Over half of Indians polled (56%) who pirate content could be convinced to pirate less – or stop – after learning about the damage piracy causes the media industry, underscoring the need for more consumer education

 

NEW DELHI, Convergence India, 8 February 2017 – A new online consumer survey from Irdeto, the world leader in digital platform security, found that 71% of Indian consumers polled are aware that producing or sharing pirated video content is illegal, and 64% know that streaming or downloading pirated content is illegal. Despite this high level of awareness, 66% of respondents still choose to watch pirated content. However, the survey also found that over half (56%) of Indian consumers who watch pirated content could be convinced to pirate less, or even stop watching, when told that piracy could hinder studio investment and cause a drop in the quality of content. The online research was conducted in partnership with YouGov and polled over 500 Indian adults aged 18+.

The research found that one in three consumers (30%) who watch pirated content in India are most interested in watching movies that are currently being shown in the cinema, followed by TV series (23%), and live sports (13%) and Blu-ray edition of movies (13%). Interestingly, only 6% of consumers who watch pirated content are interested in viewing digital service movies or TV programmes from content providers like Netflix, Hulu, etc. This reflects the state of video consumption in India, which is still rooted in a preference for local content but increasingly demonstrating an appetite for Hollywood content and more regional films.

“India’s OTT market holds huge potential for operators and content providers, especially with the rise of 129 million urban mass consumers who will drive India’s consumer story. Demand for content on any device will only grow – but so will piracy if it is not adequately addressed,” said Sanjiv Kainth, Country Manager, India, Irdeto. “Piracy not only damages revenue streams, but also deters content creators from investing in new content. It impacts the creative process and could provide consumers with less choice. It is important that consumers are aware of the long term impact of this behavior, and that content providers have a 360-degree approach to security and anti-piracy that can prevent pirates from stealing additional market share.”

In regard to the most popular devices used to consume pirated video content, Irdeto’s survey found that 48% of Indian consumers who watch pirate content use their laptops and computers most to watch this content while 25% use their smartphones. Streaming sites and devices were among the least popular channels to watch pirated content, standing at 1% each, while smart TVs, Google Chromecast and Android set-top boxes are used by a mere 3-4% of consumers, among those who watch pirated content.

“Pirate businesses will continue to capitalize on increased demand for content, but innovative operators are making headway in the fight against piracy,” said Rory O’Connor, Vice President of Services, Irdeto. “Consumer education, a compelling legal video service and a robust security and anti-piracy program are the best ways to mitigate online and streaming piracy. A comprehensive anti-piracy strategy that includes watermarking, detection and enforcement can prevent pirates from stealing market share.”

Methodology

The research was commissioned by Irdeto and conducted online from January 11, 2017 – January 18, 2017 by YouGov. Total sample size was 502 Indian adults (aged 18+). The figures have been weighted and are representative of the urban population of adults in India (aged 18+).

###

About Irdeto

Irdeto is the world leader digital platform security, protecting platforms and applications across multiple industries, such as media & entertainment, payments and automotive. Our solutions and services enable customers to protect their revenue, create new offerings and fight cybercrime. With nearly 50 years of expertise in security, Irdeto’s software security technology and cyber services protect over 5 billion devices and applications for some of the world’s best known brands. Our unique heritage as a subsidiary of multinational media group Naspers (JSE: NPN) means that we are a well-established and reliable partner to help build a more secure future. Please visit Irdeto at www.irdeto.com.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Crystal Kung

Account Manager, WE Communications

P: +65 303 8472

Email: ckung@we-worldwide.com

 

Katie Walsh

Director, Corporate Communications, Irdeto

Mobile: +1-603-738-9599

Email: Katherine.walsh@irdeto.com

Stand a chance to win a trip of a lifetime to the Oscars^® Red Carpet 2018

SINGAPORE, February 7, 2017 – HBO Asia, the home of the Oscars^® in Asia, delivers the ultimate Oscars^® experience live and exclusive* across multiple screens from Monday February 27 at 8am (SIN), starting with the live broadcast and streaming* of the OSCARS^® RED CARPET followed by THE 89TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS on HBO and HBO GO at 9.30am (SIN). Exclusive Oscars^® web content will also be available on HBO Asia’s microsite (www.hboasia.com/oscars) while the network’s social media crew and host, Denise Keller, will bring exclusive Oscars^® red carpet moments to HBO Asia’s social media platforms.

