DIRECTV To Carry Baylor's "A Most Significant Journey"

October 29, 2001
News Photo 75

by Lori Scott Fogleman

HDNet, the world's only all-high definition national television network, will begin carrying Baylor University's award-winning HDTV documentary "A Most Significant Journey" this week on DIRECTV Channel 199.
"A Most Significant Journey," produced by Baylor alumnus and director Fred Miller in conjunction with Randall P. Dark and his Irving-based HD VISION Inc., premiered at Baylor Homecoming in November 1999. A national tour followed during 2000 with screenings for Baylor alumni, friends and prospective students in Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Kansas City, Oklahoma City and Nashville. Believed to be the first high-definition documentary published by and about a university, "Journey" has won five national awards, including a silver Telly, an Aurora Award, and Gold Awards at the Houston International Film Festival and the American Corporate Video Awards competition. It also won a 2001 Axiem Award.
The groundbreaking video has aired on digital-capable television stations around the country, including WFAA-TV in Dallas, WETA-TV in Washington, D.C., and KHOU-TV in Houston. It was featured last year in HDTV demonstration packages in Best Buy stores nationwide and by PBS in its HDTV promotional tour.
"We are very pleased that HDNet has agreed to carry 'A Most Significant Journey' as part of its national programming on DIRECTV," said Executive Producer Larry D. Brumley. "Through this exciting medium, thousands of DIRECTV subscribers with HDTV sets will be introduced to Baylor University in a way that presents the dynamic nature of our campus and communicates our unique mission."
Founded by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Philip Garvin, HDNet carries 16 hours of HDTV sports and entertainment programming seven days a week. To receive HDNet on DIRECTV, consumers may purchase an HDTV set with a built-in DIRECTV receiver or a DIRECTV-enabled HD set-top receiver and a triple-LNB 18"X24" multi-satellite dish antenna.
"I believe the market for HDTV-enabled TVs and tuners is set to explode over the next five years," Cuban said. "The current state of the HDTV industry is very similar to the early days of the personal computer and the Internet, when the industry debated about technology and standards and growth was confined to early adopters. With each of these industries, new marketing and sales-driven businesses were key to driving the growth of the markets to the next level.
"HDNet is committed to working closely with DIRECTV, television manufacturers, retailers and resellers to proactively market and drive demand for HD-enabled televisions as opposed to HD-ready sets, thus making the buying decision an easy one for consumers," Cuban said.