OSLO and LUXEMBOURG, November 8 /PRNewswire/ --
-- CANAL+ Premium Pay Channels to Remain on Canal Digital Nordic DTH
-- Canal Digital Secures SBS Nordic Commercial Channels on Nordic DTH
Telenor Broadcasting Holding, Canal Digital and SBS Broadcasting Sarl and C More Entertainment AB jointly announced today that they have agreed to renew their partnership and deepen their overall co-operation. The agreement ensures that the CANAL+ premium pay television channels will remain with the satellite platform Canal Digital on the Direct-To-Home satellite market in the Nordic territory until 2010.
Canal Digital has also secured the right to broadcast SBS's Nordic commercial channels on the Direct-to-Home satellite platform for three more years. These channels include Kanal 5 serving the Swedish market, TV Norge in Norway and Kanal 4 and Kanal 5 serving the Danish market.
Commenting on the announcement, Patrick Tillieux, SBS's acting Chief Executive Officer said: "We are very pleased to renew and deepen CANAL+'s distribution arrangements with Canal Digital in the Nordic region. Our DTH satellite viewers will benefit from continuing access to the strong CANAL+ premium sports and film channels. Furthermore, this partnership will also strengthen our co-operation in programming, marketing and other areas of common interest."
Further commenting on the announcement, Stig Eide Sivertsen, Chief Executive Officer of Telenor Broadcast Holding said: "We are pleased that Canal Digital will continue to offer its DTH customers access to CANAL+'s quality premium sports and film channels in the future. By continuing our relationship with CANAL+ and expanding it to include SBS's commercial channels, our subscribers will benefit from a wide choice of premium content and commercial television stations."
About CANAL+
The CANAL+ Premium Pay Television Service is the leading premium pay television service in the Nordic territory, consisting of up to seven premium channels divided into three separate packages: one Sport package, one Film package and one combined Total package. The CANAL+ service carries films in the first pay window form 6 out of the 8 major Hollywood studios on an exclusive basis and popular sports leagues such as the F.A. Premier League and the Italian Serie A, the Swedish top division football and ice hockey leagues, NHL ice hockey from the US and the Finnish top division ice hockey league. Furthermore, the CANAL+ Service broadcasts the qualification football matches of the Finnish men's national team. www.canalplus.se, www.canalplus.no, www.canalplus.dk, www.canalplus.fi
About Kanal 5 (Sweden)
Kanal 5 is Sweden's second largest commercial television channel offering a popular mix of local and international entertainment and sports. For quality movies, Kanal 5 has contracts with leading international suppliers such as Universal Studios, DreamWorks, MGM, Disney and Time Warner in place. In addition, Kanal 5 offers a broad range of sporting events, including live football matches from the Nordic Royal League and highlights from the English Premier League. www.kanal5.se
About TV Norge (Norway)
TV NORGE is an entertainment-based commercial television channel with a broad appeal in Norway. TV NORGE's programming contains a blend of local and international content, including the popular local production "Heia Tufte" (FC Nerds) and the reality series "71 Degrees North". For the latest news, TV NORGE collaborates with 16 other Norwegian television stations to exchange daily local news clips. It was the first commercial television channel launched in Norway in 1988. www.tvnorge.no
About Kanal 5 (Denmark)
Kanal 5 in Denmark focuses on local productions, strong sports content and quality international programming. Kanal 5's acquired programming features popular US-series as well as blockbuster movies. Kanal 5 also presents live coverage of some of the best football matches from selected top European leagues. www.kanal5.dk
About Kanal 4 (Denmark)
Kanal 4 is the first full-fledged women's channel in Denmark. Combining a mix of local productions with international quality programming, the objective is to create a female channel which features both entertainment and high-quality documentaries. Next to blockbuster movies and popular US-series, Kanal 4 offers a number of talk shows that appeal to female viewers. www.kanal4.dk
About SBS Broadcasting Group
SBS Broadcasting Group is one Europe's leading broadcasting groups, with leading commercial television, premium pay channels, radio stations and related print businesses in Western and Central and Eastern Europe. SBS currently has broadcasting operations in Belgium (Flanders), Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Sweden and the United Kingdom. SBS is controlled by funds advised by two leading private equity firms, Permira and KKR. Telegraaf Media Groep N.V. (TMG) of the Netherlands is also a shareholder in SBS, with a 20% equity interest. www.sbsbroadcasting.com
For further information, please contact Bettina Duske of SBS at +31-20-519-1914