 

Exclusive Red Carpet Reporting

HBO Asia’s social media crew and German-Chinese Singaporean host, Denise Keller, will be on the star-studded 2017 Oscars^® red carpet to interview Hollywood’s elite. These exclusive Oscars^® red carpet moments including video interviews with celebrities, behind-the-scene pictures from the red carpet and heartfelt celebrity shout outs will be available on the network’s social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

 

Exclusive Webcast of the Oscars^® ceremony

HBO Asia’s microsite will also feature exclusive webcast of the Oscars^® ceremony:

• Thank You Cam – Backstage interviews with the winners as they come off stage after accepting their awards
• Oscars^®Backstage Interviews – Backstage interviews of the winners
• Audience Cam – A live feed fixed on Hollywood’s most talented stars in the audience during the Oscars^®ceremony to capture candid moments in the Dolby Theatre^®
• Rapid Clips – Exclusive clips showcasing major moments of the Oscars^® ceremony

 

HBO Asia Oscars^® contest

Fourteen lucky winners of the 2016 Oscars^® contest from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Taiwan will be in Los Angeles on a five-day all-expense paid Hollywood trip to watch the red carpet live at the 89^th Annual Academy Awards.

 

This year, HBO Asia is once again giving viewers the opportunity to win seven pairs of tickets in the HBO Ultimate Oscars^® Experience Contest. This opportunity of a lifetime includes watching the Oscars^® red carpet live and attending the Oscars^® viewing party in 2018. Also included are round-trip airfares to Los Angeles, 5D4N hotel accommodation, VIP tour of a theme park, and a helicopter tour of the breathtaking California coastline. To participate, viewers need to answer a question that will be revealed during HBO’s live and exclusive* broadcast of the 2017 Oscars^® this February 27 at 9.30am (SIN). Log on to www.hboasia.com/oscars for more details about the contest from February 13.

 

The Oscars^® Live Screening (MALAYSIA ONLY)

HBO Asia and Astro will host the live screening of the Oscars^® at St Regis Kuala Lumpur. Local celebrities, including Raianna Abdul Rahman, Syazwan Zakariah, Hisyam Hamid, Zarul Umbrella, Mark Adam, Wafiy, Awang, Jamal Jamaluddin, Akhmal Nazri and host Kamal Adli, as well as industry partners, Astro Circle contest winners and members of the media will be attending this exclusive, by-invitation-only screening event. The guests will get live updates from the HBO Sentral crew and host Nabil Ahmad, who are on-ground at the Oscars^® red carpet in Los Angeles.

 

The Oscars^® Live Screening (INDONESIA ONLY)

HBO Asia will host the live screening of the Oscars^® at Four Seasons Hotel, Jakarta. Hosted by social media personalities Ajeng Hendarmin, Ivy Batuta and Cisca Becker (aka Tiga Mami Kece), this exclusive, by-invitation-only screening event will be attended by local celebrities, as well as industry partners, contest winners and members of the media. The guests will be getting live updates from the HBO Sentral crew who are on-ground at the Oscars^® red carpet in Los Angeles.

 

Sky Alive! Tour (PHILIPPINES ONLY)

In a free activity open to the public over three days at SM Lanang Premier Activity Center, participants can test their knowledge of all things Oscars^® and receive souvenir photos at the HBO booth! The first 100 Skycable subscribers who pay their bills at the Sky Zone each day will enjoy a free make-over done by a professional make-up artist and hair stylist.

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the 89th Annual Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre^® at Hollywood & Highland Center^® in Hollywood. The Oscar^® presenters announced to date are Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson, Mark Rylance and Alicia Vikander.

 

THE 89TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS will be broadcast live and exclusively* on HBO this February 27, starting with the OSCARS^® RED CARPET ‘LIVE’ at 8am (SIN) with a same night primetime encore at 7pm (SIN), and THE 89TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS ‘LIVE’ at 9.30am (SIN) with a same night primetime encore at 8pm (SIN). Also streamed* live on HBO on HBO GO.

 

Follow #HBOAsiaOscars17 on HBO Asia:

www.hboasia.com/oscars

Facebook: @hboasia

Instagram: @HBO_Asia
Twitter: @HBOAsia

YouTube

#             #             #

*In selected territories.

