TELE 5 POLAND AND POLONIA 1 LAUNCH ON ASTRA 19.2° EAST

New free-to-air channels boost digital ASTRA line-up

Polish media holding Fincast and SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company (Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG; Frankfurt Stock Exchange: SDSL), announce the conclusion of long-term contracts for the transmission of Tele 5 (Poland) and Polonia 1 on the ASTRA satellite system at 19.2° East. Tele 5 and Polonia 1 are available as of today via ASTRA transponder nbr. 57 (10832.25 Ghz; H-polarisation) in digital free-to-air.

Tele 5 is a new movie and entertainment channel showing the best European programming from broadcasters such as BBC, Channel 4, RAI, France 2 and France 3 as well as own productions. Polonia 1, also operated by Fincast, is a channel focusing on teleshopping. The two latest additions to the ASTRA digital line-up mean that ASTRA viewers in Poland and abroad now have access to 89 digital free-to-air channels broadcasting in 12 different languages.

Andrzej Muras, Vice-President of Fincast and President of Tele 5, explains his preferences for ASTRA distribution: "For a new TV channel distribution is essential. One can produce the best programs but it is useless if you can't reach your potential audience. The aim of Tele 5 is to have the largest coverage via satellite and cable networks. The agreement with ASTRA ensures high quality digital transmission services and access to new technology that will provide us with the opportunity to reach a wide group of satellite viewers in Poland."

Ferdinand Kayser, President and CEO of SES ASTRA, welcomes the new Polish channels: "Over 6 million satellite and cable homes in Poland currently receive ASTRA, of these more than 600 000 homes already opted for digital direct-to-home reception. We are pleased to further enhance the free-to-air digital line-up on ASTRA, and confident that the Polish language offer attractively complements the free-to-air foreign language line-up. The new channels are also a clear proof of SES ASTRA's commitment to the Polish market."

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