made Acme Packet the world's leading SBC vendor.

Broadcom Corporation (Booth 1324), a global leader in semiconductors, will showcase for the first time the Broadcom(R) Persona(TM) design platform, based on its flagship BCM11107 VoIP processor. The Persona enables enterprise and consumer IP phones to offer multimedia capabilities, premium audio, robust Ethernet switching, enhanced security and extensive peripheral support.

Consistacom, Inc. announces ccFlowCam(R), a program which delivers an automatic blueprint of call center switch programming drawn directly from your working vector programs, replaces manual documentation with automation, reduces labor costs and human error, and immediately helps the customer identify opportunities, enhancements and changes to improve call handling.

CyberData Corporation of Monterey, CA will unveil seven new VoIP paging and intercom devices to compliment a growing product line of innovative Application Specific Endpoints. These new products will be on display for the first time at VoiceCon Orlando and will showcase the latest in CyberData VoIP technology.

EasyRun is announcing EPICAcce, its newest multimedia contact center product. EPICAcce is the first Enterprise-Grade application agnostic contact center. The product, which is delivered on a 2U appliance, includes a robust contact center as well as a complete Asterisk-based voice infrastructure.

Announcing Jabra BIZ 2400 from GN Netcom - taking corded headset technology to the next level. Featuring a cascade of improvements and industry firsts, Jabra BIZ 2400 pushes the envelope for comfort, audio quality, and ruggedness needed in contact center and office environments. The result is now here - 10X BETTER.

Gold Systems announces the latest version of its Password Reset product, using Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007. The new solution saves you time and money while increasing corporate security. Instead of calling your IT Help Desk, employees use the automated voice-powered solution to reset lost or forgotten passwords.

Grandstream Networks, a leading designer and manufacturer of IP voice and video solutions, is pleased to announce the GXV3140, a next generation IP multimedia phone. The GXV3140 blends real time video conferencing with numerous Web and social networking applications to create a powerful IP multimedia experience.

iscoord ag is showcasing its new is-phone version 8.1 at VoiceCon, booth #638. Highlights: Mac/Linux versions, tighter IBM UC integration and support of Microsoft Office/Internet Explorer through the toolbar, all in addition to IBM Lotus Notes/Sametime/Symphony and Microsoft Exchange/Outlook/Live Messenger support, enabling audio/video calls (16/4 participants) without need for additional servers.

NEC Unified Solutions, Inc. will be launching an affordable, pure software-based IP communications solution designed for the small- to medium-sized hotel market. The solution provides advanced self-service voice applications for guests and integrates with popular third-party property management systems for enhanced operational workflow. Find out more at booth 609.

Phybridge, a provider of risk-free IP telephony deployment infrastructure, will launch the Phybridge UniPhyer, a robust deployment appliance that enables voice/data network convergence with PoE and guaranteed QoS. The Phybridge UniPhyer makes any IP PBX into a simple, plug-and-play installation with significantly lower initial/ongoing costs associated with traditional deployments.

Sagem-Interstar, the leader in advanced fax server solutions for IP networks, will launch XMediusFAX Release 6.0 - the IP fax industry's first to offer "Survivability." Survivability is the capability of a solution or system to withstand single or multiple failures, or even a disaster, without significantly impairing its normal operations.

As part of its commitment to delivering UC solutions that boost productivity and reduce costs, ShoreTel is pleased to announce software enhancements for a more personalized communications experience, enabling access to users based on their unique requirements. Additional high availability and security improvements help reduce risk--ideal for large organizations.

Sipera Systems is unveiling enhanced security for unified communications deployments based on Microsoft OCS. Sipera's award-winning real-time security appliances now enable enterprises to extend and enhance their OCS unified communications deployments and support secure remote office and teleworkers, SIP trunk termination and security, and core network PBX support.

SpinVox, the global leader in voice-to-content messaging, will launch a new partner program enabling wholesale access to the company's speech-to-content service. This follows the recent launch of SpinVox Create, a simple, straightforward API that leverages SpinVox's commercial speech platform (VMCS), enabling any Web-accessible developer to quickly build commercial speech applications.

Telchemy will present SQmediator, a high performance VoIP mediation application that collects, correlates, and analyzes quality reports sent by call endpoints including IP phones and gateways. SQmediator provides dynamic Flash-based data visualization, customized drill-down call reporting, and expert diagnosis of quality impairments for both enterprise and service provider VoIP networks.

Telecommunication Software announces the release of the SAMwin.CCO, the first pure SIP based pc attendant console directory and call center solution. Equipped with SIP technology, the SAMwin.CCO offers you an absolutely new dimension of flexibility, dynamics, scalability and cost efficiency for your PBX. For more information, visit http://www.telecomsoftware.com/

Telecorp Products, Inc. is proud to announce the expansion of MCCS (Multi-platform Call Center Suite) to include all versions of Cisco, as well as Avaya and Nortel. MCCS is Web based, offering custom historical reporting and real-time data across multi-platforms. MCCS is ideal for multi-sites and at home agents.

Touchstone announces WinSIP 4.0 - a software-based testing solution for SIP applications and services. WinSIP 4.0 includes the NEW profiling engine which allows engineers and Q/A personnel to capture live traffic or interact with devices and generate exact replicas or "profiles" of SIP-based calls. Using WinSIP, users can recreate exact scenarios.

U4EA will be announcing a partnership with a video communications service provider to deliver affordable, high quality video calling and video conferencing to small-to-medium sized businesses. U4EA will demonstrate its Fusion Multi-service Business Gateways with the video service and Polycom's VVX1500 video phone at U4EA booth # 838 at VoiceCon.

Unimax will release a new version of its 2nd Nature configuration management software at VoiceCon adding compatibility for AVST-CallXpress and Cisco-Unity Connection. Customers realize significant savings by using 2nd Nature to administer their Avaya, AVST, Cisco, Nortel and other PBX/voicemail systems at the same time from one centralized software interface.

For more information on these companies, participating exhibitors and a complete conference schedule at VoiceCon Orlando, go to http://www.voicecon.com/orlando/.

About VoiceCon(R)

Now in its 19th year, VoiceCon(R) is the leading conference and exhibition for enterprise IP Telephony, Converged Networks and Unified Communications in North America. VoiceCon(R) brings corporate communications decision makers together with the industry's vendors, analysts and consultants to focus on the issues central to enterprise networks and communications. As the momentum toward IP Telephony and convergence has grown, VoiceCon expanded to include two yearly shows in the United States: VoiceCon Orlando, March 30-April 2, 2009 at the Gaylord Palms Hotel and VoiceCon San Francisco, November 2-5, 2009 at the Moscone North Convention Center. VoiceCon's No Jitter, (http://www.nojitter.com/), provides daily blogging and analysis of enterprise communications, and also serves the community with two weekly email newsletters -- VoiceCon eNews (http://www.voicecon.com/enews) and VoiceCon UC eWeekly (http://www.voicecon.com/unified-communications/). For more information, visit http://www.voicecon.com/.

About TechWeb

TechWeb, the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat, VoiceCon and SD West; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, Dr. Dobb's Report, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, Wall Street & Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services ranging from next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on # of monthly connections

TechWeb

CONTACT: Natalia Wodecki, PR Manager of TechWeb, +1-415-947-6762,
NWodecki@techweb.com

Web Site: http://www.voicecon.com/

Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/181993.html