OVERVIEW

Gemstar-TV Guide’s premier interactive electronic programme guide ("EPG") technology in the consumer electronics sector is the GUIDE Plus+® system.

The GUIDE Plus+ system is an interactive programme guide that is built directly into consumer electronics products, including recordable DVD players, personal video recorders, and digital, plasma and LCD televisions. The GUIDE Plus+ system offers interactive on-screen programme listings that enable users to quickly and easily navigate, sort, select, and schedule television programming for viewing and recording, all with simple remote control commands.

Launched in the United States and Japan in the mid-1990’s, the GUIDE Plus+ system is now being widely deployed throughout Europe. It is available in Germany, France, UK, Spain, Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg. Check our consumer web site at www.europe.guideplus.com for a current list of European countries where the system is deployed.

The GUIDE Plus+ system’s patented technology delivers updated programme listings to users free of charge, regardless of whether they receive their television signal from an over-the-air broadcast or via cable or satellite services.

Available in 11 million homes worldwide* under various brands in different geographic regions, the GUIDE Plus+ system is the leading interactive programme guide for the consumer electronics market.

LICENSEES

Worldwide, the GUIDE Plus+ system’s licensees include: JVC, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Philips, Thomson, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, and Pioneer.

KEY PRODUCT FEATURES

Demo available

Seamless Listings Service:

1. Displays up to seven days of viewer's local programme listings and descriptions for all major broadcast, cable and satellite channels.
   
2. Users can tune to any programme, schedule a programme to record, or set a reminder to watch a show... all with the press of a button;
   
3. The Video Window lets users monitor the last channel tuned while viewing programme listings, or preview channels as they page through listings;
   

Search Feature:

1. Users can search for programmes by categories such as movies, sports or children's shows. Within categories, users can sort by show type, such as football or golf within the Sports category.
   
2. Colour-coded programme genres help users quickly identify movies, sports, and children's programming.
   

Search: "Tips of the Day" from a leading local listings magazine:

• In certain markets, the GUIDE Plus+ system has partnered with the leading TV listings magazine to provide daily recommendations of shows worth watching in each major category: Movies, Sport, Children, Other. In the UK, for example, this feature is provided by the Radio Times. In markets where the GUIDE Plus+ system has partnered with a TV listings magazine, the partner's logo will appear in the upper right hand corner of the GUIDE Plus+ screens.
  

Custom Searches: "My TV"

• Users can also set their own search keywords such as an actor's name or a movie title. In a My Choice search result, the GUIDE Plus+ system will display a list of all the programmes that contain the specified keywords.
  

Personalized Recommendations: "My TV"

• Users can define a personal profile of favourite channels, categories and keywords in the My TV area. The GUIDE Plus+ system will search the listings and create a list of viewing recommendations based on this personal profile.
  

One-touch Recording:

1. The GUIDE Plus+ system is built into new digital recording devices, including PVRs DVD recorders and can control external set top boxes to ease recording;
   
2. To record, viewers simply highlight a programme title and then press a button on the remote control. The GUIDE Plus+ system will automatically record the programme;
   
3. Programmes may be set to record once or every time they air;
   
4. The GUIDE Plus+ system is a critical component of the digital recording devices into which it is built. A full seven day's of TV listings combined with powerful sorting features make advanced recording simple.
   

Reminder Feature:

• Users may set reminders to ensure they never miss their favourite shows.

ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES

The Company’s IPG service includes a variety of advertising display formats incorporated into the guide screens. Advertising opportunities are "hot", displaying additional text information and/or ad copy when selected via the remote control. Broadcaster ads can hot link directly to a TV channel. Advertisers can target specific audiences by time of day or by users' programming preferences (e.g., movies, sports, children's or news). In the U.S., recent research of usage reveals 71% of users recall specific advertisements, 57% took some type of action from an ad including clicking, purchasing the product, ordering a Pay-Per-View event or looking for more information on a programme or product, and 34% recall clicking on a specific ad**. Advertising services in geographic regions outside the U.S. will be deployed as the Company’s installed base grows.

* Source: NFO WorldGroup GUIDE Plus+ Activation Study, May 2003.
** Source: IPG Usage Study, Lieberman Research Worldwide, July 2002, TVGI Users (n=683).