HOTLINEDESH English Language Version: Saturday, April 29 th at 7:30 PM on OMNI. 2 Hindi Language Version: Saturday, April 29 th at 8 PM on OMNI. 2   April 24 th, 2006 - Toronto , ON - Rogers OMNI Television is proud to present the world premiere broadcast of Hotlindesh , as part of the OMNI Signature Series.. The 30 minute pilot programme launches to English speaking audiences on OMNI.2, Saturday, April 29 th at 7:30 p.m. , followed by the Hindi language broadcast. w project by independent producer Som Baskshi, Hotlindesh is a fore-runner to a series to be built around human interest stories. Hotlindesh seeks to link Canada with India not only socially through their respective diversities, but also technologically via a newly developed genre of interactive programming . Where conventional, international television broadcasts usually require a chain of satellites, Hotlinedesh has connected two opposite ends of the globe by beaming broadcast standard picture and sound without using them. For its pilot, Hotlinedesh will cover: A heated debate between a government official in New Delhi and a multicultural audience in Toronto over key immigration issues; The true story of a quadriplegic Canadian girl who faces her disability with inner resilience founded in her devotion to Krishna ; How the visionary leader of a Sikh centre for inter-faith spirituality empowered the community with forgiveness when their facility was vandalized after 9/11; As proposed, each episode of Hotlindesh will feature three stories, designed to celebrate the triumphs and strengths of the two nations -- while debating and exploring issues relevant to each. Hotlinedesh was exclusively funded through OMNI's Independent Producers Initiative, a $32.5 million independent production fund. This seven-year funding commitment by OMNI was initiated and made available for independent producers to create third-language/ethnocultural programming. The documentaries will be broadcast in their original language and transcreated into English as well as a range of other languages. About Rogers OMNI Television: Rogers OMNI Television is a free over-the-air system consisting of four regional broadcasters covering nine markets in British Columbia ( Victoria , Vancouver , and Fraser Valley ), Manitoba ( Winnipeg ), and Ontario (Ottawa-Gatineau, London , Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton and the Greater Toronto Area). All Rogers OMNI Television stations are owned and operated by Rogers Communications in the Rogers Media division, and have the collective mandate to reflect Canada ’s diversity through the airing of inclusive and accessible programming. In addition to specializing in Canadian multicultural, multilingual and multi-faith programming, OMNI TV also carries well-known American and International series and films. OMNI.2 is currently available across Canada to Starchoice subscribers on channel 395, and to ExpressVu subscribers on channel 216. LOOK carries OMNI.2 on channel 70 in Ontario . -30- Media Contact: Sandy Zwyer – Programme Information Coordinator, (416) 260-3590 sandy.zwyer@rci.rogers.com Andrea Gagliardi – Director, Public Relations, (416) 260-3803 andrea.gagliardi@rci.rogers.com Rogers Media Inc., a division of Rogers Communications Inc., (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B; NYSE: RG) operates Rogers Broadcasting and Rogers Publishing. Rogers Broadcasting has 43 AM and FM radio stations across Canada. Television properties include Toronto multicultural television broadcaster CFMT, televised and electronic shopping service, the Shopping Channel, regional sports channel, Rogers Sportsnet and the management of three digital television services. Rogers Publishing produces many well-known consumer magazines such as Maclean’s, Chatelaine, Flare, L’actualité, Canadian Business and is the leading publisher of a number of trade publications. All media properties are integrated with their own popular web sites. - 30 -