CAN Central A.G.

RNS Number:8104B
Channel Health PLC
9 April 2001



                              CHANNEL HEALTH PLC

 Wins #1.2 million Contract from the NHS for Digital Interactive TV Services


Floated on the Alternative Investment Market in August 2000, Channel Health
operates the first dedicated health-related television channel with an
interactive website in the UK. Having launched as a free-to-air service on Sky
Digital in June 2000, Channel Health now broadcasts 18 hours a day. The
Company today announced its preliminary results for the period ended 31
December 2000 and the award of a prestigious contract with the National Health
Service for the delivery of fully interactive health programming for NHS
Digital.



Channel Health today announces details of the #1.2 million contract that it
has been awarded by the NHS to run an innovative pilot digital TV projects.
The contract follows last summer's announcement by Gisela Stuart, the
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, that the Department of
Health would commission a series of pilot projects exploring the possible
health applications of digital interactive television.

The NHS aims to explore the possibility of a 24 hour, 7 day gateway to health
information services such as those most relevant to pregnant women. The NHS
and Channel Health have developed an innovative digital interactive television
pilot project for providing pregnant women access to health care information
and advice around the clock and at the touch of a button.

Under the terms of the initial contract, Channel Health will produce seven,
half-hour programmes about pregnancy, which will be sponsored by the NHS and
will be shown over 56 hours of broadcast time over a three month period. Using
the technology deployed in the creation of the Channel Health web site, plus
newly created interactive television applications, the programmes will be
fully interactive and will be broadcast on Channel Health, Channel 193 on Sky
Digital, in the last quarter of this year. This contract represents a
broadcasting 'first' for the Government which has made a commitment to further
investment in the creation of digital services.

To explore the value of digital interactive TV services to pregnant women, the
NHS has asked Channel Health to create a series of interactive television
programmes:


  * Transmitted into 5 million homes via Sky Digital, these programmes will
    be real-life "video diaries" of 5-10 pregnant women using interactive
    services. Aimed at women across the country, the programmes will show
    exactly how Digital Interactive TV can provide health information and
    services during pregnancy.

  * The "video diary" format will encourage a strong identification between
    the women on screen and women at home, and so empower the latter to make
    use of the services they are watching on screen.

  * In order to further maximise the relevance of the project to women
    around Britain, the diaries will cover a diverse group of people. They
    will be from a wide age group, from all walks of life, and at different
    stages of pregnancy.

  * Each programme will show a woman's journey through pregnancy with the
    NHS's new interactive services. The programmes will realistically
    highlight those areas of technology which are most useful to the women and
    those which need further development

  * The series will not only provide entertaining and informative viewing,
    but will demonstrate in the most concrete terms how a range of services,
    including information phone lines, email user groups, digital TV, and NHS
    Direct can be used to give the patient greater control over the provision
    of their healthcare services.



Channel Health is the lead contractor to the NHS for this project. One of its
key strategic partners in the contract is Bounty SCA. This alliance will
enable Channel Health branded materials to reach 80 percent of new mothers in
the UK, via the Bounty sample packs distributed to new mothers in hospital
delivery rooms throughout the UK.

Commenting on the contract, Joanne Sawicki, Chief Executive of Channel Health,
said:

"The award of the NHS contract is a milestone few companies could expect to
achieve at such an early stage of development. Moreover, it is proof positive
of our conviction in the Channel Health model. This is a ground breaking
project and we are proud to be involved in the NHS' determination to lead the
way in the development of digital TV in the health arena."

Commenting on the NHS' commitment to the digital information revolution,
Gisela Stuart, Health Minister, said:

"I believe that we are at the dawn of a new revolution. Communication
technology is taking a major leap forward with the introduction of digital
interactive TV and the UK is leading the way in Europe. The introduction of
digital TV represents a major and exciting new opportunity for the delivery of
Government information and services directly into the home across the country
and the NHS is eager to explore this opportunity.

"Digital TV promises faster, easier access to health information for all and
is likely to allow us to take a further significant step towards the NHS
becoming the authoritative provider of advice on health at home and a
proactive partner in helping people to change to healthier lifestyles."


                                                                  9 April 2001

Enquiries:
Channel Health                             Tel: 020 7758 3200
Joanne Sawicki, Chief Executive
Dabinder Dhanda, Finance Director

College Hill                               Tel: 020 7457 2020
Nicola Weiner                              nicola.weiner@collegehill.com
Clare Warren                               clare.warren@collegehill.com

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