 

About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios, including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes produced exclusively for HBO viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories across Asia with six 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels: HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits and Cinemax, as well as Red by HBO, internet streaming platform, HBO GO, subscription video on demand service, HBO On Demand, and in China, 鼎级剧场 (ding ji ju chang). HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the DreamWorks channel in the region. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

HBO and Home Box Office are trademarks of Home Box Office, Inc. Used with permission.

The 89th Annual Academy Awards 2017 ©A.M.P.A.S.®

 

Karen Lai | Communications Director | HBO Asia 

DID +65 6381 1796 | Mobile +65 9111 2655 | Fax +65 6287 2210 | www.hboasia.com

New Turner Partnership adds to Stan’s biggest first-run 2017 line-up

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (FEBRUARY 7, 2017) – Stan will become the Australian streaming home for content from the popular children’s channel Cartoon Network, after entering into a groundbreaking new partnership with Turner.

Cartoon Network is the most popular kids channel in the Asia-Pacific region, and Stan subscribers will now have access to its huge range of series, with entire franchises of beloved Cartoon Network shows added to Stan’s catalogue.

The partnership between the two leading entertainment brands will also see the premiere of the eighth and final season of pop-culture hit, Regular Show, first and exclusively in Australia this April on Stan – and that’s just the beginning. New seasons of Adventure Time and The Powerpuff Girls will premiere at the same time as they air on Cartoon Network.

“As the leading local streaming service, Stan is the perfect partner for Cartoon Network to showcase our amazing line-up of content. From Regular Show to Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls to Steven Universe, the arrangement further expands the reach of our uniquely entertaining children’s series across Australia,” said Robi Stanton, General Manager of Turner Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Territories.

“This is great news for Stan families,” added Nick Forward, Stan’s Chief Content Officer. “Stan is committed to delivering great value and great entertainment for Australian kids and families, so we couldn’t be more thrilled to be the Australian streaming home of Cartoon Network content. We can’t wait for our customers to be the first in Australia to see the new season of Regular Show.”

The partnership also provides Stan with the exclusive SVOD rights to other key Cartoon Network animated series including iconic titles Adventure Time, Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, We Bare Bears and Steven Universe.

 

– ENDS –

About Stan: Stan is Australia’s leading local subscription video-on-demand provider. Stan offers unlimited access to thousands of hours of entertainment, with an outstanding lineup of exclusive premieres such as Better Call Saul, Sherlock, Girlfriend Experience, Transparent and UnREAL. New SHOWTIME series also premiere exclusively on Stan, including the second season of Billions on February 20, 2017 and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks on May 22, 2017.

Stan Originals include the AACTA Award-winning and Logie Award-nominated series No Activity and the critically acclaimed AACTA Award-winning drama series Wolf Creek. Several other local projects are currently in development.

Stan’s award-winning TV shows, classic catalogue, blockbuster movies and popular kids content can be watched in full HD on your TV or favourite device, including tablets and smartphones. Stan is a joint venture between Nine Entertainment Co. and Fairfax Media. For more information, visit www.stan.com.au.

 

About Cartoon Network Asia Pacific

Turner’s Cartoon Network, the number one kids’ channel in Asia Pacific, offers the best in original animated content including the multi-award-winning global hits Ben 10, The Powerpuff Girls, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, Adventure Time and We Bare Bears. Cartoon Network is available in 29 countries throughout Asia Pacific and is currently seen in more than 135 million pay-TV homes. Internationally, it is seen in 192 countries and over 370 million homes, and is an industry leader with a global offering of the best in award-winning animated entertainment for kids and families. The brand is known for putting its fans at the center of everything by applying creative thinking and innovation across multiple platforms. Cartoon Network also reaches millions more through its websites, games and apps, including Cartoon Network Watch and Play and Cartoon Network Anything. Cartoon Network, sister company to Boomerang, POGO and Toonami, is a brand created and distributed by Turner, a Time Warner Company.

 

About Turner Asia Pacific

Turner Asia Pacific creates and distributes award-winning brands throughout the region, running 61 channels in 14 languages in 42 countries. These include CNN International, CNNj, CNN, HLN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang, POGO, Toonami, Warner TV, Oh!K, TCM Turner Classic Movies, truTV, MondoTV, TABI Channel, and HBO, HBO HD and WB in South Asia. Turner manages the business of Pay- and Free-TV-channels, as well as Internet-based services, and oversees commercial partnerships with various third-party media ventures; it teams with Warner Bros. and HBO to leverage Time Warner’s global reach. Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. (“Turner Asia Pacific”) is a Time Warner company.

