LONDON and HAMILTON, Bermuda, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MTV Networks International's ("MTVNI") Emerging Markets group and Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. ("CME") (Nasdaq: CETV; Prague Stock Exchange), the leading television broadcaster in Central and Eastern Europe, today announced that MTVNI and CME have entered into a multi-year licensing agreement granting rights to CME subsidiary PRO TV to operate MTV's localized channel in Romania.
Bhavneet Singh, Managing Director and Senior Vice President, MTVNI, Emerging Markets, commented: "We are delighted to announce this deal and our new relationship with CME and PRO TV. The PRO TV family of channels is at the very top of their game in Romania and we are confident that they will help us take MTV Romania to the next level. MTV Romania is one of our longest-running localized channels in Central and Eastern Europe and has enjoyed tremendous success to date. Together with PRO TV, we can't wait to give our Romanian audiences even more dynamic, exciting and trendsetting content, not just on TV, but on every multi-media platform."
Michael Garin, CME's Chief Executive Officer, added: "We are thrilled to have an opportunity to make MTV our fifth network in Romania. Our Romanian operations demonstrate the success of our multi-channel strategy in driving growth and we plan to continue to launch additional channels targeting specific demographics as opportunities arise."
Costi Mocanu, Chief Executive Officer of PRO TV, said: "We welcome MTV to the PRO TV family. MTV Romania will be a great complement to our existing portfolio of channels, giving our viewers and advertisers an even more complete media offering."
MTV Romania will continue to operate as a fully-localized, 24-hour youth lifestyle channel, providing the very best in international and local music and long-form programming. The channel, which first launched in 2002, reaches 10.5 million people and features Romanian adaptations of Total Request Live, Hitlist Romania and Dance Floor Chart, among others, along with internationally renowned programs such as Pimp My Ride, Punk'd, Boiling Point and Beavis and Butthead. MTV Romania will join PRO TV's family of terrestrial and cable entertainment and thematic channels, which reach 82% of Romania's 21.6 million people.
MTVNI's Emerging Markets group is the fastest growing region in the company's portfolio of multi-platform businesses. The Emerging Markets group manages 22 television channels, 20 websites, two broadband channels and three mobile TV channels encompassing the MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, VIVA and Comedy Central brands in Russia, Central & Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East. MTVNI is owned by Viacom Inc .
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements regarding future business opportunities. Statements that include the words "plan", "will" and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements in this press release for purposes of the U.S. federal securities laws or otherwise. For these statements and all other forward-looking statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy or are otherwise beyond our control, including the performance of obligations by third parties, and some of which might not even be anticipated. Forward- looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and neither CME nor MTVNI undertake any obligation publicly to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
About MTV Networks International:
MTV Networks International includes the premier multimedia entertainment brands MTV: Music Television, VH1, Nickelodeon, TMF (The Music Factory), VIVA, Flux, Paramount Comedy, Comedy Central, Game One and IFILM. MTV Networks' brands are seen globally in 514 million households in 162 countries and 33 languages via 150 locally programmed and operated TV channels and 291 digital media properties. The company's diverse holdings also include interests in television syndication, digital media, publishing, home video, radio, recorded music, licensing & merchandising and two feature film divisions, MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies. MTV Networks is a unit of Viacom Inc. .
About CME:
CME is a TV broadcasting company operating leading networks in six Central and Eastern European countries with an aggregate population of approximately 90 million people. CME's television stations are located in Croatia (Nova TV), Czech Republic (TV Nova, Galaxie Sport), Romania (PRO TV, PRO TV International, Acasa, PRO Cinema and Sport.ro), Slovakia (Markiza, Galaxie Sport), Slovenia (POP TV, Kanal A) and Ukraine (Studio 1+1, Studio 1+1 International, Kino, Citi). CME is traded on the NASDAQ and the Prague Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CETV".
About PRO TV:
PRO TV SA, a market and brand leader in Romanian media, operates five terrestrial and cable channels as well as an international satellite- distributed channel. PRO TV SA's core channel, Pro TV, is the number one TV channel in Romania in terms of audience and profitability, with more than 50% of its broadcast schedule comprised of locally-produced programs. Pro TV SA also owns Acasa, Romania's number one cable channel targeting the female demographic, Pro Cinema, focusing on movies and series, and Sport.ro, Romania's number one sports channel. In addition, PRO TV's subsidiary Pro TV International repackages locally produced content from Pro TV and Acasa for Romania's diaspora.
