StarSight Telecast Inc., announced today that Judge WIlliam H. Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California confirmed an American Arbitration Association (AAA) arbitration panel award of $15 million against Scientific-Atlanta for unlawful use of StarSight Telecast's inventions, breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and unfair trade practices.

The court also confirmed the panel's injunction prohibiting Scientific-Atlanta for a period of three years from shipping to third parties any consumer product incorporating an interactive program guide, excepting orders already committed to in writing as of July 23, 1996.

The arbitration arose from a 1992 agreement pursuant to which Scientific-Atlanta had agreed to develop a StarSight(R) interactive guide for its advanced analog cable converter box called the 8600X.

The panel awarded StarSight Telecast $10 million in punitive damages based on its findings that Scientific-Atlanta intentionally withheld its performance under its agreement with StarSight Telecast for the ulterior purpose of using in the development of its own product, the "Native Guide."

The panel further found that Scientific-Atlanta attempted to use its own breach of contract to force StarSight Telecast to grant it a license it desired.

Scientific-Atlanta had filed a cross-motion in the District Court seeking to vacate the panel's punitive damage award, arguing that the arbitrators lacked the authority to make such an award. The District Court denied Scientific-Atlanta's motion.

StarSight Telecast Inc. is a publicly held company backed by strategic partners Viacom Inc., THOMSON multimedia S.A., Cox Communications Inc., Tribune Company, Providence Journal Company and Time Warner Inc. The company's stock is traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol SGHT.