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Euro-World Inks Deal With Home2US to Reach Croatians Across U.S. With TV Programming Direct From Their Homeland; Hit Croatian Radio and TV Shows Move to Growing Line-Up Aboard SES AMERICOM Satellite

Posted on: Wednesday, 26 July 2006, 21:00 CDT

With its AMC-4 satellite the top choice for the reliable distribution of international news and entertainment programming to growing ethnic audiences throughout North America, SES AMERICOM, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges: SESG), and Home2US today announced Euro-World Network has signed agreements to have hit Croatian radio and TV shows delivered to thousands of Croat viewers and families living throughout the United States.

Under the fully-managed distribution agreement, Euro-World has moved two key Croatian channels, HRVATSKA RADIOTELEVIJZA (HRT TV) and HRVATSKA INFOMIVNI CENTRE (HIC TV), to Home2US to leverage leading international programming expertise together with the reach and reliability of the SES AMERICOM hybrid distribution network. Euro-World has also added the Croatian Music Channel (CMC) and two radio channels, Voice of Croatia and Narodni Radio, to the growing Home2US programming line-up, which is committed to reuniting Croats and other ethnic viewers in the United States with their favorite news, talk, sports, documentary, entertainment, and children's shows straight from their home countries.

HRT TV and Voice of Croatia radio will also be distributed south of the border on the South America delivery beam of the AMC-4 satellite.

"Euro-World Network's decision to move its full line-up of Croatian networks to Home2US is proof positive that AMC-4 is home to the best neighborhood for international programmers in search of a way to cost-effectively reach virtually every viewer they want to reach in North America," says Bryan McGuirk, president of media solutions for SES AMERICOM. "Our hybrid distribution network makes importing television to the U.S. quick and easy from anywhere in the world and positions the Home2US solution as second to none."

"For the millions of Croatian and ethnic television viewers living in the United States, there's no place like home and homegrown programming," explains Emrah Ozkan, president and chief executive officer for Home2US. "Home2US and SES AMERICOM are bridging the gap and delivering the familiar faces of favorite news and entertainment shows direct to TV screens across the United States. We look forward to further expanding on our compelling line-up of programming from every corner of the globe."

Euro-World programming is received at the SES GLOBAL teleport in Leuk, Switzerland and backhauled over new fiber to the SES AMERICOM teleport in Woodbine, Maryland, where the content is prepared for distribution over AMC-4 to Croatians and ex-patriots in the United States. To date, Home2US has enlisted three satellite transponders to meet the demand for international television and radio programming throughout the region.

About AMC-4

Launched in 1999, the AMC-4 satellite is a Lockheed Martin A2100 hybrid C-band and Ku-band spacecraft located at 101 degrees west longitude. When paired with AMC-1 at 103 degrees west, AMC-4's C-band transponders offer a premier cable neighborhood that can be picked up on a single ground antenna. AMC-4's Ku-band transponders serve broadcasting, VSAT, business television, and broadband Internet markets with coverage over the U.S., U.S. territories, Canada, and Mexico.

About Home2US

Home2US Communications, Inc., based in Herndon, Virginia, is the operator of an open pay TV platform on the C-band and Ku-band payloads of SES AMERICOM's AMC-4 satellite. The company is enabling foreign broadcasters to distribute their prime television and radio channels to ethnic audiences in the United States. Home2US strives to offer a cost-effective alternative to broadcasters who wish to capitalize on the growing ethnic subscriber base in the U.S. Home2US aims to lower the barrier of entry and raise the service quality standards to broadcasters and the traditionally underserved customers seeking a better value from their service providers. Home2US has a strong record in delivering secure encryption and DRM platform solutions, which protect Pay TV channel revenue streams.

About SES AMERICOM

The largest supplier of satellite services in the U.S., SES AMERICOM is recognized as a pioneer of global satellite communications services. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of the launch of its first satellite, the company today operates a fleet of 17 spacecraft in orbital positions predominantly providing service throughout the Americas. As a member of the SES GLOBAL family, SES AMERICOM is able to provide end-to-end telecommunications solutions to any region of the world via a fleet of 40 satellites. In addition, AMERICOM Government Services, a wholly owned subsidiary, is dedicated to providing satellite-based communications solutions to both civilian and defense agencies of the U.S. government. With its combined operations, SES AMERICOM serves broadcasters, cable programmers, aeronautical and maritime communications integrators, Internet service providers, mobile communications networks, government agencies, educational institutions, carriers and secure global data networks with efficient communication and content distribution solutions.

Source: Business Wire

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