Munich, August 30, 2005. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group will be upconverting both of its largest Free TV channels, Sat.1 and ProSieben, and broadcast its two networks in the new high-resolution HDTV standard in a 16:9 wide-screen format parallel to the standard definition broadcast. The new format goes on the air October 26, 2005 for the Munich Media Days. Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD will be available at no charge, but at first only via the ASTRA satellite system. The Group sees itself as taking the initiative in moving TV another step ahead.

“HDTV is a quantum leap toward the television of the future,” said Guillaume de Posch, CEO of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group. “The ProSiebenSat.1 Group was the first German TV corporation to show individual broadcasts in this high-resolution format, and I’m delighted that now we’re also the first to go into regular HDTV operation.”

The new HDTV (high-definition television) standard has twice the lines of resolution of conventional analogue or digital TV, making picture quality so vivid that the picture seems almost three-dimensional. Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD will be simulcast in the high definition mode. Parts of programs that were either not produced or not available in native HTDV format will be upconverted to DVD quality. At the end of 2006 the Group will review this decision as well as the potential distribution via cable or terrestrial TV.

Though HDTV is barely beginning in Germany and Europe, it has already become well established in other countries. Most broadcasters in the United States have been carrying HDTV programming for years. Japan has had HDTV stations since 1998, and the 2002 Soccer World Cup was produced in the format. The conversion to HDTV is supposed to be complete by 2010. China introduced HDTV in 2003, and intends to use it to produce the 2008 Summer Olympics. Australia expects to complete its conversion to HDTV by 2006.

The new high-resolution broadcasts must be viewed with HDTV-compatible receivers and displays. Germany already has thousands of households with the right equipment. Unlike the PAL standard used until now (400,000 pixels), crystal-clear HDTV pictures have nearly two million pixels – the reason for the substantial increase in quality. Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD will apply the 1080i format and the new, improved MPEG4-H264 compression standard. The ProSiebenSat.1 Group intends to reinforce the initiative for the enhanced TV standard by cooperation with companies from the electronics manufacturing industry.

ProSiebenSat.1 Group stations have already been showing single high-definition programs since the fall of 2004, including “Spider-Man,” “Men in Black II” and “Panic Room” on ProSieben, along with the successful documentaries “Pride” and “Supervolcano,” not to mention the Galileo Special “Das Sakrileg,” produced entirely in high definition. Sat.1 showed the two-part “Die Nibelungen” in HDTV.

Two current trailers for Sat.1 HD and ProSieben HD, with highlights of previous HDTV broadcasts, are available on the demo channel ASTRA HD (frequency 12.4410 GHz; vertical, SR 27.5; FEC ¾) and in Hall 26, the HDTV Hall, at the IFA.

Group subsidiary ProSiebenSat.1 Produktion is responsible for all aspects of the Group’s HDTV broadcasting operations.

Contact:
Katja Pichler
Corporate Spokesperson
ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG
Medienallee 7
D-85774 Unterföhring
Phone +49 (89) 95 07-11 80
Fax +49 (89) 95 07-11 84

E-mail:
Katja.Pichler@ProSiebenSat1.com