VITA.L Regulatory News (VITA)

12 May 2006 07:00

Cellcast plc12 May 2006 Press Release 12 May 2006 Cellcast plc ("Cellcast" or "the Company") Cellcast launches new programming on Freeview and pioneers new 'visual radio' on digital terrestrial television Cellcast plc (AIM:CLTV), the global interactive digital broadcaster, todayannounces the launch of its new interactive entertainment services on Freeview'sdigital terrestrial television (DTT) platform in the UK including a breakthroughin interactive TV technology. The Company has ventured with Top Up TV to trail interactive content andprogramming on Smile TV on Channel 37. This launch is the successfulrealisation of a partnership with Top Up TV which was announced at the Company'sadmission to AIM in September 2005. It marks a further step in the Company'sstrategy to expand the reach of its programmes through securing new distributionagreements in the UK as well as internationally. Cellcast has also worked with Top Up TV to launch an innovative new interactiveservice, Top Up Active, on Channel 107. This will be available to all 6.4million-plus Freeview households in place of the static 'placeholder' which istraditionally used on subscription channels to promote a broadcaster's paychannels. Cellcast has developed a unique format which utilises all availablebandwidth to provide radio-style broadcasting combined with interactive chat andgames. Combining talk-radio, participation TV and interactivity, Cellcast andTop Up TV are pioneering 'visual radio' for the Freeview platform. Andrew Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Cellcast plc, said; "Thisrevolutionary approach pushes the interactive opportunity on Freeview to itslimits. Where Teletext and similar services use their bandwidth to directviewers to the content, this application focuses on user generated content toentertain the viewer. This furthers Cellcast's goal to be at the forefront ofthe development of innovative platforms for participatory programming. Top UpActive's integration of audio and interactivity within such bandwidthconstraints represents a significant technological success for both Companies." More than 1.1 million UK households took up digital TV in the fourth quarter of2005 - more than in any previous quarter. Over 800,000 of these acquiredFreeview or Top Up TV. In March 2006, Freeview enabled receivers were inapproximately 6.4 million homes. Freeview's share of the digital TV market(i.e. the proportion of digital households using digital terrestrial as theirsole TV platform) has steadily increased since Freeview's launch in October2002, and according to Ofcom accounted for 69% of all new digital homes in 2005. Andrew Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Cellcast plc, said; "The fact that nofurther bandwidth is currently available on the Freeview platform is a measureof Freeview's success and we are delighted that Cellcast has been able to launchseveral new services on what is the UK's fastest growing digital TV platform.We are pleased to partner with Top Up TV in this exciting new entertainmentoffering for UK television viewers. Using existing production output, we havebeen able to extend our reach and demonstrate the effectiveness of ourinteractive broadcast model. At the same time we are developing original waysof maximising the opportunities that digital TV can offer." - Ends - For further information:Cellcast plcAndrew Wilson, CEO Tel: +44 (0) 20 7190 0300andrew@cellcast.tv Top Up TV LtdNick Markham Tel: +44 (0) 7881 510 115nick.markham@topuptv.com Daniel Stewart & Company PlcMarc Young, Corporate Finance Tel: +44 (0) 20 7776 6550marc.young@danielstewart.co.uk www.danielstewart.co.uk Media enquiries:AbchurchHenry Harrison-Topham / Gareth Mead Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 7700henry.ht@abchurch-group.com www.abchurch-group.com Notes to Editors: Cellcast plc Cellcast plc is a leading international provider of participation televisionapplications and interactive mobile content in the fast-growing multi-platformdigital entertainment sector. Headquartered in London, with associatedoperations in Paris, Beirut, Mumbai, Hong Kong and Buenos Aires, Cellcast'sapplications and programming are distributed on the Sky Digital platform in theUK and broadcast partners include Canal+ in France; STB in Ukraine; Future TV,Dubai Television and Rotana TV in the Middle East; Zee TV and Star TV in India;TVS-3 in China; Telefe in Argentina; and TeleAmazonas in Ecuador. Cellcast's revenues streams are independent of both advertising and subscriptionfees. With a network of revenue sharing agreements with telecommunicationscarriers and aggregators across five continents, Cellcast receives a share ofthe call revenue every time a consumer uses a mobile or fixed-line phone toparticipate in its interactive entertainment, revenue which is retained orshared with its broadcast partners. Cellcast's programme formats and proprietaryInteractive Platform (CIP) also facilitate delivery of content to mobile phones,the internet and broadband-delivered IPTV. This enables viewers to continueparticipating in a programme away from the TV, generating 24/7 revenueopportunities. Cellcast plc joined the AIM market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange on 21September 2005. Top Up TV Top Up TV currently offers 14 pay channels on the Freeview DTT platform,including UKTV Gold, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network,British Eurosport and Boomerang. Top Up TV can be received using a Freeviewset-top box or television equipped with a card slot or CI slot. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange