VIASAT BEGINS TV BROADCASTING IN HUNGARY Viasat Broadcasting becomes a major owner of Budapest-based Alfa TV, which is now changing its name to Viasat3. The decision to buy Alfa TV, a privately-owned TV channel that has a ten- year license to broadcast in the greater Budapest area, is historic. This is the first launch of a channel outside Viasat's core geographic markets of the Nordic and Baltic countries. "Hungary is an exciting market with great potential," says Hans-Holger Albrecht, president of Viasat Broadcasting and COO and future president of Modern Times Group MTG AB, to which Viasat belongs. "We want the opportunity to offer Hungarian advertising buyers a better alternative in the future. We also want to provide viewers with high-quality entertainment. We know from our experience in the Baltic countries that it is possible to develop new markets. This expansion in particular is important because it's our first move into central Europe." Hungary is one of Europe's fastest growing television advertising markets. Alfa TV is currently a local Budapest channel that broadcasts a range of locally produced programs. Viasat, with its 95% ownership, will be the majority owner in the new channel. The remaining 5% is owned by local Budapest investors. Viasat3 will be transmitted terrestrially, digitally, and via cable. At start-up, the penetration in Hungary is already more than 50%. For cable TV households, a contract has been signed with the large cable providers in Hungary, such as UPC. For households with satellite receivers, Nordiska Satellitaktiebolaget (NSAB) has been contracted for uplinks and transmission. Equivalent contracts with NSAB exist for other television channels belonging to the business area Viasat Broadcasting within Modern Times Group MTG AB. Doing business with the same satellite providers is only one of the many synergies with other television channels within the group. Viasat3 in Hungary will be part of Viasat Broadcasting's effective operations for centralized program purchasing, scheduling, transmission, and administration. The business area's operations in the Nordic and Baltic countries include the following television channels: TV3, ZTV, 3+, Viasat+, TV6, TV8, Viasat Sport, and TV1000. MTG is also the company behind successful daily newspaper Metro, which is published in a number of cities in both in and outside Europe, including Budapest. Metro Budapest belongs to Metro International S.A., the shares of which were recently distributed to MTG shareholders. Metro International is listed on the Stockholms Börsinformation (SBI) list and on the Nasdaq National Market in New York. For further information, please contact Hans-Holger Albrecht, president of Viasat Broadcasting, at +44-1895 433 433 or Pelle Törnberg, President of MTG, at +46-8-562 000 50. Modern Times Group MTG AB is listed on the OM Stockholm Exchange's O list (symbol: MTG) and on the Nasdaq National Market in New York (symbol: MTGNY). ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by BIT http://www.bit.se The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/08/28/20000828BIT01140/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/2000/08/28/20000828BIT01140/bit0002.pdf