NBC and TV3 Extend Exclusive Licensing Agreement

17 October 2005

NBC Universal International Television Distribution And TV3
Extend Exclusive Licensing Agreement In New Zealand

Emmy Award®-winning Television Series Included in Product Lineup

Cannes, France, October 18, 2005 – NBC Universal International Television Distribution and TV3 have extended their exclusive multi-year licensing agreement for the free terrestrial television rights in New Zealand to NBC Universal's current and library television programming and feature films, it was announced today by Belinda Menendez, president, NBC Universal International Television Distribution and Beverley McGarvey, director of programming for TV3.

The deal features an Emmy Award®-winning lineup of NBC Universal television programming, including the hit medical drama House, starring Hugh Laurie. House has become an established top 10 performer (vs. U.S. series) in Italy, Australia and the UK, consistently dominating its time period competition and delivering millions of viewers in each international territory every week.

Adding to the Emmy®-winning lineup is the venerable Law & Order brand from creator and executive producer Dick Wolf, which has been licensed in more than 180 territories and includes Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

New NBC Universal series included in the agreement include Three Wishes, the heart-warming network reality show hosted by five-time Grammy®-winning recording artist Amy Grant; and Surface, an expansive network drama that explores a mysterious new form of sea life appearing in locales all over the earth, starring Lake Bell and Jay R. Ferguson.

Highlighting the slate of motion pictures included in the deal is the highly anticipated King Kong (2005), directed by directed by triple Academy Award®-winner Peter Jackson (the Lord of the Rings trilogy), who will also assume producing and co-screenwriting duties.

Jackson will bring his sweeping cinematic vision to the iconic story of the gigantic ape captured in the wild and brought to civilization where he meets his tragic fate.

Additional feature films that will air on TV3 include Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, starring Academy Award® and Golden Globe®-winner Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth; Love Actually, with an all-star ensemble cast including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Laura Linney, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Keira Knightly and Rowan Atkinson; Along Came Polly, starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston; The Bourne Supremacy, starring Academy Award®-winner Matt Damon; and Van Helsing, starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale and Richard Roxburgh.

"We’ve enjoyed a very successful relationship with TV3 and couldn’t be happier to extend our agreement and continue to bring NBC Universal’s product to viewers in New Zealand,” said Menendez. “This deal underscores the popularity and demand for our programming abroad.”

“We are delighted to be continuing our long and successful relationship with NBC Universal, which provides us with a great mix of exciting new series, long-running drama and blockbuster movies, said McGarvey. “These programs will help ensure TV3 can continue to bring New Zealand viewers some of the best U.S. content available for the next number of years, and we look forward to working closely with our partners at NBC Universal throughout that time.”

NBC Universal is a leader in providing entertainment programming to the domestic and international marketplaces. Its NBC Universal Television Distribution division is responsible for the global distribution of NBC Universal product to all forms of television throughout the world.

This includes distribution of current and library film and television product in the pay, free, and basic markets, as well as the domestic syndication of first-run syndicated TV programs and theatrical and TV movie packages.

ENDS

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