UNIVERSAL CITY, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 08/07/08 -- Panasonic, a leader in High Definition and Blu-ray technologies, announced today that the Joint Video Team Standards Committee (JVT), of which it is a member, will be honored with an Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 2008 Primetime Emmy Engineering Award for its work in the development of the High Profile for H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC.

The High Profile enables High Definition images in the H.264 video coding system used today to deliver HD video over satellite and cable TV as well as Blu-ray Disc. Recipients will receive their awards during the Engineering Awards ceremony on Saturday, August 23 at the Renaissance Hotel in Los Angeles.

The Emmy Engineering Award goes to an individual, company, or organization for developments in engineering that are either so extensive an improvement on existing methods, or so innovative in nature, that they materially affect the transmission, recording or reception of television.

"Panasonic applauds the Joint Video Team Standards Committee for its dedication to the development of technologies that are driving High Definition products and content into the mainstream consumer entertainment marketplace," said Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Managing Director, Panasonic Hollywood Labs. "As a proud member of the JVT, Panasonic is helping to lead the charge into the High Definition era with Blu-ray Disc products and technologies like the High Profile and H.264 video coding which enables consumers to access and enjoy HD content. For the JVT to receive this high honor from the Academy of Arts & Sciences reaffirms the value of its efforts and its leadership in High Definition technology."

The High Profile and H.264 technologies can be found in a variety of Panasonic's High Definition products including its flagship line of VIERA PZ850 IP-enabled Plasma HDTVs and the BD50 Blu-ray Disc Player which features BD Live technology.

About The Joint Video Team Standards Committee (JVT)

The JVT is a standardization team comprised of members from the International Standardization Organization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

About Panasonic

Based in Secaucus, NJ, Panasonic Corporation of North America markets a broad line of digital and other electronics products for consumer, business and industrial use. The company is the principal North American subsidiary of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE: MC) of Japan, and the hub of Panasonic's U.S. branding, marketing, sales, service and R&D operations. Information about Panasonic and its products is available at www.panasonic.com. Additional company information for journalists is available at www.panasonic.com/pressroom.