ONDAS Media Agrees Content Deal and Development of Tailored Radio Channels with Rotana Audio & Video

ONDAS Media Agrees Content Deal and Development of Tailored Radio Channels with Rotana Audio & Video

MADRID, August 17/PRNewswire/ -- ONDAS Media S.A., the satellite radio company for Europe, has today announced it has signed an agreement with Saudi-based media giant Rotana Audio & Video. This strategic partnership allows ONDAS Media to broadcast artists' songs, interviews, concerts and related content owned by Rotana to satellite radio customers across Europe. The agreement with Rotana also includes the development of tailored radio channels and their possible monetization before ONDAS' full service launch in 2012. A part of Kingdom Holding's interests, Rotana Audio & Video is the leading TV and radio broadcaster in the Middle East. With more than 100 artists under contract, Rotana Audio & Video is also one of the region's largest recording labels.

"As part of the partnership agreement, we will transmit Rotana content on one of our 'free to air' channels," confirms Dave Krueger, CEO of ONDAS Media. "In addition, we will develop several 'specialized' advertising-free channels with mutually agreed formats and programming line-ups which will be exclusive to ONDAS.

"We are focused on bringing exclusive, unique and superior content to consumers through our pan-European satellite radio offering," explains Krueger. "Our research has shown consumers are prepared to subscribe to this type of highly-targeted programming as it is simply not available elsewhere. Around 4% of our potential European consumer base of over 500 million people have already shown a strong interest in Arabic programming, rising to between 15 and 20% in countries such as France, the UK and Spain, with regions such as Paris, London, Marseille and Southern Spain leading the way. This key deal - which follows other content agreements - will meet the needs of a significant part of our addressable market."

"Our partnership with ONDAS Media underlines our long-term vision for the availability, distribution and monetization of digital media on a global scale," confirms Firas Al-Khashman, General Manager of Emerging Business at Rotana Audio & Video. "This alliance offers us a unique platform to reach European consumers through ONDAS Media's satellite radios installed in vehicles across the continent, over the internet and also through hand-held devices, giving consumers access to our content 24 hours a day, regardless of their location."

Through a fully integrated, digital satellite transmission network, ONDAS will broadcast its multi-lingual radio, music, video and data services directly to European consumers in their automobiles, trucks, homes, offices and to their mobile and portable devices. It will provide digital entertainment to 250 million European vehicles and over 500 million European inhabitants on the move 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through more than 150 channels of proprietary and re-distributed music, sports, news, weather, traffic and special interest programming in all the key European languages.

"Strategic partnerships with major media organizations such as Rotana Audio & Video support our vision to provide a truly unique content offering to European consumers," confirms Krueger. "Rotana's commitment is also a strong and positive indicator of the level of interest European satellite radio is generating with leading media experts across the globe."

About ONDAS

ONDAS MEDIA S.A. (ONDAS), Europe's premier satellite media company, is a pan-European organisation that provides comprehensive digital services for consumers on the move. ONDAS Media focuses on delivering unparalleled breadth and depth of media content in superior digital quality to European consumers. With a fully integrated, state-of-the-art digital satellite transmission network, ONDAS Media intends to broadcast its multi-lingual radio, music, video and data services directly to European consumers in their automobiles, trucks, homes, offices and to their mobile and portable devices.

In addition to securing further investment and supporting the necessary regulatory process throughout Europe, ONDAS Media is establishing strategic partnerships with major media and digital content organizations as well as European car manufacturers. For further information visit http://www.ondasmedia.com

About Rotana Audio & Video

Rotana Audio & Video, part of Kingdom Holding, is one of the largest media companies in the Middle East, with activities including audio and video production and distribution, licensing, and television and radio broadcasting. The Rotana television network was launched in 2003. Its portfolio of channels includes Rotana Musica, Rotana Zaman, Rotana Clip, Rotana Tarab, Rotana Cinema, Rotana Khaleejiyah, Aghani, Alresalah, LBC, Nagham, Fox Series, and Fox Movies. Rotana Audio & Video is also one of the region's most successful recording labels, with more than 100 artists under contract. In addition, Rotana has a library of more than 2,000 movie titles, making it one of the largest private owners of Arabic movies. The group owns the largest Arabic musical library in the world and supplies Arabic satellite channels with content. For more information, visit http://www.rotana.net.

Source: ONDAS Media

Contact: Mel Betts, Grapevine PR Ltd, +44-1409-211675, melanie.betts@grapevinepr.com

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Profile: International Entertainment