ART Extends to 2020 its Capacity at Eutelsat's Hot Bird(TM) Neighbourhood for Broadcasting in Europe and North Africa

ART Extends to 2020 its Capacity at Eutelsat's Hot Bird(TM) Neighbourhood for Broadcasting in Europe and North Africa

PARIS, December 8/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Arab Radio and Television (ART) Network has renewed for a further 12 years its capacity lease on the HOT BIRD(TM) 8 satellite operated by Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL). One of the leading producers of premium Arabic family programming and entertainment worldwide, ART has been an anchor client at Eutelsat's premium HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood since 1998. The new contract extends the relationship between Eutelsat and ART to 2020 and ensures that ART can continue to expand cable and pay-TV penetration in Europe and pay-TV penetration in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia.

Called Arabesque, and encrypted in Viaccess, the platform of sports, news and entertainment TV and radio channels commercialised by ART is available via HOT BIRD(TM) 8 to almost 500,000 Direct-to-Home subscribers throughout Europe and the Maghreb countries of North Africa through a wide network of specialised retail outlets. The channels are uplinked to HOT BIRD(TM) 8 by Arab Digital Distribution (ADD), the platform company for the Arab Media Corporation (AMC) group which owns ART.

ART produces over 6000 live and recorded shows every year including family oriented dramas, series, plays, sports programs, music videos, and documentaries. As part of the Arab Media Corporation the network has the largest Arabic movie library in the Middle East and has been associated with leading film production houses in the Arab world for well over 30 years.

On renewing the contract Abed Alaziz Yamani, ART CEO, commented: "We have been working with Eutelsat since 1998 and our partnership is going very well in serving our mutual interests. We believe that extending the current contract till 2020 is an expression of our satisfaction with the level of service we receive from Eutelsat."

"No doubt that the renewal of the contract with Eutelsat will give ART an opportunity to expand and increase its business in Europe and North Africa." added Yamani.

Olivier Millies-Lacroix, Eutelsat Commercial Director added: "As a reference for delivering premium content for Arabic-speaking communities in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, Eutelsat is very pleased that ART is renewing its trust in us with this 12-year contract. ART's broadcasts make a powerful contribution to the diversity of the channels available from our HOT BIRD(TM) neighbourhood. Our commitment is to providing ART with the infrastructure and the reach across Europe and the Maghreb they need for continuing to build their audience."

About Eutelsat Communications

Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is the holding company of Eutelsat S.A.. With capacity commercialised on 24 satellites that provide coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas, Eutelsat is one of the world's three leading satellite operators in terms of revenues. At 30 September 2008, Eutelsat's satellites were broadcasting more than 3,180 television channels and 1,100 radio stations. Almost 1,100 channels broadcast via its HOT BIRD(TM) video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East which serves over 120 million cable and satellite homes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The Group's satellites also serve a wide range of fixed and mobile telecommunications services, TV contribution markets, corporate networks, and broadband markets for Internet Service Providers and for transport, maritime and in-flight markets. Eutelsat's broadband subsidiary, Skylogic, markets and operates services through its teleport in Italy that serves enterprises, local communities, government agencies and aid organisations in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Headquartered in Paris, Eutelsat and its subsidiaries employ 538 commercial, technical and operational experts from 27 countries.

http://www.eutelsat.com

          About ART:      - Founded in October 1993 by Saudi Arabian entrepreneur Saleh Kamel with        the aim of delivering quality TV content to Arab homes across the        globe, while preserving traditional values and culture.      - Rapidly grew to become the leader in family entertainment with an        unrivalled blend of sports, Arabic & international movies, series,       knowledge, children's programming, news, and music      - Currently the paid TV platform chosen by more than 2 million viewers as        their essential viewing and entertainment provider      - With exclusive rights to the biggest and most popular sport events, the        largest library of Arabic movies and dramas, unique breadth of       international entertainment channels, art is unmatched in providing       comprehensive, all-encompassing entertainment for the families residing        in the Middle East & North Africa  

          For further information     Maher Bardawil: mbardawil@art-jed.com     Dirk Hollstein: dirk@hollstein.tv          For further information      Press      Vanessa O'Connor    Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88  voconnor@eutelsat.fr                         Frederique Gautier  Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88  fgautier@eutelsat.fr                              Investors      Gilles Janvier      Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-30       investors@eutelsat-communications.com  

Source: Eutelsat Communications

Maher Bardawil: mbardawil@art-jed.com; Dirk Hollstein: dirk@hollstein.tv; For further information, Press, Vanessa O'Connor, Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88, voconnor@eutelsat.fr; Frederique Gautier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-38-88, fgautier@eutelsat.fr; Investors, Gilles Janvier, Tel: +33-1-53-98-35-30 investors@eutelsat-communications.com

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Profile: International Entertainment