Crawford Communications Selected By Entertainment Studios For HD Networks Transmission

Six networks launching on Verizon FiOS TV

By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/25/2009 6:40:00 AM MT

Electronic media services provider Crawford Communications will be transmitting six high-definition TV networks from producer Entertainment Studios for satellite, telco, and cable distribution through Verizon FiOS TV. Entertainment Studios announced the deal Tuesday.

Content from Entertainment Studios' six HD TV networks, Cars.TV, Pets.TV, Comedy.TV, Mydestination.TV, ES.tv, and Recipe. TV, are sent from Los Angeles to Crawford's headquarters in Atlanta where the company handles ingestion, content management, playout, and quality control.

Crawford uplinks the signals to an SES Americom satellite for distribution within the U.S., allowing viewers to watch content on television, online, and on mobile phones.

"We are committed to providing Entertainment Studios' new suite of HD networks with premiere broadcast resources," said Vince Matherne, VP of sales and marketing for Crawford in a statement. "There's a greater demand for HD channels today than there was a few years ago. It's because of Entertainment Studios that audiences now have more options."