VIASAT TO LAUNCH TV1000 IN THE BALTIC STATES ViaSat, the pay-tv arm of Modern Times Group, MTG, Scandinavia's leading media company has decided to launch the pay-TV channel TV1000 in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the autumn. ViaSat has now concluded an agreement with the two leading distributors in the region, Baltcom and Levicom, which gives the company a more than 50 per cent share of the cable-TV market in the Baltic states. By taking the step of establishing TV1000 on the Baltic market alongside TV3 and ZTV, MTG is following the same strategic line as was previously used in building up the group's expansion in the Nordic region. "Our ambition is to be the first in the field, to establish and clearly position our channels in new and promising TV markets", says Hans-Holger Albrecht, CEO of the MTG pay-tv division. Each country will get its own channel with quality films and events in their own language, as well as in Russian for the countries' Russian- speaking minorities. The Baltic launch has been decided on following the strong growth in the number of subscribers for the new premium package ViaSat Gold and TV1000 in the Nordic countries over the past six months. "The recent success achieved by ViaSat Gold and TV1000 shows that there is potential for premium services throughout this region", says Albrecht. "By establishing TV1000 in the Baltic region we are creating a solid base for continued growth in these new TV markets, where TV3 and ZTV have already proved their capacity to succeed." In Estonia and Lithuania TV1000 will be co-ordinating its marketing with TV3 and ZTV, making use of the cross-over opportunities available. "TV1000 will offer the Baltic TV public something completely new for them in the form of quality films, events and erotica", concludes Albrecht. For further information, please visit www.mtg.se, or email info@mtg.se or contact: Hans-Holger Albrecht, President & CEO tel: +46 8 562 000 50 Matthew Hooper, Investor & Press Relations tel: +44 20 7321 5010 Modern Times Group MTG AB has seven business areas: Viasat Broadcasting (free-to-air and pay TV channels in nine countries), Radio (seven networks in five countries), New Media (the Everyday interactive TV portal, Internet portal, Mobile portal, and teletext services), Publishing (financial news and information services), Modern Interactive (home shopping, e-commerce, and logistics), SDI Media (subtitling and dubbing services), and Modern Studios (content production and library). Modern Times Group MTG AB's class A and B shares are listed on the Stockholmsbörsen O-list (symbols: MTGA and MTGB) and on the Nasdaq National Market in New York (symbol: MTGNY). MODERN TIMES GROUP MTG AB Skeppsbron 18, Box 2094, SE-103 13 Stockholm, Sweden Tel. +46 8 562 000 50 Fax. +46 8 20 50 74 (Publ) Registration No. 556309- 9158 www.mtg.se ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/01/05/20040105BIT00380/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2004/01/05/20040105BIT00380/wkr0002.pdf