STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Jan. 29, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Modern Times Group MTG AB, the international media group, today announced that the Swedish Government has awarded TV3, ZTV and TV8 licenses to broadcast in the Swedish digital terrestrial network. The decision will increase the penetration for the channels by around 5 per cent of Swedish households.
TV3 will consequently grow its penetration by almost 5 per cent to around 67 per cent, making it the second largest commercial channel in Sweden, in terms of penetration.
TV3 and ZTV have been awarded licenses with 90 per cent coverage while TV8 will be broadcast with 50 per cent coverage of Swedish households. The penetration is dependent on how many of the households covered by the network receive the channels.
The agreement runs over a year and all three channels will be broadcast without encryption. MTG has decided not to broadcast commercials directed towards children when broadcasting in the terrestrial network.
Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO of MTG, commented: ``This is the first step to open up competition in the terrestrial network. TV3 is Sweden's leading entertainment channel and this further increases the number of households that can watch the channel. I am certain that TV3 will continue to increase its commercial share of viewing on the back of this decision. It is also satisfying that the popular channel ZTV can now be watched by many more households and this decision demonstrates the appreciation of our quality current affairs channel TV8."
For further information, please visit www.mtg.se, email info@mtg.se, or contact: Hans-Holger Albrecht, President & CEO tel: +46 (0) 8 562 000 50 Henrik Persson, Investor & Press Enquiries tel: +44 (0) 20 7321 5010
MTG is an international media group with operations in more than 30 countries around the world and principal broadcasting businesses in Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Hungary and Russia. MTG is the largest Free-to-air and Pay-TV operator in the Nordic and Baltic regions and the largest commercial radio operator in Northern Europe. MTG's Viasat channels reach over 50 million people in 14 countries every day and MTG Radio's stations reach 2.7 million daily listeners. The Viasat Broadcasting DTH satellite TV platform offers digital multichannel TV packages of 48 own-produced and third party entertainment channels. MTG is a leading European direct response TV network operator, broadcasting home shopping channels into 100 million homes in 52 countries, as well as one of the world's leading originators and producers of Reality TV formats and a global provider of subtitling and dubbing services to the entertainment industry.
Modern Times Group MTG AB class A and B shares are listed on the Stockholmsborsen O-list (symbols: MTGA and MTGB).
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