SBS Broadcasting to Launch Second Television Channel in Hungarian Market
07 Setembro 2004 - 6:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
SBS Broadcasting to Launch Second Television Channel in Hungarian
Market - Irisz Channel to Be Carried by UPC, Hungary's Largest
Cable Operator - LUXEMBOURG, Sept. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SBS
Broadcasting S.A. (Nasdaq: SBTV; Euronext Amsterdam N.V.: SBS)
announced today the launch of Irisz, its second television channel
in the Hungarian market. Irisz is expected to premiere on September
13, 2004 and will be broadcast from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the
Hungarian feed of Club, a television channel dedicated to women's
entertainment. Irisz will initially reach approximately 680,000
homes through cable carriage on UPC Hungary, Hungary's largest
cable operator, and other local networks. Irisz will be a female
entertainment channel broadcast in the Hungarian language and
focused on the key 18-49 female audience. Its programming schedule
will complement Club's female focus and leverage SBS's Hungarian
library. Irisz will consist of a mixture of popular local
productions and international programming. The channel will be
programmed and broadcast under a Dutch broadcasting license.
Commenting on the announcement, Markus Tellenbach, Chief Executive
Officer of SBS Broadcasting, said: "Hungary is one of our fastest
growing markets and the launch of Irisz with its targeted audience
focus will allow us to capture a greater share of this expanding ad
market. Our distribution agreement with UPC and our ability to
leverage the programming experience of SBS Netherlands as well as
the operating infrastructure of TV2 will allow Irisz to operate
with a modest cost structure. "With the launch of Irisz and the
scheduled launches of The Voice TV across Scandinavia and a second
channel in Belgium, we will operate multiple channels in all of our
television markets by year-end. We are prudently implementing our
growth strategy and continue to explore additional opportunities
across our markets to further strengthen our position and fully
utilize our operating infrastructure." Launched in 1997, TV2 is one
of the leading television stations in Hungary attaining an audience
share of approximately 31% thus far in 2004. TV2's target audience
is 18-49 and the station has launched a number of successful local
productions such as Big Brother, The Bachelor, Megasztar and Deal
or No Deal. Launched in 1999, Club is a television channel
dedicated to women's entertainment and is available in 20 countries
across Europe and in nine languages. Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements in this press release are forward-looking,
including, without limitation: the statement that the launch of
Irisz will allow us to capture a greater share of the advertising
market; the statement that our distribution agreement with UPC and
our ability to leverage the programming experience of SBS
Netherlands as well as the operating infrastructure of TV2 will
allow Irisz to operate with a modest cost structure; and the
statement that the launch of Irisz and the scheduled launches of
The Voice TV across Scandinavia and our second channel in Belgium
we will operate multiple channels in all of our television markets
by year-end. These forward-looking statements include statements
relating to anticipated developments in the television broadcasting
industry. In addition, we may make forward-looking statements in
future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in
written material, press releases and oral statements issued by us
or on our behalf. Forward-looking statements include statements
regarding our intent, belief or current expectations or those of
our officers (including statements preceded by, followed by or that
include forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will,"
"should," "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates,"
"continues" or similar expressions or comparable terminology) with
respect to various matters. It is important to note that our actual
results in the future could differ materially from those
anticipated in these forward-looking statements depending on
various important factors. Some of these factors include: the
effects of, and changes in, government policy and regulatory
requirements; the ability to receive governmental approvals
necessary in order to complete the transactions; the effects of
changes in general economic environment; the effects of changes in
the advertising spending growth; the effects of competition; and
our success at managing the risks that arise from these factors. A
more detailed discussion of some of these risks is set forth in
SBS's annual report on Form 20F for the year-ended December 31,
2003. All forward-looking statements in this press release are
based on information available to us on the date hereof. We do not
undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made
by us or on our behalf, in this press release or otherwise. SBS is
a European commercial television and radio broadcasting company
with operations in Western and Central Europe. Countries where SBS
currently has broadcasting assets include: Belgium (Flanders),
Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania
and Sweden. For further information visit:
http://www.sbsbroadcasting.com/. DATASOURCE: SBS Broadcasting S.A.
CONTACT: Investors- Michael Smargiassi or Jon Lesko, both of
Brainerd Communicators, +1-212-986-6667, or Press - Jeff Pryor of
Pryor Associates, +1-818-382-2233, or Catriona Cockburn of Citigate
Dewe Rogerson, +44-207-282-2924, all for SBS Broadcasting S.A. Web
site: http://www.sbsbroadcasting.com/
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