ESPN STAR Sports Announces Promotion of Key Network Executive

ESPN STAR Sports Announces Promotion of Key Network Executive

Manu Sawhney Promoted to Executive Vice President; Expanded Role to Include Network Presentation and Marketing Communication Portfolios

SINGAPORE, Sept. 27 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- ESPN STAR Sports, Asia's number one sports broadcaster today announced the promotion of Manu Sawhney to the newly-created role of Executive Vice President, Programming and Marketing.

(Photo: http://xprnnews.xfn.info/espnstar/20050927/ManuSawhney.htm )

Sawhney was previously the network's Senior Vice President, Programming and Event Management. He remains based in Singapore with region-wide responsibility for all Programming matters related to ESPN STAR Sports networks across Asia as well as the Event Management Group, which manages and promotes premier Asian sporting events such as the Asian X Games and San Miguel 9-Ball Tour. Before his move to the network's Asian headquarters in Singapore, Sawhney was Managing Director of ESPN Software India where he had been key in the company's development from start-up to undisputed sports broadcasting leader in South Asia.

In his new role as Executive Vice President, Sawhney will assume an expanded role, which includes two additional portofolios, Network Presentation and Marketing Communications. The integration of the Programming, Event Management, Network Presentation and Marketing Communications functions will be key to the network's strategy of re-defining its viewing proposition to fans as well as trade clients across Asia. Kim Carver, Vice President of Network Presentation and Stephenie Vasko, Vice President of Marketing Communications will now report directly to Sawhney.

Sawhney will report directly to Jamie Davis, newly-appointed Managing Director of ESPN STAR Sports who said today, "Manu has enjoyed a very strong track record of success with the network -- first in South Asia, and more recently completing several major acquisitions which have proved integral to ESPN STAR Sport owning its position of leadership in sports broadcasting. The network continues to grow from strength to strength and with the introduction of new media and new competition, Manu together with his expanded team will be pivotal in redefining the value of sports viewing and taking ESPN STAR Sports to the next stage of growth."

ESPN STAR Sports is a 50:50 joint venture between two of the world's leading cable and satellite broadcasters, ESPN Inc. and STAR. We are Asia's complete sports provider reaching over 110 million households for ESPN and over 54 million households for STAR Sports (as of July 2004). We have 13 networks -- ESPN Asia, ESPN India, ESPN Taiwan, ESPN Philippines, MBC-ESPN (Korea), ESPN Singapore, ESPN Hong Kong, STAR Sports Asia, STAR Sports India, STAR Sports Taiwan, STAR Sports Singapore, STAR Sports S.E.A and STAR Sports Hong Kong. We bring the world's premier live sports and leading regional events to viewers 24 hours a day. On the ground, the ESPN STAR Sports Event Management Group manages and promotes premier sporting events around Asia, including the Asian X Games and the San Miguel Asian 9Ball Tour. On-line, espnstar.com, espnstar.com.cn and espnstar.com.tw interact with millions of users providing them with in-depth sports news, results and competitions. This multilingual, online platform which is closely integrated with ESPN and STAR Sports on air networks, has established the sites as the number one on- line sports destination in their respective markets.

For further information, please contact:

Stephenie Vasko ESPN STAR Sports Tel: +65-6488-6126 Email: vaskos@espnstar.com

Cheryl Sim ESPN STAR Sports Tel: +65-6488-6134 Email: simc@espnstar.com

Source: ESPN STAR Sports

CONTACT: Stephenie Vasko, +65-6488-6126, or vaskos@espnstar.com, or Cheryl Sim, +65-6488-6134, or simc@espnstar.com, both for ESPN STAR Sports

Web site: http://www.espnstar.com/ http://www.espnstar.com.cn/ http://www.espnstar.com.tw/ http://xprnnews.xfn.info/espnstar/20050927/ManuSawhney.htm

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