THE WB MAKES THREE-YEAR DEAL TO BROADCAST THE "CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS"

Burbank, CA - October 7, 2004

THE WB MAKES THREE-YEAR DEAL TO BROADCAST THE "CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS"

10TH ANNUAL "CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS" SET FOR SUNDAY, JANUARY 9, 2005

STAR-STUDDED TELECAST TO MARK THE BROADCAST TELEVISION PREMIERE OF THE MOST ACCURATE PREDICTOR OF THE ACADEMY AWARDS

Nominations To Be Announced On Wednesday, December 15

The WB Network has signed a three-year deal for the exclusive broadcast right to the CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS, which will be held at the historic Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, it was announced today by Keith Cox, Senior Vice President, Alternative Programming, The WB.

"This is an event we think we can build into a successful franchise for The WB," said Mr. Cox. "Over the past decade, the 'Critics' Choice Awards' has time and again foreshadowed Academy Award winners in all major categories, adding a great deal of anticipation, prestige and most importantly, star power, to the show."

"Our show has become both an influencer as well as a predictor, which is why all the stars come every year," noted Broadcast Film Critics Association President Joey Berlin. "Moving to The WB will now magnify the importance of the 'Critics' Choice Awards' show. Our members are thrilled that The WB shares our vision of what this show can be."

The WB's inaugural telecast of this prestigious event will take place on Sunday, January 9, with one hour of pre-show festivities (7:00-8:00 p.m. ET), followed by the two-hour award show (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET). This broadcast will mark the 10th anniversary of the CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS. The CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS are selected by the Broadcast Film Critics Association, which is comprised of the top entertainment reporters on stations coast to coast.

The telecast will be produced by Bob Bain Productions ("Teen Choice Awards," "Billboard Music Awards" "Miss America"). Nominations will be announced on Wednesday, December 15. The CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS is the first major film awards show of the season and has proven to be an uncanny predictor of the outcome of the Academy Awards. Last year, the winners of the Big Six Awards - Best Picture ("The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"), Best Actor (Sean Penn), Best Actress (Charlize Theron), Best Director (Peter Jackson), Best Supporting Actor (Tim Robbins) and Best Supporting Actress (Renee Zellweger) - were identical in both the CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS and the Academy Awards.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association was founded in 1995 and is the largest film critics association in the United States and Canada, representing 188 television, radio and online film critics. The BFCA presents its CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS annually to honor the finest achievements in filmmaking.

For the past four years the show has been televised on E! Entertainment Television.