 

Media enquiries:

Alana Free, Stan Publicity – stan.publicity@stan.com.au /+61 (0) 408 225 816

James Moore, Turner Asia Pacific, James.Moore@turner.com / +852 3128-3720

 

SINGAPORE, FEBRUARY 6, 2017 – A remarkable line up of HBO Original drama and comedy series will premiere soon in Asia exclusively on HBO. They include two brand-new HBO Original series – BIG LITTLE LIES and CRASHING premiering same time as the U.S. on Monday, February 20 at 10am and 11.30am respectively with a same day primetime encore, and the final seasons of GIRLS, which debuts on Monday, February 13 at 10pm, and THE LEFTOVERS airing same time as the U.S. on Monday, April 17 at 9am.

Based on the New York Times number-one bestseller of the same name, the seven-episode limited drama series, BIG LITTLE LIES, is directed by Jean-Marc Vallée (Dallas Buyers Club) and stars a stellar cast including Oscar® and Golden Globe winner Reese Witherspoon, Golden Globe winner Nicole Kidman, Golden Globe nominee Shailene Woodley, Golden Globe winner Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz, Alexander Skarsgård and Adam Scott. Told through the eyes of three mothers, BIG LITTLE LIES paints a picture of a town fuelled by rumours and divided into the haves and have-nots, exposing the conflicts, secrets and betrayals that compromise relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbours.

The brand-new eight-episode HBO Original comedy series CRASHING, is executive produced by Judd Apatow and created by and stars Pete Holmes as Pete, a sheltered suburbanite who married his childhood sweetheart and dreams of making it as a stand-up comedian. But when he finds out his wife is cheating on him, Pete’s world unravels, forcing him to re-evaluate his priorities and plunging him into the deep end of the rough-and-tumble New York comedy scene.

Created by and starring Lena Dunham, the Emmy^®-winning HBO comedy series GIRLS returns for its sixth and final season. Enjoying new success as a writer after participating in “The Moth,” Hannah gets an assignment that could change her life. Divorced from Desi, Marnie seeks to remain independent, but her self-absorption could undermine a budding relationship with Ray. New couple, Jessa and Adam, embarks on a creative project that could become a source of contention. Shoshanna flourishes at a marketing agency, but realises her friendships may be holding her back.

The new and final season of the eight-episode drama series THE LEFTOVERS stars Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, Amy Brenneman, Kevin Carroll, Christopher Eccleston, Scott Glenn and Liv Tyler. Created by Damon Lindelof and Tom Perrotta, the Peabody Award-winning show finds the Garvey and Murphy families coming together as they desperately grasp for a system of belief to help better explain that which defies explanation. The world is crackling with the energy of something big about to happen, a corresponding bookend to the Sudden Departure that sent them all spinning years earlier, bringing their journey Down Under.

Premiere details:

• BIG LITTLE LIES and CRASHING will premiere on HBO same time as the U.S. on Monday, February 20 at 10am and 11.30am respectively with a same day primetime encore at 9pm and 10.30pm.
• GIRLS Season 6 will debut on HBO the same day as the U.S. on Monday February 13 at 10pm.
• THE LEFTOVERS SEASON 3 premieres on HBO same time as the U.S. on Monday, April 17 at 9am with same day primetime encore at 9pm.

 New episodes debut every Monday at the same time. All the above series will also be available on HBO GO. More information on these titles can be found in the press releases attached.

#          #          #

About HBO ASIA

Singapore-based HBO Asia brings the best of Hollywood to Asia first through its exclusive licensing deals with major Hollywood and independent studios, including Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. HBO Asia has proprietary and award-winning HBO and HBO Asia Original programmes produced exclusively for HBO viewers. Wholly owned by HBO (a Time Warner company), HBO Asia reaches 23 territories across Asia with six 24-hour commercial-free subscription movie channels: HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Family, HBO Hits and Cinemax, as well as Red by HBO, internet streaming platform, HBO GO, subscription video on demand service, HBO On Demand, and in China, 鼎级剧场 (ding ji ju chang). HBO Asia is also the exclusive distributor of BabyFirst and the DreamWorks channel in the region. Log on to www.hboasia.com for more information.

