ProSiebenSat.1 Group and Sony Pictures Television International conclude deal to ensure extensive movie supply for maxdome
Munich, July 24, 2006. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group and Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) have concluded a multi-year output deal for the recently created video-on-demand (VOD) portal maxdome. The agreement, which is for Germany, includes current feature films produced by Sony Pictures. Hence, Sony Pictures productions will be made available on maxdome shortly after their general DVD release. The deal was announced today by Stuart Baxter, Senior Vice President of European Sales Distribution for SPTI and Guillaume de Posch, CEO for the ProSiebenSat.1 Group.
Apart from recent blockbusters such as The Da Vinci Code, the deal covers a large variety of Sony Pictures productions, such as The Fog, Spider-Man, Men in Black & Men in Black II, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Anatomie & Anatomie 2.
Said ProSiebenSat.1 Group CEO Guillaume de Posch: By concluding this deal with SPTI, we have obtained the video-on-demand rights of another big Hollywood studio for maxdome. Due to the various rights we have secured, we will serve this new market with a very attractive product.
Germany is the biggest broadband market in Europe, so its an ideal territory to begin experimenting with new media propositions, and our longstanding relationship with ProSiebenSat.1 make them ideal partners in this venture, commented Baxter, SPTI. We believe its essential to get involved early with many of these initiatives so that we can learn what, how and when consumers will view content over the Internet. Our new Digital Initiatives team, working with broadcasters, ISPs and Telcos, is focused on VOD and Electronic-Sell-Through and this is just the first in a series of announcements from across Europe that we expect to make over the next few months.
SPTIs recently enhanced remit includes the addition of VOD and Electronic-Sell-Through initiatives worldwide excluding the U.S. These new initiatives expand on SPTIs existing businesses which include distribution of television and feature film content, international productions and international networks.
ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG is currently in negotiation with other major Hollywood studios. Deals have already been concluded with Paramount Pictures Global (z.B. Mission Impossible 1 & 2, Forrest Gump, Star Trek Nemesis), Constantin Film (e.g. (T)Raumschiff Surprise Periode 1, Alexander) as well as Kinowelt (e.g. Saw 2). ProSiebenSat.1 Group also holds video-on-demand rights from the KirchMedia Library (e.g. Rush Hour, Blade). Furthermore, maxdome will include a great number of successful productions that have aired on the Groups channels Sat.1, ProSieben, kabel eins and N24.
A strategic cooperation between ProSiebenSat.1 Group and United Internet AG, the video-on-demand portal maxdome will be launched at July 27th 2006. It offers a large variety of blockbusters, comedy shows and series and can be purchased by subscriptions of different packages as well as by 24h-pay-per-view. Titles on maxdome can be viewed repeatedly just like a DVD any number of times over the course of the purchased license period. Access is via a broadband internet connection either on a personal computer or, by using a set-top-box, on TV set. maxdome is an open platform which can be used through all broadband services and is not limited to a specific mode of access.
About Sony Pictures Television International
Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) is the division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) responsible for all television business outside of the United States. SPTI operates three complementary lines of business: 1) distribution of SPEs feature films and television programming to television, mobile and digital content delivery outlets around the world, 2) local television production in key international markets, and 3) international television networks. In addition to being a leader in the distribution of current and classic U.S. and international films and television product worldwide, SPTI produces high profile, locally produced television in local languages. With dedicated offices in France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Miami (Latin America), the People's Republic of China, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom, SPTI currently oversees production in nine regions of the world and is the leader in international television production among all major Hollywood studios. SPTI's worldwide television networks portfolio is a key strategy in the SPE's long-range commitment to the global marketplace, with over 40 networks in more than 100 countries reaching over 240 million viewers worldwide. SPTI is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.
About the ProSiebenSat.1 Group
The ProSiebenSat.1 Group is Germanys leading commercial television corporation. Sat.1, ProSieben, kabel eins, news channel N24 and quiz channel 9Live, all of them wholly-owned Group subsidiaries, form the only true family of free-to-air channels in the German market. ProSiebenSat.1 Group also offers the cable Pay TV channels Sat.1 Comedy, kabel eins Classics and Deutsches Wetterfernsehen as well as ProSiebenSat.1 Welt, a German language TV channel for the US and Canada. The Company is headquartered in Unterfoehring (near Munich) and Berlin. For more information about the ProSiebenSat.1 Group and its subsidiaries, see the Web site at: www.ProSiebenSat1.com.