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Rogers Officially Unveils The Next Big Thing in Television with the Full Launch of Rogers On Demand Online

May 26, 2010

Rogers On Demand Online leads the way for online video entertainment in
Canada

TORONTO, May 26 /CNW/ – Based on growing demand and desire for Internet
video entertainment content across the country, Rogers today announced
the official launch of Rogers On Demand Online, featuring new content
and enhanced services including new social tools, new primetime and
multicultural programming, improved functionality, higher resolution and
live streaming capabilities.

After a successful Beta phase, Rogers On Demand Online is officially
Canada’s one-stop Web destination for on-demand access to a vast video
library that features prime time, daytime and specialty TV, movies,
sports and music videos. Available to any Rogers Digital Cable, Rogers
Wireless, Rogers Home Phone and Rogers Hi Speed Internet customers,
Rogers On Demand Online now offers more programming content including
live sporting events, concerts and new web-exclusive programming. Rogers
Digital Cable customers can also join to watch many of the same
subscription-based specialty channels online as they have through their
television account.

“Canadians are looking for their video entertainment needs to be met
wherever and whenever they want and they want to share it,” says David
Purdy, Vice President, Television and Video Product Management, Rogers
Communications. “Rogers On Demand Online enhances the customer
experience by leveraging Rogers expertise in home entertainment and
extending the best video experience online. Viewers benefit from a high
quality, extremely convenient, robust, anytime, anywhere entertainment
experience.”

Online television and video viewing is significantly gaining in
popularity in Canada. Findings from ComScore study state that 90 per
cent of online Canadians are watching online video (1). Another recent
survey showed that Canadians are now spending more than 18 hours each
week online (2). Rogers has made enhancements to Rogers On Demand Online
based on the popularity of its home entertainment services, rise in
online viewing and the growth in social networking. The service now
includes new community and social features including commenting
capabilities, sharing options, the ability to create playlists, and rate
videos. In addition, Rogers On Demand Online now offers a
registration-free sampling of content available to all Canadians
including non-Rogers customers.

“Video viewing on the Internet is changing the way we and our customers
think about entertainment,” added Purdy. “As the innovator in the
category, we’re proud to lead its evolution.”

New features and enhancements include:

  • Up to 1,500 hours of content, including web-exclusive live streaming
    of concerts and world sporting events for Rogers customers
  • New community and social tools including commenting, rating, sharing
    (via Facebook, Twitter, Email and more), and playlists
  • Improved functionality and higher resolution viewing
  • In addition to its current 20 partners including Canwest and Corus
    Entertainment, Rogers is pleased to announce several new content
    partners including: The Cineplex Channel featuring movie
    trailers; Shorts in the City; Saturday Night Live (Global);
    urMusic; WildTV; Equator HD; Rush HD; The Filipino Channel (TFC);
    Oasis HD; andPOP; WFN: World Fishing Network;     and Treasure HD
  • Choices for accessibility including the option of an audio
    challenge-response decoder when registering versus text-only
  • Many of the specialty channels that customers subscribe to through
    their Rogers Digital Cable account

Rogers On Demand Online launched in Beta in late November 2009, with
more than 20 content partners, featuring a video library with more than
1,000 hours of content. Now officially out of Beta, Rogers has added
over 500 hours of content and 19 channels and continues to build out the
functionality and enhanced user experience. Over the coming weeks,
Canadians can expect further content and programming announcements with
major partners from Rogers.

By visiting www.rogersondemand.com,
both Rogers customers and non-Rogers customers can familiarize
themselves with the service before registering. Rogers customers who
wish to access exclusive content or specialty channels can quickly join
online using their Rogers account information. It is easy and accessible
from anywhere in Canada with an Internet connection. Rogers On Demand
Online fans can also visit the Facebook
page (http://www.facebook.com/RogersOnDemandOnline) or follow on
Twitter @RogersRODO
(http://twitter.com/rogersrodo) to get the latest updates and provide
feedback on the service.

Rogers Communications Inc.

Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media
company. We are Canada’s largest provider of wireless voice and data
communications services and one of Canada’s leading providers of cable
television, high-speed Internet and telephony services. Through Rogers
Media we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised
shopping, magazines and trade publications, and sports entertainment. We
are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B)
and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For further information
about the Rogers group of companies, please visit www.rogers.com

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(1) Source: The comScore 2009 Digital Year in Review

(2) Ipsos Reid Canada Study: Weekly Internet Usage Overtakes Television
Watching, March 22, 2010