HBO, Home Box Office and HBO Asia Originals are service marks of Home Box Office, Inc.

Announces 16 new productions out of Southeast Asia in 2017

Singapore, 01 February 2017 – Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific (DNAP) today announced 16 new local productions commissioned out of Southeast Asia for the network’s flagship brand Discovery Channel as well as leading travel and lifestyle channel TLC across both linear and digital platforms. Discovery has collaborated with local creators and storytellers to co-create content that caters to the diverse viewership that is Southeast Asia.

Rohit Tharani, Director of Content Curation, Discovery Southeast Asia said, “For over 20 years, Discovery has had a great track record in innovative and immersive storytelling. Based on data-driven insights, we understand the power of telling homegrown stories. In 2017, we are taking the lead and investing in more local content than ever before, bolstering our flagship channels and broadening the appeal for the millennial generation. We are well positioned to take risks and be experimental with the content we are curating across platforms. This presents a unique opportunity to deepen our connection with existing and new audiences across Southeast Asia.”

Kicking off Discovery’s 2017 production slate is FRONTIER BORNEO, which follows the cast of Borneo’s unsung heroes as they uncover and protect Borneo’s stunning tropical landscape and rich biodiversity. From rescue missions, to wrangling deadly creatures across unchartered territories, the action-packed series reveals not only the beauty of the island but also the reality of frontier living. The series is produced by Beach House Pictures and Kyanite TV with the support of the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) and Perbadan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia (FINAS).

Also produced out of Malaysia by Matavia Reka is SURVIVING BORNEO. The series follows local television host and influencer Henry Golding, as the descendant of the once feared Iban tribe of Sarawak. Before marital bliss, Henry goes on a personal mission to discover his tribal roots through the unfamiliar and unforgiving jungles of his homeland to attain his “Bejalai”, an Iban rites of passage.

The internet is ridden with clips featuring home-made inventions, human guinea pigs, nature-obsessed thrillers and pure adrenaline junkies. Fronted by science enthusiasts Ramon Bautista, Jun Sabayton, Lourd De Veyra, Ra Rivera, and Angel Rivero, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ASIA by Jesuit Communications Foundation, Inc. deconstructs the science behind the experiments and exactly why it shouldn’t be attempted at home.

Produced by Montero Productions, WORST VACATION EVER follows Filipino celebrity brothers KC and Troy Montero as the duo boldly relives the worst, and most unbelievable holiday anecdotes to ever grace the internet.

Famous for diving into the rivers after fish and braving rapids for snagged gear, Oz Chanarat, aka BANGKOK HOOKER, is armed with a whole lot of bait and is on a mission to experience the weirdest and wildest fishing adventures Thailand has to offer. The series is produced by InFocus Asia from Singapore.

Global hit franchise SAY YES TO THE DRESS is coming to Asia on TLC. Produced by Endemol Shine Group, SAY YES TO THE DRESS ASIA showcases the colours and diversity of Asian weddings. Expect bridezilla meltdowns and intimate love stories behind choosing the perfect wedding dress.

TLC takes you on an intimate and inspirational journey into the relationship of businessman, car connoisseur, and transgender woman Angelina Mead King and her model-host wife Joey Mead King. In their debut television appearance, THE KINGS takes you behind the scenes for the candid highs and lows that come with being one of the most progressive couples in Asia. The series is produced by Active TV.

Following the success of WOK WITH US, a digital collaboration with Singapore foodies The Meatmen, 2017 will also see the premiere of eight short-form films from JumpCut Asia. Stemming from Discovery’s inaugural creative workshop in 2016 as part of the year-long partnership with IMDA to enable Singapore’s media talent to tell stories using new production technologies, JumpCut Asia will bring together the most heartwarming and surprising stories from Southeast Asia on Discovery’s digital platforms. These stories span from the bizarre world of chicken beauty pageants, amateur wrestlers struggling to attain superstardom, to a village where those with dementia live and play.

The slate of local productions further reinforces Discovery’s commitment to accelerate in-market growth opportunities while delivering local, compelling stories that uncover the insights into the people, cultures, and passions points of the region through the lens of larger than life characters and adaptable formats.

