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Boys & Girls Clubs of America and PTA Launch Digital Video Service for Families : New Online Video Stores Powered by HP

PALO ALTO, Calif. (Business Wire EON) May 21, 2008 -- Created and managed by Harmony Digital Media Consortium with the support of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), this initiative encourages families to make informed media choices by serving as a tool for parents to help them manage their children's exposure to electronic media. Additionally, the program helps raise funds for two child-focused non-profit organizations, BGCA, which serves 4.8 million youth through club membership and community outreach, and PTA with more than 5.5 million members.

"Boys & Girls Clubs of America provides a safe place for young people to learn and grow, helping them develop into caring, responsible citizens," said Cyndi Court, senior vice president, Resource Development, Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "This program extends our vision by providing a secure environment for youth to enjoy entertainment that is appropriate for them, while raising funds for important programs that benefit youth in cities across the country."

One of BGCA's programs to benefit from this collaboration is the Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving) initiative, which serves as a model for Boys & Girls Clubs wanting to implement family support activities into their programming.

The digital video service program also supports PTA's mission, which is to help children reach their full potential by providing tools for parents to get involved and manage their children's health, education and safety.

"As the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the country, PTA believes that it is the responsibility of parents, teachers and caregivers to influence children's exposure to electronic media," said Jan Harp Domene, national president, PTA. "The resources offered through this program help parents fulfill this responsibility by bringing educational and age-appropriate entertainment and technology to children and families."

Beginning today, consumers can browse and purchase content on one of the two online video stores powered by HP ? www.ptavideostore.com and www.bgcavideostore.com. Video gift cards also are available on these sites.

BGCA cards will also be available at Circuit City stores nationwide and PTA video gift cards will be available at Office Depot stores nationwide later this year. Additionally, this program will be available as a fundraising tool for local PTA units beginning in the fall. Proceeds from the purchases on these sites will support the child-focused work undertaken by both organizations.

Gift cards can be redeemed at one of the two online video stores. Collectively, these sites offer more than 10,000 movie and TV titles from all major studios, including all MPAA member companies and most independent studios, as well as numerous specialty content providers. Movie titles include Alvin & The Chipmunks, Bee Movie, Enchanted, Nancy Drew and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets; TV titles include Avatar: Last Airbender Book 3: Fire Volume, Sponge Bob Square Pants: Pest of the West and Speed Racer the Next Generation: The Beginning.

In addition to age-appropriate TV titles, the BGCA online video store will carry movie titles with a G or PG rating from the MPAA. The PTA video store also will offer movies rated PG-13 by the MPAA. Movie and TV titles will be offered in a variety of formats, including DVD, Blu-ray and as digital downloads.

With a variety of appropriate G, PG and PG-13 titles available, the video gift card program is supported by the MPAA, which, through the film ratings system, plays an important role in providing information to parents about the content of films so that they can make informed viewing decisions for their children.

"For 40 years, the MPAA's film ratings system has helped millions of parents make informed decisions about appropriate film content for their children," said Joan Graves, chairman, Classification and Ratings Administration, Motion Picture Association of America. "This effort further arms parents with the information they need to make more educated choices for their children."

Development of the online video stores for this fundraising program is made possible through HP Digital Content Services, which created a platform that enables consumers to acquire video content in various forms, such as digital downloads, traditional-packaged DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

"HP is providing the technological backbone of a program that offers digital content, such as movies and TV shows, in both familiar and emerging formats for the whole family to enjoy," said Willem de Zoete, vice president and general manager, Digital Content Services, HP. "This program provides busy parents with a simple, secure solution for ordering age-appropriate video entertainment, while also benefiting the child-focused missions of these important nonprofit organizations."

About HP

HP focuses on simplifying technology experiences for all of its customers ? from individual consumers to the largest businesses. With a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure, HP is among the world's largest IT companies, with revenue totaling $110.4 billion for the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2008. More information about HP is available at www.hp.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has been changing and saving young lives, providing hope and opportunity for kids who need them most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.8 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found all across the country and on U.S. military bases throughout the world. Clubs provide young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. In communities large and small, Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration, community service; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their life. National headquarters is located in Atlanta.

About PTA

PTA comprises more than 5 million parents and other concerned adults devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that prides itself on being a powerful voice for children, a relevant resource for parents, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who is concerned about the education, health and welfare of children and youth.

About Harmony Digital Media Consortium

Harmony Digital Media Consortium develops fundraising initiatives in support of the strategic objectives of its nonprofit partner organizations. Harmony members include educators, technologists and media executives focused on creating useful new tools for families confronting both the great potential and challenges of the digital age.

© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.

MULTIMEDIA GALLERYhttp://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5690588

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