Jun 13, 2007

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Mike Kitadeya, International PR
  Tel: 06-6949-2293  Fax: 06-6949-2255
Panasonic News Bureau
  Tel: 03-3542-6205  Fax: 03-3542-9018

Panasonic Announces the First Global Contest
of its Kid Witness News Video Education Program

The Grand Prix winner will be rewarded with a trip to Beijing 2008 Olympic Games



Osaka, Japan - Panasonic, the leading brand by which Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is known, announced the first global contest of its Kid Witness News (KWN) hands-on video education program, starting in the 2007/2008 school year. The contest starts this year with the 2008 Kid Witness News (KWN) Global Contest. School children between 10 to 15 years old are to submit a video (up to five minutes long) through their schools participating in the KWN program, under the theme of "ecology" or "communication."

The history of KWN dates back to 1988 when Panasonic Corporation of North America started a video-making project to support education of elementary and middle school students at public schools in the United States. The program quickly spread to other countries in the Americas, Europe and the Asia Pacific. In 2004, an International Award was created for countries other than the United States, as part of the US KWN New Vision Awards contest. Fifty-six schools from seven countries contended for the first International Award. Now, about 10,000 students from more than 500 schools in 21 countries -- including the United States -- participate in this annual video contest.

For details of KWN program, visit: http://panasonic.net/kwn/index.html.

Starting this year, the International Award division will be eliminated and the contest itself becomes global. The United States will take part in the contest as one of the international contenders. Each participating country will hold a national-level competition and winning videos will be judged in the KWN Global Contest. A panel of international judges will nominate six videos for the final screening for the Grand Prix award.

Japan will host the first KWN Global Contest and the award ceremony is planned for June 2008 in Tokyo. The Grand Prix winner will win a trip to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games which will be held in August and have a chance to meet and communicate with their peers in China by visiting a KWN school in Beijing. As a worldwide Olympic Sponsor since 1987, Panasonic regards the Grand Prix prize of inviting the winner to the Beijing 2008 Games would be most suitable for KWN which is the company's global education support program.

2008 KWN Global Contest Outline

Eligibility: 515 KWN-participating schools in 21 countries (As of May 2007)
Video Theme: Ecology or communication
Length: Up to five minutes
Application Period:
  From September 2007 through February 2008
(Deadlines to be set by individual national KWN office)
Schedule:
December 2007 to March 2008
  Each country selects its best video and submits to the KWN Global Contest
April 2008 Initial screening to select final six videos
May 2008 Final screening
June 2008 2008 KWN Global Contest Award Ceremony to be held in Japan to announce the Grand Prix and other awards
(Representatives of the six finalists to attend the ceremony)
August 2008 The Grand Prix winner to visit the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and a KWN school in Beijing.

About Panasonic
Best known for 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$77.19 billion for the year ended March 31, 2007. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE:MC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.


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