# # #

About Discovery Networks Asia Pacific

Discovery Networks Asia Pacific, a division of the leading global entertainment provider Discovery Communications, is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its portfolio of brands. From survival to natural history, wonders of science to extreme jobs, motoring to travel and lifestyle, and the latest engineering marvels to live sporting events, Discovery offers distinct must-watch programming to engage viewers across the region. The portfolio reaches 707 million cumulative subscribers in 37 countries and territories with programming customised in 14 languages and dialects. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com

• First investment for International’s new Digital Ventures & Innovation Group strengthens Turner’s digital sports presence
• Turner funding boosts international growth for Bigballs Media and establishes Copa90 as the definitive football youth media brand

Turner International’s Digital Ventures & Innovation Group today announced an equity investment in digital media sports company Bigballs Media (BBM), parent company of one of the world’s fastest-growing digital video platforms for football content, Copa90.

The funding will be used to fuel BBM’s international expansion, content production and distribution and enhance its data capabilities as it continues its growth trajectory.  The investment will fuel further international growth and fully establish Copa90 as the definitive football youth media brand.

Turner’s Digital Ventures & Innovation Group was recently formed to focus on opportunities for innovation, development and acquisition. The investment comes within the group’s first month of operations and signals the company’s commitment to increasing its presence in the digital sports space. Turner is the largest provider of funding for the Series B investment round and the main strategic investor.

In parallel, Turner and BBM have signed a commercial agreement which embraces multiple opportunities for Turner and BBM to leverage their respective distribution and content production expertise. The partnership expands on an existing commercial relationship with leading digital sports brand Bleacher Report, a division of Turner.

The cross-platform commercial agreement includes strategic co-branded content production, the development of third party branded content and sponsorship opportunities, and content creation for Turner’s own channels. It also facilitates BBM’s close collaboration across the wider Turner portfolio, including Esporte Interativo, Turner Sports and CNN. Additionally, Aksel van der Wal, head of Digital Ventures & Innovation, will take a seat on BBM’s board of directors, and Alex Vargas, COO Bleacher Report, becomes a board observer.

“Partnering with relevant brands is a core part of our strategy to compete and lead in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape,” said Aksel van der Wal, executive vice president, Digital Ventures & Innovation, for Turner International.

“We see really exciting opportunities to work with BBM in developing creative ways to engage new audiences, in particular expanding our growing touchpoints with millennials while also offering innovative new platforms for advertisers. It is exactly the kind of forward-looking partnership we hope to establish more of.”

Tom Thirlwall, CEO BBM, said: “Our ambition is to be the world’s most influential football media business by the time the 2018 World Cup kicks off and this investment and partnership with Turner is a decisive step towards making that a reality.

“We had significant interest in our round but Turner was by far and away the most compelling because of their team, vision and the strategic opportunities for both our businesses. The investment will enable us to accelerate our growth in our core markets, build our data and distribution capabilities and expand our commercial teams in Europe and the US and of course continue to make the best fan culture football content.”

“Bleacher Report and Copa90 share a passion for global football fan culture. We are very excited about the investment and taking a step forward in expanding our existing relationship. Our hugely popular “Saturdays Are Lit” Snapchat collaboration has set a great benchmark for the kind of exciting opportunities we expect to develop together,” said Alex Vargas, COO Bleacher Report.

The investment in BBM is the latest in a series of investments by Turner in the digital space and the first with a company headquartered outside of the US. It follows on from similar investments in 2016 in Refinery29 and Mashable. The company also acquired a majority stake in iStreamPlanet in 2015.  Turner has also recently expanded Bleacher Report and injected new investment in CNN Digital.  Internationally it has launched a suite of new digital-first destinations and apps across the broader digital ecosystem to extend its fan engagement around flagship properties such as CNN, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim, as part of the company’s accelerated focus on evolving its digital business interests and capabilities.

 

-ENDS-

 

About Turner International

Turner International operates versions of core Turner brands, including CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TCM Turner Classic Movies, as well as country- and region-specific networks and businesses in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. It manages the business of Pay- and Free-TV-channels, as well as Internet-based services, and oversees commercial partnerships with various third-party media ventures; it teams with Warner Bros. and HBO to leverage Time Warner’s global reach. Turner operates more than 175 channels showcasing 38 brands in 33 languages in over 200 countries. Turner International is a Time Warner company.

About Copa90

Copa90 is a global, fan-first, multi-platform football media network specialising in creating content dedicated to the stories outside of the 90 minutes.

