ProSiebenSat.1 Group Acquires Stake in autoplenum.de
Unterföhring, September 02, 2008. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group has acquired a stake in autoplenum.de, Germanys first independent, single-theme information and evaluation platform for all things automotive. The online portal was launched at the end of June 2007 by Holtzbrinck eLAB GmbH and Malte Krüger. ProSiebenSat.1 now holds 25.1 percent of the platform, with an option to expand its stake later to a majority interest of 50.1 percent. The parties have agreed to keep the purchase price confidential. The investment has been approved by Germanys Federal Cartel Office. The acquisition expands ProSiebenSat.1s presence in the digital world, and adds an online automotive information and knowledge platform to ProSiebenSat.1 Networld.
autoplenum.des USP consists of editorial test reports from various sources, including auto, motor und sport and AutoNews, together with users reports about their own experiences. The portal focuses on evaluations written by drivers, for drivers. They can be posted in various categories, so that best lists can be set up for example of car models or auto shops. Then all users can search the lists for cars, shops, car washes or accessories, and form their own opinions quickly and easily. autoplenum.de is marketed by SevenOne Interactive, the ProSiebenSat.1 Groups online and multimedia marketing subsidiary.
Said Dr. Marcus Englert, ProSiebenSat.1 Group Board Member for New Media and Diversification: By entering the automotive segment, we are expanding ProSiebenSat.1 Networld with a very promising subject area. Jointly with the Georg von Holtzbrinck publishing group, we hope to establish this young automotive portal as a leading platform for evaluations and expert information. We are very confident that with our two corporate groups pooled expertise and marketing experience well quickly achieve that goal.
Added Dr. Stephan Roppel, managing director of Holtzbrinck eLAB: Were delighted that following our successful startup phase, well now be able to advance the expansion of autoplenum.de jointly with an ideal partner, ProSiebenSat.1.
According to a number of studies, including CarsOnline 2007 by CapGemini and Vertrauen 2.0, portals like autoplenum.de are becoming increasingly important for car sales, and are considered the most reliable source of information by most car buyers, said Malte Krüger, managing director of autoplenum.de. We consider that an incentive to keep working on those points so we can serve our users even better in the future.
About autoplenum.de
The http://www.autoplenum.de site was founded at the end of June 2007 by Malte Krüger and Holtzbrinck eLAB. Prior to his position at autoplenum.de, Krüger was in charge of project management and business development at AutoScout24 Deutschland GmbH, and in the German business of Ask.com.
About the ProSiebenSat.1 Group
With 26 free TV stations, 24 pay TV channels and 22 radio networks in 13 European countries, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group is one of the leading European media corporations. Free TV, financed through advertising, is the Groups core business. Its station brands Sat.1, ProSieben, kabel eins and N24 make it the largest commercial free TV corporation in Germany. In the Netherlands the Group owns TV stations Veronica, Net 5 and SBS 6, in Belgium VT 4 and Vijf TV, in Sweden Kanal 5 and Kanal 9, in Norway TV Norge and FEM, in Denmark Kanal 4, Kanal 5 and SBS Net, in Hungary TV2, in Romania Prima TV and Kiss TV, in Austria Puls 4. Additionally, with 9Live, the Group owns the leading provider of call TV. Maxdome, Germanys largest video-on-demand platform and innovative Internet services like MyVideo are among the activities with which the Group has increasingly been diversifying its sources of revenue. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group has about 6,000 employees across Europe. The Company, which is listed in the MDAX prime standard, is headquartered in Munich.
About Holtzbrinck eLAB
A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Georg von Holtzbrinck publishing group, eLAB systematically creates and develops user-centered Web and mobile applications. In a creative atmosphere, it supports projects in all phases, up to startup and beyond, and not merely with capital and a desk. The company offers an environment in which the experience and synergies available within a successful international media term can combine with entrepreneurial freedom, focused incubation, and critical assessment.