VIASAT BROADCASTING AND COLUMBIA TRISTAR INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION IN MULTI-YEAR DEAL Columbia TriStar International Television (CTIT) and Viasat Broadcasting have concluded an overall licensing deal including both free and pay television that will give Viasat Broadcasting the exclusive free TV broadcast rights in Scandinavia to an extensive slate of CTIT's feature films as well as current and library television product. The deal also extends CTIT's long-term relationship with TV1000, Viasat's premium movie service, with a multi-year, exclusive pay television output agreement. The deal was announced today by John McMahon, Managing Director, CTIT Europe and Hans Holger Albrecht, President and CEO, business area Viasat Broadcasting within Modern Times Group MTG AB. Viasat Broadcasting's principal broadcast channel, TV3, will feature a line-up of first-run Columbia and TriStar blockbuster films such as Men In Black (MIB), As Good As It Gets, My Best Friend's Wedding and The Mask of Zorro along with current and library mini-series, telefilms and TV-series such as this season's Manchester Prep, Family Law and Time of Your Life, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. Also included are new season episodes of Days of Our Lives and the very successful Ricki Lake. Building upon and expanding CTIT's long-standing relationship with Viasat, TV1000 will assume exclusive first-run pay television rights to all future Columbia TriStar feature films beginning in September, 2000. The deal also includes second pay window rights to CTIT's blockbuster slate of 1997 features. Viasat Broadcasting and CTIT have also agreed to explore further strategic business opportunities within the Scandinavian market. "The extremely successful entertainment product supplied by CTIT will even further accelerate the growth of our channels. A close relationship with CTIT will help cementing Viasat's market leadership", said Hans Holger Albrecht. "Viasat Broadcasting has an excellent track record in aggressively marketing and promoting our product," commented McMahon. "This deal builds on the success of our long-term relationship and strengthens it with exclusive first- run pay-TV features and hit titles. It reaffirms our commitment to Viasat and the strategically important Scandinavian market." For additional information, please contact: Hans Holger Albrecht Viasat Broadcasting Telephone +44 (0)1895 433 333 Mobile +44 (0)370 642 136 Tom Keeter Columbia TriStar International Television Telephone +44 (0)171 533 1242 Fax +44 (0)171 533 1246 Viasat Broadcasting is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Modern Times Group MTG AB, a wide-ranging media group in the Nordic and Baltic area, with operations in television, radio, newspapers, electronic commerce and media-related services. MTG includes well known brands such as TV3, ZTV, Strix Television, RIX FM, TV- Shop, Metro and Finanstidningen. The companys shares is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange's O list (symbol: MTG) and on the Nasdaq National Market in New York (symbol: MTGNY) Columbia TriStar International Television is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home video acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities, development of new entertainment products, services and technologies and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at www.spe.sony.com. ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/09/09/19990909BIT00490/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/09/09/19990909BIT00490/bit0002.pdf