To date, Copa90 has scored over 1.5bn video views and 12m subscribers without owning any rights in football. Its successful content formats include FIFA & Chill, Comments Below and Derby Days. Users spend on average 47 minutes per week with Copa90 content. Brand partners include Adidas, Nissan and Hyundai.

In 2016 Copa90 won a Webby as the World’s Best Sports Channel Online as voted for by consumers against competition from ESPN, WWE and Vice Sports.

 

Contacts:        

Turner

Oliver Herrgesell, SVP Communications, International

oliver.herrgesell@turner.com

+1 404 827 4440 / +44 7984551379 / +49 173 523 9940 / +852 6323 9644

 

Claudia Coles VP Corporate Communications, International & EMEA

claudia.coles@turner.com

+44 20 7693 0946/+44 7785 725 705

 

BBM/Copa90

Jane Austin Persuasion Communications

jane@persuasioncomms.com

+44 7989 953 938

 – Eurosport now brings fans the Giro d’Italia and all major Italian cycling events exclusively until 2020* –

– More Giro d’Italia coverage than ever before, with four hours live each stage –

– Eurosport cements position as the Home of Cycling: all three Grand Tours, including the Tour de France, and all five Monuments –

– Eurosport to show over 200 days of live cycling in 2017 –

 

Singapore, 1 February 2017 – Eurosport remains the place to be for all passionate cycling fans.  Exclusive and extended Giro d’Italia coverage and additional races have been confirmed from 2017, meaning cycling fans can enjoy over 200 days of live cycling on Eurosport in 2017.

The news follows a new long-term agreement covering all major Italian races, Flanders Classics and a number of Tour events around the world.  The races form part of an unrivalled calendar of cycling on Eurosport, including all three of the Grand Tours and all five Monuments.

Fans can look forward to the first Grand Tour of the season and all major Italian races, including Il Lombardia and Milano-San Remo, the first classic of the season, on Eurosport.  For the Giro d’Italia, the new agreement includes more coverage than ever before and four hours of every stage live.

Peter Hutton, Eurosport CEO, said: “If you’re passionate about cycling, Eurosport remains the only place to be. Eurosport’s community of cycling fans is among the most loyal and committed you can find and they appreciate that Eurosport really is the Home of Cycling.  We are proud to serve these fans and excited to offer them even more of the live action they love.

“While we’re proud of Eurosport’s great heritage in cycling, the exclusive and extended coverage of the Giro d’Italia, and additional races added to our calendar, demonstrates there is much more to come. In 2017, for the first time, Eurosport will show over 200 days of live cycling in a calendar year.”

The new four-year extension offers more exclusivity* to Eurosport in Australia and Europe, as well as including a wide range of additional races available on Eurosport. The new races now available exclusively include the six Flanders Classics single-stage races – including the iconic World Tour race Gent-Wevelgem – Tour of Romandie, Tour of Britain, Tour of Utah and Tour of Alberta.

Eurosport secured rights for this cycling package through IMG, a global leader in sports, events, media and fashion. The agreement will mean Eurosport’s annual coverage of the Giro d’Italia will pass twenty years, having first shown the race in 1998.

 

-ENDS-

*Exclusive coverage across Australia and Europe.  Within the home market of each race and Asia, Eurosport holds non-exclusive rights. Within the home market of Italian races, rights are yet to be attributed. Excludes coverage in France.

 

Full Race List

Italy

Strade Bianche

Tirreno-Adriatico

Milano-Sanremo

Giro d’Italia

Il Lombardia

Flanders Classics Events

Gent – Wevelgem

Brabantse Pijl

Omloop het Niewsblad

Dwars door Vlaanderen

Brussels Cycling Classic

Scheldeprijs Schooten

Other Races

Tour of Romandie

Tour of Britain

Tour of Utah

Tour of Alberta

Tour of Abu Dhabi

Tour of Dubai

 

 

First Multi Spot Beam, Ku-Band HTS Service for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific Provides Dramatic Improvements for Aeronautical Mobility, Cruise and Commercial Maritime Mobility, Corporate Networks, Cellular Backhaul, Government Services

Luxembourg, 30 January 2017
Intelsat (NYSE:  I), operator of the world’s first Globalized Network, powered by its leading satellite backbone, announced today that Intelsat 33e, the second of the Intelsat Epic^NG high throughput satellites (HTS), successfully completed all in-orbit testing and entered service on 29 January 2017.

