ST. LOUIS, and ENGLEWOOD, Colo., May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Charter Communications (Nasdaq: CHTR) and Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz Encore), a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Group (NYSE: LMGa, LMGb), have signed a new affiliation agreement that will expand the distribution of the Starz Super Pak to help further drive Charter's industry-leading digital cable performance. The agreement provides for the use of the Starz Super Pak -- a 10-channel digital package on Charter's systems -- to "supercharge" Charter's already successful MVP (Movies and More Value Package) premium digital strategy, as a new high-end package, the MVP Plus.

The agreement calls for the Starz Super Pak to be launched over the next two years in Charter's top 100 digital systems that have been rebuilt to at least 750 Megahertz. Given Charter's aggressive network upgrade program, the Super Pak will be available to more than 50 percent of Charter's customers by the end of 2001 and more than five million Charter customers by the end of 2002.

"Charter's customers are asking for the Starz Super Pak," said Patty McCaskill, vice president of programming and pay per view for Charter. "It's a great product with an outstanding lineup of new and themed movies, including exclusive, first-run movies from Hollywood. Our new partnership will be instrumental in strengthening Charter's digital leadership and accelerating future digital growth."

"Charter is a recognized industry leader in the deployment of new technologies," said Que Spaulding, president of distribution, Starz Encore. "As a strategic partner, Starz Encore will commit its full company resources to support this massive launch."

"Charter has already demonstrated that premium movie channels drive digital penetration," said John Ruff, division vice president of Starz Encore. "Now, Charter can use the Starz Super Pak to strengthen the MVP premium strategy on the digital platform and to convert basic-only customers to digital cable."

Charter Communications, a Wired World(TM) company, is among the nation's largest broadband communications companies, currently serving some 6.4 million customers in 40 states. Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband services to the home, including cable television on an advanced digital video programming platform, marketed under the Charter Digital Cable(TM) brand; and high-speed Internet access marketed under the Charter Pipeline(TM) brand. Commercial high-speed data, video and Internet solutions are provided under the Charter Business Networks(TM) brand. Advertising sales and production services are sold under the Charter Media(TM) brand. As of March 31, 2001, Charter had approximately 1,343,700 digital customers, or approximately 15.2 percent of its base of total basic customers.

A Fortune 500 company, Charter is the 2001 recipient of the Outstanding Corporate Growth Award from the Association for Corporate Growth, the 2001 R.E. "Ted" Turner Innovator of the Year Award from the Southern Cable Telecommunications Association, and the 2000 Innovator Award for Technology from Cablevision Magazine. More information about Charter can be found at www.charter.com.

Starz Encore Group LLC (Starz Encore) is the largest provider of cable and satellite-delivered premium movie channels in the United States. Starz Encore owns 15 domestic channels and currently counts approximately 88 million pay units. Starz Encore offers up to 14 channels of the Starz Super Pak(SM), which comprises STARZ!(R), Encore(SM), Action(SM), Mystery(SM), Black STARZ!(SM), Westerns(SM), STARZ! Family(R), Love Stories(SM), True Stories(SM), STARZ! Theater(R), WAM!(R), STARZ!(R) Cinema(SM) and, to be offered in 2002, STARZ!(R) Comedy(SM) and STARZ!(R) Kidz(SM). Additionally, Starz Encore has the only low priced movie pak for price-sensitive consumers, the Encore Movie Pak(SM), featuring up to seven theme channels. Find programming information on the Web at www.starzencore.com and archived press releases at www.prnewswire.com/micro/NCOR.

For more information contact Paul Jacobson, VP, Corporate Communications of Starz Encore Group, 303-267-5821, paul.jacobson@starzencore.com; or Andy Morgan, Manager, Corporate Communications of Charter Communications, 314-543-2217, amorgan@chartercom.com.

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SOURCE Charter Communications; Starz Encore Group LLC

CONTACT: Paul Jacobson, VP, Corporate Communications of Starz Encore Group, 303-267-5821, paul.jacobson@starzencore.com; or Andy Morgan, Manager, Corporate Communications of Charter Communications, 314-543-2217, amorgan@chartercom.com/