The Walt Disney Compays Buena Vista Iinternational Television And ProSiebenSat.1 To Launch Lost And Desperate Housewives On Demand In Germany

series to be available on IPTV service maxdome from up to seven days before German free TV broadcast

Munich, August 10, 2006 German viewers of the international hit, award-winning series Lost and Desperate Housewives will soon be able to enjoy the series online, on demand from up to seven days before free TV broadcast, with a video on demand (VOD) rental licensing agreement between Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), the international TV licensing division of The Walt Disney Company, and The ProSiebenSat.1 Groups digital TV division SevenSenses, for their launch on ProSiebenSat.1s IPTV entertainment portal, maxdome.

This agreement is in line with The Walt Disney Company's focus on the application of technology to enhance its content and expand its distribution, and is:

- The first ever first-run network series Subscription VOD agreement concluded in Germany by a Studio
- Disneys first agreement in Europe for Subscription VOD rights to its network series
- The first time in Europe that Disney has previewed network series on VOD before free TV broadcast

Starting 1st September, to coincide with their season two ProSieben free TV launch, and throughout their free TV transmission window, individual episodes from seasons one and two of the Touchstone Television-produced series will be offered on demand for a one-off payment, for a 24 hour period.

Also from 1st September, the series will also be available via Subscription Video On Demand through two other customer propositions: the purchase of a Season Pass subscription, giving access to the whole of season one and building up to season two as it is broadcast, and through the maxdome Serie section of the portal, which allows users to subscribe monthly for access to a selection of ProSiebenSat.1's series content.
Episodes viewed through purchasing the Season Pass or through a one-off payment per episode will be available from up to seven days before their free TV broadcast. Through the maxdome Serie section, series will be available starting from 24 hours after their free TV broadcast.

Both series are already established hits in Germany on ProSieben TV, where Desperate Housewives season one averaged an audience of 2.51m and a 14-49 share of 18.9, to make it the best performing US series on ProSieben in 2005 with Lost a close second averaging an audience of 1.95m and a 14-49 share of 14.7.
Tom Toumazis, executive vice president and managing director, BVITV EMEA commented: We are pleased to be the first Studio to conclude an SVOD agreement for network series in Germany, and to be working closely with this market-leading platform to explore ways to complement Lost and Desperate Housewives established German TV success, harnessing new technology in pioneering new customer propositions for these hit series. This agreement will offer viewers in Germany flexible new ways by which to both preview and catch-up on these shows.

Said Dr. Marcus Englert, Member of the Executive Board of ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG: With Germanys first video-on-demand showing of US-top series as Desperate Housewives and Lost, we have reinforced maxdomes premium position in the German market only a short time after its launch, and will be offering users an exclusive service.
For BVITV, this agreement was concluded by Carsten Fink, vice president, German-speaking Europe, and Damian Newton, vice president, Pay TV/New Technologies.

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