Disney, Russia’s Channel One Close Deal

LONDON/MOSCOW, December 20: Disney-ABC International
Television has finalized a multi-year entertainment licensing agreement with
Russian state broadcaster Channel One.

The deal covers the licensing of features, live-action
series, animated series and made-for-TV movies, as well as the launch of a
monthly family-film time slot, The Wonderful World of Disney, on Channel One. The agreement is Disney’s largest media deal in the
Russian market to date.

Viewers across Russia will now be able to enjoy a stable of
first-run features from Walt Disney Pictures, including Pirates of the
Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest and Wild
Hogs, and Disney/Pixar titles such as Finding
Nemo. Disney’s animated classics, such as The
Jungle Book, 101 Dalmatians and Peter Pan, will be shown on free-TV in Russia for the first time. Many of these
titles will premiere on Russian television via Channel One’s new family-film
block The Wonderful World of Disney, which will run monthly for 10 months a year. Furthermore, following the
successful performance of ABC Studios’ Lost in Russia, the broadcaster has picked up the popular
series Dirty Sexy Money.

This partnership follows Disney’s strong growth in the
Russian TV business, which has increased by more than 400 percent in the last
three years, as well as its cinematic success in the region. Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: At
World’s End was
the number-one foreign release of all time in Russia and Ratatouille was the most successful non-sequel
feature animation in the region. Additionally, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Disney
Consumer Products and the Walt Disney Internet Group have all seen growth in
their Russian business throughout the past years.

Tom Toumazis, the executive VP and managing director of
Disney-ABC International Television for EMEA and Canada, commented: “In this
key market, we’re pleased to close this significant step in the growth of our
business, and the presence of Disney content on Russian television. This
agreement builds upon our long-standing successful relationship with Channel
One, covering some of the most creative and successful content on television.”

Konstantin Ernst, the general manager of Channel One, said:
“This is a further step of working closer with The Walt Disney Company that
will allow Channel One to present to a broader Russian audience all the latest
Disney animated and live-action movies that have recently attracted the largest
amount of viewers all around the world. Our partnership will not be limited to
movies acquisitions but will be broadened towards the joint production of
movies and shows here in Russia.”

—By Kristin Brzoznowski