Intelsat TVNZ Satellite Service Launch An Alliance

Intelsat And TVNZ Satellite Services To Launch An Alliance

The new company will provide Global Occasional Use (OU) Satellite Carriage and Television Broadcast Services to Customers Located Worldwide.

Auckland, New Zealand and London, U.K., 08 September 2003 - TVNZ Satellite Services Ltd and Intelsat Global Sales and Marketing Ltd have joined forces. The service portfolio of the alliance will offer a global network of satellite & terrestrial infrastructure complemented by a portfolio of television broadcast services.

Specifically, the portfolio offers customers comprehensive choice in global programme distribution as well as access to television production and packaging services. Event management, host broadcast services and on air enhancement products are examples of the expanded range of services that will be available. The Alliance creates a unique combination of OU satellite service provider and television broadcaster - all under one umbrella. It maintains both ownership and control of the products and services required by OU customers and offers an expanded portfolio significantly increasing choice, flexibility and reliability.

Targeted to serve the news, sport and special event needs of the international television broadcast community, Intelsat and TVNZ Satellite Services realised that their combined assets would better benefit customers. Intelsat contributes a global network of ground-based resources and dedicated satellite capacity on nine of their significant satellite fleet with additional capacity available. TVNZ contributes occasional use services and television broadcast solutions expertise.

"The formation of this Alliance significantly shifts the traditional occasional use service business paradigm," explained Sam Fairhall, Managing Director, TVNZ Satellite Services Ltd. "Our customers are facing significant business challenges brought about by the velocity of global change in the industry. The goal is to create a new business model that will deliver a product that significantly exceeds the high-quality, cost-effective solutions we already provide. As a television broadcaster as well as an occasional use service consumer and supplier, TVNZ has first-hand knowledge of what is required to deliver this added value."

Ian Fraser, CEO, Television New Zealand Ltd commented, "The face of TVNZ in New Zealand is understandably TVONE and TV2. However, for many years TVNZ has operated in the international arena. TVNZ Satellite Services has a worldwide reputation for innovative, dependable, cost effective television distribution solutions. We are proud and delighted that the applied innovation and service provided by our people has attracted such a powerful alliance partner as Intelsat."

Jon Romm, President of Intelsat's Media & Entertainment business unit, said, "This alliance presents customer's with the best of both worlds - the knowledge and expertise of a broadcaster combined with the reliable and flexible network assets of a global provider - in one simple end-to-end solution. Intelsat is very committed to adding value to service offerings so that customers are deriving benefits by using our Network. Our alliance with TVNZ packages virtually every value-add and customer benefit and makes it easily accessible - that's what customers want and that's what we'll deliver."

Operations, including booking, billing and planning will be managed centrally from TVNZ's international 24/7 operations centre in Auckland, New Zealand. Additionally, TVNZ and Intelsat are linked via Intelsat's Washington D.C. 24/7 Video Operations Centre to provide seamless support for customers requiring international connectivity to or from North America.

Assisted by his team, Sam Fairhall will administer the day-to-day operation of the business. Strategic direction will be developed further by Sam Fairhall and by Jon Romm.

The new Alliance product and solutions portfolio will ensure that current arrangements and contracts with existing customers will be honoured.

About Intelsat

Intelsat, Ltd. offers telephony, corporate network, video and Internet solutions around the globe via capacity on 26 geosynchronous satellites in prime orbital locations. Customers in approximately 200 countries rely on Intelsat satellites and ground resources for quality connections, global reach and reliability. For more information, visit www.intelsat.com .

About TVNZ Satellite Services Limited

TVNZ Satellite Services Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary within the TVNZ Group. For over 15 years, it has provided global occasional use satellite carriage and production enhancement services to news agencies, rights-holders and television broadcasters located worldwide. In 2002, TVNZ Satellite Services was the recipient of a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise Award for service export excellence. For more information, visit www.tvsat.com

'Occasional use' is also termed 'Contribution carriage'. It is carriage that delivers programming to news agencies, pay TV and free-to-air broadcasters. Customer examples are APTN, CNN International, BSkyB (U.K.), South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and TVNZ.

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