OSAKA, Japan, February 10 /PRNewswire/ --

- DVCPRO P2 to Team with DVCPRO50 and DVCPRO HD Equipment to Deliver Standard and High Definition Coverage of 2006 Olympic Games

Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, today announced that the host broadcast for the Torino Olympic Games has selected Panasonic as its supplier of standard and high definition recording equipment for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

According to the agreement between Organising Committee of XX Olympic Winter Games Torino 2006, TOBO (Torino Olympic Broadcasting Organisation) Division and Panasonic, Panasonic DVCPRO P2 solid-state memory as well as DVCPRO HD and DVCPRO50 recording equipment will be used for the Torino Games.

Since they have no moving parts and record on solid-state P2 cards, Panasonic DVCPRO P2 camcorders are extremely reliable and resistant to extreme weather, which make them an ideal choice for the possible severe weather of the Winter Games. The Panasonic's video equipment will be used during the 2006 Games at the International Broadcasting Centre and throughout the various athletic venues.

Panasonic supplied broadcast video equipment and maintenance support to the host broadcaster during the Barcelona'92, Atlanta'96, Nagano'98, Sydney 2000, Salt Lake City 2002 and has provided similar services for the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece last summer. For the Athens Games, Panasonic's 4:2:2, 50Mbps DVCPRO50 equipment was the official video recording format. Panasonic's DVCPRO50 VTRs as well as new " P2 " camcorders and decks covered over 3,200 hours of live sporting competitions during 17 days, from August 13 to 29, of the Olympic Games.

About Panasonic

Best known by its Panasonic brand name, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of US$71.92 billion for the year ended March 31, 2004. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, New York (NYSE:MC), Euronext Amsterdam and Frankfurt stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.co.jp/global/index.html.

Media contact: Brendon Gore, Tel: +44-(0)20-8899-2217, brendon.gore@eu.panasonic.com