SIOUX FALLS, S.D., June 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation , the world leader in interactive TV and broadband solutions to hotels, and Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Company today announced their intention to integrate Panasonic plasma displays with LodgeNet's HDTV platform for high-definition (HD), free-to-guest (FTG) and video-on-demand (VOD) services. As part of the integration effort, Panasonic will also adopt Pro:Idiom(TM) premium content copy protection technology enabling LodgeNet served hotels with Panasonic plasma screens to display HD premium satellite and VOD entertainment licensed by satellite programmers and movie studios that have accepted the Pro:Idiom security standard.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000310/LODGELOGO)

"The compelling nature of full high-definition programming on a widescreen plasma display in your hotel room is unquestionable. The extraordinary quality that the guest experiences will help the hotelier define their customer's image of the hotel," said Robert Harris, Vice President of Marketing, Panasonic Broadcast. "By integrating the extraordinary performance and reliability of our industry-leading plasma displays with LodgeNet's HDTV platform, we can help hoteliers exceed their guests' expectations and therefore ensure the loyalty and premium value they are seeking."

"Panasonic's efforts in conjunction with LodgeNet will help hoteliers 'WOW' their guests with a broad range of high-definition broadcast, satellite and VOD entertainment," said David M. Bankers, Senior Vice President, Product & Technology Development for LodgeNet. "We look forward to helping Panasonic give hoteliers more options for HD displays that can be enhanced with the full entertainment, information and marketing capabilities of our HDTV solution."

The industry standard for premium content copy protection, Pro:Idiom(TM) utilizes the 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and supports digital video and data formats recognized by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC). When integrated with LodgeNet's Secure Conditional Access (SCA) system, Pro:Idiom(TM) protects satellite delivered programming and video-on-demand content against piracy at every point in the distribution chain to the TV display.

About LodgeNet

LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation ( http://www.lodgenet.com/ ) is the world leader in interactive TV and broadband solutions to hotels throughout the United States and Canada as well as select international markets. These services include on-demand movies, on-demand games, music and music videos, subscription sports programming and television on-demand programming, as well as high-speed Internet access, all designed to serve the needs of the lodging industry and the traveling public. LodgeNet provides service to more than one million interactive hotel rooms and serves more than 6,000 hotel properties worldwide. LodgeNet estimates that during 2005 approximately 300 million domestic and international travelers had access to LodgeNet's interactive television systems. In addition, LodgeNet is a leading innovator in the delivery of on-demand patient education, information and entertainment to healthcare facilities. LodgeNet is listed on NASDAQ and trades under the symbol LNET.

About Panasonic Broadcast

Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Co. is a leading supplier of broadcast, professional video and presentation products and systems. Panasonic Broadcast is a unit company of Panasonic Corporation of North America. The company is the North American headquarters of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. of Japan, and the hub of its U.S. marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Panasonic Broadcast markets a full line of professional plasma displays and accessories for a broad range of professional applications. For more information on Panasonic professional plasmas, visit our web site at http://www.panasonic.com/proplasma.

LodgeNet and the LodgeNet logo are registered trademarks of LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation. Panasonic is a registered trademark of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Pro:Idiom is a trademark of LG Electronics Inc. Other trademarks may be claimed as the property of others.
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000310/LODGELOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation

CONTACT: Ann Parker, Director of Corporate Communications of LodgeNet
Entertainment Corporation, +1-605-988-1000, communications@lodgenet.com , or
Jim Wickizer, National Manager, Marketing Services, of Panasonic Broadcast,
+1-201-348-7994, wickizerj@us.panasonic.com

Web site: http://www.lodgenet.com/
http://www.panasonic.com/proplasma