WLG.L Regulatory News (WLG)

6 February 2014 BROADCASTING AUTHORITY OF IRELAND TO ENTER INTO CONTENT CONTRACT WITH UTV IRELAND UTV Media plc welcomes today's announcement by the Broadcasting Authority ofIreland (BAI) to enter into negotiations with its subsidiary UTV Ireland Ltdfor a television content provision contract, under section 71 of the IrishBroadcasting Act. UTV Ireland plans to commence broadcasting in the Republic of Ireland inJanuary 2015. UTV submitted its application to the BAI in November 2013 following the signingof an agreement with ITV Studios Global Entertainment, which will give UTV theexclusive broadcasting rights for ITV Studios programmes for the Republic ofIreland audience, including popular soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale fromearly 2015, once appropriate statutory broadcasting licences are in place. John McCann, Group Chief Executive, UTV Media plc said: "We are delighted by the BAI's announcement today to enter into negotiations onthe terms of our television contract for UTV Ireland. "The audience in Ireland has known the UTV brand for more than 50 years throughour station for Northern Ireland and our market leading Irish radio stations.We look forward to building on that success with the launch of UTV Ireland inJanuary 2015." Michael Wilson, Managing Director, UTV Television said: "As we enter these negotiations, we look forward to bringing Irish viewers awonderful new viewing experience in January 2015, utilising the existing UTVwinning formula of combining high quality news, current affairs, entertainmentand drama." The new channel will be based in Dublin with additional newsgathering andreporting presence in Cork, Galway, Waterford and Limerick. The contract to be negotiated between the BAI and UTV Ireland Limited isprovided for under section 71 of the Irish Broadcasting Act 2009. For further information contact: UTV Media plc Orla McKibbin: + 44 (0) 2890 262188 Maitland James Devas: + 44 (0) 207 3795151