Sony Pictures, Starz Extend Pay TV Agreement

Sony Pictures, Starz Extend Pay TV Agreement

ENGLEWOOD Colo., and CULVER CITY, Calif., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Starz Entertainment, LLC, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, announced today a multi-year extension of their agreement which grants Starz the exclusive pay television rights to all Sony Pictures theatrical releases well into the next decade. The previous agreement between the two companies had covered motion pictures released theatrically through 2013. The new agreement allows Starz exclusive pay television rights to exhibit the Sony Pictures films on all Starz platforms. It also provides that Starz continues to have the rights to interviews with talent and behind-the-scenes material from Sony Pictures releases that can be aired by Starz services while the films are in theaters. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

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In announcing the agreement, Bill Myers, Starz president and chief operating officer, said "Sony Pictures has been a fabulous partner for Starz for many years. Some of the most-watched movies on Starz in recent years have come from Sony including The Da Vinci Code, the Spider-Man films, and The Pursuit of Happyness. In 2009 we look forward to airing another great slate including Step Brothers, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, Pineapple Express and Hancock. Starz has always prided itself on bringing its customers the best of Hollywood. Sony Pictures films have been critical in meeting that commitment, and we are delighted that our partnership will continue well into the next decade."

"We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Starz well into the future," said John Weiser, president, distribution, Sony Pictures Television. "With movies like Angels & Demons, 2012 and Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three on our slate this year, Starz can look forward to the best, most sought-after films for their customers."

The original output agreement between Starz and Sony was signed in 2000 and took effect with January, 2005, releases. In September, 2006, the two companies announced a separate agreement under which Starz obtained the rights to air more than 500 top movie titles from the Sony Pictures library.

About Sony Pictures Television

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers. It produces and distributes programming in every genre, including series, telefilms, theatrical releases and family entertainment for network and cable television, as well as first-run and off-network series for syndication and digital distribution. With more than 25 programs on the air, SPT boasts a program slate that includes the top-rated daytime dramas and game shows, landmark off-network series, original animated series and critically acclaimed primetime dramas, comedies and telefilms. SPT also owns one-half of cable channel GSN and is a partner in FEARnet, the premier horror/thriller website and VOD service. Sony Pictures Television oversees all of Sony Pictures Entertainment's (SPE) domestic digital distribution efforts across all electronically delivered platforms, including the internet and mobile and manages the studio's video website, Crackle. Sony Pictures Television, advertiser sales, is one of the premiere national advertising sales companies, handling the commercial inventory in SPT syndicated series as well as in all of SPE's digital businesses in the United States, for Sony Music Entertainment and for the Tennis Channel, and is part owner of national media sales company ITN Networks, Inc. SPT (http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com/) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company.

About Starz Entertainment

Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie service provider operating in the United States. It offers 16 movie channels including the flagship Starz and Encore brands with approximately 17.4 million and 31.6 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs more than 1,000 movies per month across its pay TV channels and offers advances services including Starz HD, Encore HD, Starz On Demand, Encore On Demand, MoviePlex On Demand, Starz HD On Demand, Encore HD, On Demand, MoviePlex HD On Demand and Starz Play. Starz Entertainment (http://www.starz.com/) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation, and is attributed to Liberty Entertainment Group, a tracking stock group of Liberty Media Corporation.

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Web sites: http://www.sonypicturestelevision.com
http://www.starz.com

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Source: Sony Pictures Television

CONTACT: Paula Askanas, SVP, Media Relations and Promotions, Sony
Pictures Television, +1-310-244-3790, paula_askanas@spe.sony.com; or Tom
Southwick, SVP, Corporate Communications of Starz Entertainment,
+1-720-852-5821, Tom.Southwick@Starz.com

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Profile: International Entertainment