ProSiebenSat.1, IBM Align for Pan-European Digital Platform?

MUNICH, April 9: ProSiebenSat.1
Group is setting up a pan-European digital platform in partnership with IBM
with a view to building an all-digital, tapeless technology infrastructure that
enables the delivery of TV programming to multiple platforms across Europe.

The two companies have
signed a 200 million euros, ten-year outsourcing agreement. IBM will take over
and improve all of ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion's IT business applications, IT and
media systems. With this deal, 170 ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion employees will
transfer to IBM in the first quarter of 2009.

ProSiebenSat.1 Group will
establish a new playout center in Munich. This together with the existing
playout center in Chiswick/London will transmit all of its channels across
Europe. In the course of the cooperation with IBM and the increased efficiency
of a digital platform, ProSiebenSat.1 Group is expecting savings of
approximately 50 million euros over the next decade.

"Innovative
technology that enables us to utilize our content in all media and all
countries is crucial for our strategy,” said ProSiebenSat.1 Media’s CEO,
Guillaume de Posch. “In IBM we have a world-class partner for our new platform
and our staff. With this step we provide the basis for future growth and reduce
our IT costs at the same time.”

"We are working with
our long-time client to transform the way ProSiebenSat.1 manages and delivers
its TV content throughout Europe in the future," added Martin Jetter, the
general manager of IBM Germany and head of IBM Germany's Board. "To
achieve this we are applying our technology, services and media expertise to
drive efficiencies and long-term business agility for ProSiebenSat.1 jointly
and sustainably."

From the start of service
IBM will assume responsibility for planning and technical support and delivery
of applications, Internet technology and IT infrastructures for Sat.1,
ProSieben, kabel eins and N24. IBM will modernize core business applications
such as advertising sales, scheduling and rights management at ProSiebenSat.1,
integrating and dovetailing them across all distribution channels. It will
reduce the large number of in-house applications and switch to uniform open
standards to facilitate integration of international partners.

—By Mansha Daswani