Manufactured by Boeing and launched in August 2016, Intelsat 33e is equipped with the most advanced digital payload on a commercial spacecraft. With this exceptionally flexible HTS payload design, Intelsat 33e, operating from 60° East, will extend Intelsat’s HTS services in C-, Ku- and Ka-band to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions. This will enable the delivery of enterprise-grade, broadband services to fixed and mobile network operators, aeronautical and maritime mobility service providers, and government customers. Intelsat 33e’s powerful spot beams will also enable the distribution of regionalized content for media customers operating in the region.

The customers committed to Intelsat 33e and the applications supported reflect the vast geographic coverage of the satellite:

• Maritime broadband leaders GEE, Speedcast and Marlink
• In-flight entertainment and connectivity leaders Gogo and Panasonic Avionics
• Pakistani Internet service provider SuperNet Limited
• Telecommunications infrastructure customers Telkom South Africa, Orange Cameroon, IP Planet, Vodacom, Djibouti Telecom and Africell RDC SPRL
• Russian network service providers Romantis and RuSat LLC support enterprise applications
• Media companies TV & Radio Broadcasting (formerly Television and Radio Broadcasting of Armenia) and MultiChoice of South Africa

In addition to existing customers, Intelsat 33e is attracting new customers. For example, Africa Mobile Networks (AMN), which delivers commercial service to previously unconnected rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa, will use Intelsat Epic^NG to help mobile network operators expand in these areas in a cost-effective manner and deliver social, economic, educational and other benefits to the population.

“The experience of implementing Intelsat Epic^NG and bringing it to our customers has affirmed our beliefs about the potential of HTS,” said Stephen Spengler, Chief Executive Officer, Intelsat. “We have a dynamic, open and evolving platform that will increase in capability over time, providing a technology hedge for our customers that need to make investments today on which they can build for a decade of growth. Intelsat is delivering on the promise of HTS, and our design and strategy will advance our vision of unlocking access to new, larger and faster growing sectors for Intelsat and our customers.”

“Many U.S. government customers are eager to begin using Intelsat 33e,” said Skot Butler, President, Intelsat General Corporation. “Testing previously conducted with Intelsat 29e using a small, flat-panel antenna designed for aeronautical applications confirmed that the Intelsat Epic^NG platform delivers superior performance for unmanned aircraft systems. The coverage Intelsat 33e provides is ideal to support U.S. Department of Defense mobility applications and means deployed forces in these regions will benefit from the same game-changing performance and efficiency that Intelsat Epic^NG already delivers in the Americas and the North Atlantic.”

Intelsat Epic^NG services were launched in March 2016 with Intelsat 29e, which is located at 310° East and offers a footprint spanning the Americas, the Caribbean, Eastern United States and the burgeoning North Atlantic region. Three additional Intelsat Epic^NG satellites – Intelsat 32e, Intelsat 35e and Intelsat 37e – are scheduled for launch in 2017. Intelsat Epic^NG’s global footprint will be completed with Horizons 3e, which is to be stationed at 169° East with a launch planned in the second half of 2018.  Horizons 3e will extend Intelsat Epic^NG’s coverage to the Pacific Ocean Region and further expand Intelsat Epic^NG’s presence in Asia Pacific.

Supporting Resources:

• About High Throughput Satellites:  http://www2.intelsat.com/e/48312/throughput-satellite-teach-in-/4pvkwn/232042357

• Learn more about Intelsat Epic^NG:  http://www2.intelsat.com/e/48312/bal-network-satellites-epicng-/4pvkwq/232042357

• Learn more about IntelsatOne Flex for Enterprise: http://www2.intelsat.com/e/48312/intelsatone-flex-enterprise-/4pvkws/232042357

About Intelsat

Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I) operates the world’s first Globalized Network, delivering high-quality, cost-effective video and broadband services anywhere in the world. Intelsat’s Globalized Network combines the world’s largest satellite backbone with terrestrial infrastructure, managed services and an open, interoperable architecture to enable customers to drive revenue and reach through a new generation of network services. Thousands of organizations serving billions of people worldwide rely on Intelsat to provide ubiquitous broadband connectivity, multi-format video broadcasting, secure satellite communications and seamless mobility services. The end result is an entirely new world, one that allows us to envision the impossible, connect without boundaries and transform the ways in which we live. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com