"Pioneer is pleased to put this issue behind us. Now we can devote 100 percent of our attention to...the end users of our products"
Paul Dempsey, president of the Business Solutions Division of Pioneer Electronics

Gemstar-TV Guide International and Pioneer Electronics announced multi-year licensing agreements giving Pioneer Corporation and its subsidiaries the right to incorporate Gemstar-TV Guide's interactive program guide (IPG) for consumer electronics products into digital televisions and digital recorders in North America, Japan and Europe.

The agreements announced today also include a patent license that enables Pioneer to incorporate Gemstar-TV Guide's technology into Pioneer's digital cable products in North America. Under the agreement, Pioneer will pay license fees to Gemstar-TV Guide based on the number of units sold under the licenses. All outstanding litigation between the two companies is resolved. The deal announced today includes a one-time payment of $14 million.

"I'm delighted to have resolved the issues between our two companies, and look forward to working with Pioneer to make their customers' television experience more simple and enjoyable," said Jeff Shell, CEO of Gemstar-TV Guide. "For Gemstar-TV Guide, this is another signal that our new approach to creating true partnerships across the consumer electronics, cable and satellite industries is working, and it is another important step in firmly establishing the Company as the premiere source of television guidance and information."

"Pioneer is pleased to put this issue behind us. Now we can devote 100 percent of our attention to providing the best technology and entertainment experience to the end users of our products," said Paul Dempsey, president of the Business Solutions Division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "Pioneer will continue to offer and enhance our industry-leading digital cable set-top hardware as well as our Passport Interactive Program Guide."