STOCKHOLM, Sweden, March 31, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Modern Times Group MTG AB (Nasdaq:MTGNY) (Stockholm:MTGa), the international media group, today announced that its Viasat Broadcasting division has signed a ground breaking agreement with the Swedish state broadcaster to make the SVT channels available on the Viasat digital pay-TV platform for the first time. The five SVT channels will be broadcast via satellite to all of Viasat's digital basic and premium subscribers in Sweden from Wednesday evening. The agreement runs for five years.
'SVT1' and 'SVT2', '24', 'The Children's Channel' and 'SVT Extra' will be included in Viasat's digital 'Gold', 'Silver' and 'Basic' pay-TV packages.
The channels will be distributed via the NSAB SIRIUS satellite. In addition, SVT has also announced that it plans to launch local news programming on SVT2 in a year's time, enabling viewers to watch 11 regional news programmes. Viasat will also carry this additional programming in its digital TV packages.
"Viasat is now clearly the most attractive package on the market, combining the strength of the well established public service channels, Viasat's 10 mass market and niche commercial entertainment channels, and a portfolio of twenty of the world's leading third party pay-TV channels. The SVT channels are a significant addition to the Viasat platform, and follow hard on the heels of the inclusion of the world's leading family entertainment channel - The Disney Channel. SVT1 was the most watched television channel in Sweden in 2002 and the SVT channels recorded a combined share of viewing in Sweden of 43%. SVT broadcast 93 of the top 100 most watched programs in Sweden last year," commented Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO of MTG.
"This announcement clearly marks a critical point in the development of the multi-channel digital TV environment in Scandinavia, with the state channels now available throughout Sweden on digital satellite and terrestrial television", Hans-Holger Albrecht continued.
Christina Jutterstrom, CEO of Sveriges Television, commented: "This cooperation satisfies a strong demand for our channels from Viasat's viewers. Each public service channel will now be available on both Swedish satellite TV platforms. Every TV household that chooses to receive digital TV via satellite will now have access to all SVT channels. We are also especially pleased that the regional broadcasts will be included in a year's time."
For further information, please visit www.mtg.se email:info@mtg.se contact: Hans-Holger Albrecht, President & CEO tel: +46 (0) 8 562 000 50 Matthew Hooper, Investor & Press Enquiries tel: +44 (0) 20 7321 5010