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GMS Management Acquires the Stock and Streaming Media Infrastructure Assets of Global Media Services From Catalyst Media Group Plc

Posted on: Wednesday, 2 November 2005, 12:00 CST

Global Media Services and Catalyst Media Group plc Approve Four-Year Preferential Reseller and Referral Agreements

GMS Management announced today that they have acquired the stock and streaming media services infrastructure assets of Global Media Services, a leading provider of managed media services, from Catalyst Media Group (LSE: CMX.L) Global Media Services helps corporations generate revenue from live and on-demand video streaming applications through a vast portfolio of professional services, including ad insertion, pay-per-view, syndication, digital rights management, content management and transaction processing and clearing. Global Media Services and Catalyst Media Group have also approved four-year preferential reseller and referral agreements that will see Global Media Services' sales force syndicating and distributing Catalyst Media Group's vast intellectual property catalog of content rights to broadband and mobile service providers and distribution partners in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Consequentially, Catalyst Media Group becomes the first-ever preferred referral partner of Global Media Services' Managed Media Services platform.

As part of the acquisition, Global Media Services is purchasing Catalyst Media Group's Broadcast Production Center and Web Hosting infrastructure. The Global Media Services Broadcast Production Center acquires and encodes broadcast audio and video signals for distribution over a vast aggregation of content delivery networks and web hosting locations, globally.

"The sale of our Media Services unit to JSAC, L.L.C will afford Global Media Services increased agility and the ability to expand rapidly to take advantage of the unprecedented demand for Managed Media Services that the company is experiencing," said Paul Duffen, chief executive officer, Catalyst Media Group plc. "We expect this long-term preferred reseller and referral partnership will also drive opportunistic revenue from the syndication and distribution of Catalyst Media Group's vast intellectual property catalog of content rights."

"In this exciting digital economy, companies are looking for new ways to generate revenue from their online operations," said Adam Cohen, chief executive, Global Media Services. "Global Media Services will help companies profit from their streaming media applications by leveraging the world's largest and most advanced IP networks, state-of-the-art Broadcast Production Center infrastructures and industry-leading online media expertise. Capitalizing on more than 20 years of combined experience and a proven track record in the provisioning of Streaming Media Services, we can offer customers all aspects of an integrated and transactional streaming media solution."

Worldwide revenue for streaming media services will top US$5 billion by 2007, according to Cahners In-Stat. The research firm also said outsourcing streaming media requirements to turn-key service providers will accelerate companies' ROI.

Global Media Services principals founded Live On Line in 1995 which was acquired in 2000 by Digital Island, Inc., a former entity of Cable & Wireless. (LSE: CW.L) Live On Line was an early pioneer in the production, acquisition and delivery of streaming and rich media on the Internet. The company produced some of the Internet's largest streaming events for customers such as Apple Computer, Microsoft, Sony Music, Arista Records, American Express, Comedy Central, Fox, and MTV.

About Global Media Services

Global Media Services, Inc. provides managed media services that enable companies to profit from their online operations by effectively interacting and transacting with customers, partners and employees. Global Media Services has integrated its managed Media Services platform with the world's largest and most advanced IP networks to offer cost-effective, high-quality live and on-demand streaming media delivery services worldwide. Global Media Services eliminates the need for companies to invest and maintain separate content and digital rights management, e-commerce and streaming media delivery systems. Founded in 2002, Global Media Services, Inc. is a privately held company based in New York, New York. www.globalmediaservices.net

About Catalyst Media Group

Catalyst Media Group plc (LSE: CMX.L) is a media company with a broad range of revenue-generating activities focused on the distribution of audio-visual content using Internet Protocol technology." www.cmg-plc.com

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Source: Business Wire

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