Extreme International and UPC (j.v. partners in the Channel) announced today that a distribution agreement has been signed with Telegeneve S.A. for Extreme Sports Channel and it will now be available for the first time in Switzerland. The channel is part of the Digicable service reaching a potential of 132,000 subscribers in the greater Geneva area.
The Digicable service of Telegeneve offers viewers the unique opportunity to choose the language soundtrack with the channel. Making full use of the capabilities of the digital cable distribution, the channel is available in a number of languages, which makes the offer very attractive to the large international community living in the Geneva area. Distribution on the Digicable service starts on June 1st.
Michel Vieux, Managing Director of Telegene S.S., said: "One year after the launch of our digital service Digicable, the first one operational in Switzerland, the agreement with UPCtv gives us the opportunity to increase the number of channels available to our subscribers as well as to give access to multiple language soundtracks. This is important for us due to the various foreign communities living in our city. UPCtv's channels will be offered as a package named "Family". With these new channels our most extensive tier now has almost 130 TV channels."
Alistair Gosling, CEO of Extreme International, said: "I am absolutely delighted that the Extreme Sports Channel will now be available in Switzerland and as the heart of skiing and snowboarding, I hope that Switzerland is the beginning of the Channel being available in all the top extreme sports arenas of the world."
Stephen Cohen, Chief Operating Officer of UPCtv, said: "We are very pleased that for the first time Swiss viewers are now able to see our channels. It is also the first time viewers can take advantage of the enhanced services available on a digital cable network with multiple language soundtracks."
About Extreme GROUP
The Extreme Group is a leading Global integrated extreme sports entertainment company, formed in 1995 with the aim of supplying the world's broadcasters with quality television programming. Today we are a fast growing global media group with significant interests in a global television network, an internet business, broadband channels, content and distribution. Extreme has offices in the UK, The Netherlands and USA. The Group currently has 3 divisions.
1) The Extreme Sports Channel - Worldwide Sports Television Channel The Extreme Sports Channel (a joint venture between Extreme and UPC) is a global 24 hour cable and satellite sports network that features programs and live events from the action, adventure and extreme sports genres. Delivered world wide via a network of satellites, initially starting across Europe on May 1st 1999 it is now broadcasting in 9 countries with a growing subscriber base of 5 million. The channel is a direct challenger for the attention of teenagers. Its 'radical' sports and lifestyle content focuses on snowboarding, surfing, mountain biking and a host of adventure sports that produce incredibly dramatic visuals. 'Sports for the cool by the cool', where fashion and music come head-to-head to provide gripping off-the-wall action.
The Channel is also cleared for broadband and internet broadcast and is developing this via www.extreme.com. (see below)
2) www.extreme.com- Internet www.extreme.com (a joint venture between Extreme and UPC) is the web site address for the world-wide Extreme Sports Channel. It will enhance the viewers experience of the broadcast channel and act as the portal for the online extreme sports community. The Extreme Sports Channel is cleared for web streaming 24 hours a day and www.extreme.com will be the focal point for this streaming. www.extreme.com is being developed as a fully interactive internet channel for broadband and narrowband. Thus extending and exposing the brand very rapidly and filling the area of extreme sports for the WSPs (web streaming platforms)
3) Extreme International- Content distribution Extreme International, www.extremeinternational.com has been focused on the distribution of Extreme Sports programs for five years and we are now the world's leaders in this area. We concentrate upon the production, distribution, packaging and marketing of Sports, Adventure Travel and Technology programming to the television industry and internet broadcast platforms world-wide. As live streaming has developed, Extreme International has secured exclusive internet, broadband and ADSL distribution rights on individual programs, live events and launching full internet broadcast channels, preparing for the full development of convergence. Extreme has also built an extensive network and data base of organisations and web sites looking for channels and video content.
About UPC
Headquartered in Amsterdam, UPC is one of the most innovative broadband communications companies in Europe and owns and operates the largest pan-European group of broadband communication networks. UPC provides cable television, telephony, high-speed Internet access and programming services in thirteen countries across Europe and in Israel. As of March 31, 2000, on an aggregate basis, UPC systems passed approximately 10.7 million homes with more than 6.9 million basic cable subscribers.
UPCtv is the channel creation, marketing and distribution arm of United Pan-Europe Communications (UPC). The overall concept is to create a bouquet of quality special interest channels, to be offered to UPC and non-UPC cable operators throughout Europe. UPCtv is developing cable-friendly channels to enable networks in Europe to offer their subscribers more choice through high quality channels at reasonable prices.
For further information, images and interview opportunities contact:
Email: enquiries@extremesportscompany.com Telephone: + 44 (0) 207 244 1000 Website: www.extremesportscompany.com