Playboy, Flextech and BSkyB form first international Playboy TV channel.CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 11, 1995--Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (PEI) has announced the formation of a new television channel with Flextech plc and British Sky Broadcasting British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB — formerly two companies, Sky Television and BSB) is a company that operates Sky Digital, a subscription television service in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. It produces TV content, and owns several TV channels. Ltd., (BSkyB) two of Europe's leading media groups. The new television channel, Playboy TV Playboy TV is a pay-per-view adult television channel on cable and satellite services, and available in Brazil, United States, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland and Norway. The channel is owned by Playboy Enterprises. , will be launched initially in the UK in 1995 and will then be extended to Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.Flextech, a diversified entertainment company based in the United Kingdom, is 60% owned by TeleCommunications, Inc.'s (TCI (Trustworthy Computing Initiative) An umbrella term from Microsoft for its efforts to improve security in Windows. TCI was announced in 2002 after viruses such as Code Red and Nimda had succeeded in attacking numerous Windows computers. ) international operating business unit. British Sky Broadcasting Ltd. is the world's largest and most successful pay television direct-to-home operator with more than four million subscribers. Under the terms of the agreement, Flextech will own 51% of the channel, BSkyB will own 30% and PEI will own the remainder, retaining an option to acquire additional equity. PEI will also receive license fees for its programming and brand name. PEI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Christie Hefner Christie Ann Hefner (born November 8, 1952 in Chicago, Illinois) is the chairman and chief executive officer of Playboy Enterprises Inc., the company created by her father Hugh Hefner. Under Ms. Hefner, Playboy has acquired business units such as Spice Network, Adult. said, "Two years ago, we began selling blocks of programming to existing cable services overseas. The establishment of an overseas Playboy network was a logical step for us in our strategy for growth and we are pleased to be involved in this venture with such respected partners as TCI, Flextech and BSkyB." Tony Lynn, executive vice president of PEI and president of Playboy's Entertainment Group, added, "Our exclusive 800-hour programming library has been the basis for our success in entering more than 100 overseas markets since 1991. In addition to the anthologies, dramatic series and short-form programming for which we are known, this year we are introducing our first movies -- a genre of programming which is both timeless and global in its appeal." David Chance, deputy managing director of BSkyB, and Roger Luard, managing director of Flextech plc, jointly said, "Playboy has a strong brand name worldwide and has a successful adult-oriented television channel in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. that appeals to both men and women. Our research shows there is a strong demand for the channel, with its wide variety of high quality programming in the UK and Benelux countries." Playboy TV UK/Benelux will follow the format of Playboy's U.S. cable channel with a variety of popular programming aimed at adults. It will be available as a secure encrypted en·crypt tr.v. en·crypt·ed, en·crypt·ing, en·crypts 1. To put into code or cipher. 2. Computer Science premium service and on a pay-per-evening basis. The new network will be based in London and will be delivered via Intelsat and Astra to cable systems and DTH (Direct-To-Home) Typically refers to satellite TV broadcasting directly to a dish antenna on the roof of a house. See DBS. homes within the territories. The channel will carry a limited amount of advertising and further details, including the launch date and pricing, will be announced later. Playboy Enterprises Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: PLA), also organized as New Playboy, Inc. (NYSE: PLAA), is the company founded by Hugh Hefner to manage the Playboy magazine empire. It was created in 1953 as the HMH Publishing Co., Inc. , Inc. is an international publishing and entertainment company that publishes Playboy magazine and related media including newsstand specials and calendars; operates a direct marketing business, including the Playboy, Critics' Choice Video and Collectors' Choice Music catalogs; creates and distributes programming for U.S. pay television, worldwide home video and international television and markets the Playboy trademark on apparel, accessories and products for consumers around the world. Flextech plc has interests in and/or manages 12 cable and satellite channels which broadcast to the UK and Europe, including The Children's Channel, The Family Channel, UK Gold, Bravo and Wire TV. It is also the largest shareholder in HTV HTV H-II Transfer Vehicle HTV Harlech Television (Wales, UK) HTV Hrvatska Televizija (Croatian television) HTV Heidenheimer Tarifverbund (German) HTV Habitual Traffic Violator Wales Wales, Welsh Cymru, western peninsula and political division (principality) of Great Britain (1991 pop. 2,798,200), 8,016 sq mi (20,761 sq km), west of England; politically united with England since 1536. The capital is Cardiff. with a 20% holding. Quoted on the Unlisted Securities Market The Unlisted Securities Market (USM), which ran from 1980 to 1996, was a stock exchange set up by the London Stock Exchange. It served a market for shares of companies too small to qualify for a full listing; or which did not have the full three year trading history required by the in the UK, Flextech is 60% owned by United Artists Entertainment Holding, a wholly owned subsidiary Wholly Owned Subsidiary A subsidiary whose parent company owns 100% of its common stock. Notes: In other words, the parent company owns the company outright and there are no minority owners. of TCI (TeleCommunications Inc.). TCI is also a significant shareholder in TeleWest, Britain's largest cable operator. British Sky Broadcasting Ltd. offers an unmatched quality and diversity of channels and programming. BSkyB operates nine wholly owned channels, comprising the five premium channels -- Sky Movies, The Movie Channel, Sky Movies Gold, Sky Sports and Sky Sports 2 -- and four other channels -- Sky One, Sky News, Sky Travel and Sky Soap Sky Soap was a British Sky Broadcasting channel that showed a mix of American and British soap operas, including Emmerdale Farm and Take the High Road. The channel began broadcasting on October 3, 1994[1] that are part of the Sky Multi-Channels. BSkyB distributes 12 other channels on behalf of third-party program suppliers and the account for the remaining Sky Multi-Channels. BSkyB has 100% penetration of cable homes in the UK and is the leading provider of programming to the UK cable industry. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Playboy Enterprises: Martha Lindeman (Investor Contact) 312/751-8000, ext. 2650 312/440-5493, night line Playboy Enterprises: Jim Nagle (Media - U.S) 310/246-4000 Playboy TV: Mary Fulton (UK/Benelux) 44-171-226-7450 CONTACT: Playboy Enterprises, Inc., Chicago Martha Lindeman, Investor Contact, 312/751-8000, ext. 2650, 312/440-5493, night line Jim Nagle, Media - U.S., 310/246-4000 Playboy TV, Mary Fulton, UK/Benelux, 44-171-226-7450 |
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