BANFF Honours Bang & Olufsen with Sonic Foundry Outstanding Technical Achievement Award 2002

Copenhagen, Denmark — Denmark's Bang & Olufsen, an international leader in the entertainment electronics industry, will be presented with the prestigious Sonic Foundry Outstanding Technical Achievement Award at the 23rd annual Banff Television Festival, June 9 – 14, 2002. This award represents the pinnacle of technical and creative achievement over time in the international television and new media industry.

In making the announcement today at a special reception at the Danish Design Centre, Pat Ferns, president and CEO of the Banff Television Foundation said, "Watching television is at the heart of what we do and Bang & Olufsen has added another dimension of pleasure to this experience in the brilliant systems it has created. Watching and listening on equipment designed to be works of art in themselves - without sacrificing any visual or aural element - has endeared audiences to this company and its products. As the Board of Governors explored the full range of Bang & Olufsen's creations, they came to a happy conclusion that this innovative Danish company represented true excellence, deserving of BANFF's top technology award."

Bang & Olufsen's chief technology officer, Peter Petersen, expressed the gratitude of the company when thanking Pat Ferns for the honour and stated, "Bang & Olufsen has always prided itself in the refinement and application of technology in order to benefit the user. We constantly strive to ensure that the technologies applied inside our products are never outshone by the design elements found on the outside. A few years ago we asked people what they liked most about Bang & Olufsen products. Those who did not own any said 'The way it looks.' Those who owned our products said 'The way it works.' Thank you BANFF, for also acknowledging our technological endeavours."

Bang & Olufsen is an international leader in the design, development and production of innovative and original electronic products. Founded in 1925 by Denmark's Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen, the company focuses on the fields of audio visual, telecommunications, multimedia and medical equipment. Its experts develop new concepts and design and produce equipment using new and familiar technologies. B&O products are sold through 14 national sales companies, all 100% owned, located around the world. Nearly all of the company's research and development work, the production of products, and administration are still carried out in Struer, Denmark, the originating town of Bang & Olufsen. For more information visit www.bang-olufsen.com.

The winner of the Sonic Foundry Outstanding Technical Achievement Award is chosen annually by the Banff Television Foundation's Board of Governors (see attached list). It will be presented to Bang & Olufsen at a special Tribute ceremony on Tuesday, June 11 during BANFF 2002. (A list of past recipients is attached).

The Banff Television Festival is a special gathering place for television broadcasters, program producers, and online content creators. Over 60 hours of seminars, plenary sessions, keynote speakers, Master Classes, and pitching opportunities are featured along with the international Banff Rockie Awards program competition. The Festival is the premier activity of the Banff Television Foundation, a management organization for some of the world's leading television and new media industry events including the World Congress of History Producers, the World Congress of Science Producers, and the Alliance Atlantis Banff Television Executive Program. For more information visit www.btvf.com or www.banff2002.com.

Sonic Foundry Outstanding Technical Achievement Award Honour Roll

1997 SONY Corporation of Japan
1998 Silicon Graphics Inc., U.S.A.
1999 Avid Technology Worldwide Inc., U.S.A.
2000 Discreet, Canada
2001 Royal Philips Electronics, The Netherlands

Board of Governors – 2002

Trina McQueen, Vice Chair, CTV Inc., Canada (Chair)

Dawn Airey, Chief Executive, Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd., UK
Leonard Asper, President & CEO, CanWest Global Communications Corp., Canada
Dominique Baudis, Président, Conseil Supérieur de l'Audio-Visuel, France
Peter Bazalgette, Creative Director, GMG Endemol Entertainment plc, UK
Paule Beaugrand-Champagne, Présidente-directrice générale, Télé-Québec, Canada
Henry Becton, Jr., President, WGBH, USA
Rudy Buttignol, Creative Head, Documentaries, Drama & Network, TVOntario, Canada
Peter Casey, Executive Producer/Creator, Frasier, Grub Street Productions, USA
John Cassaday, President & CEO, Corus Entertainment Inc., Canada
Robert Chua, Founder/Chairman, China Entertainment Television Broadcast Ltd.
Wayne Clarkson, Executive Director, Canadian Film Centre
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