First Dutch Regional Broadcaster On Satellite L1 Begins Broadcasting Via The ASTRA Satellite

SES ASTRA, an SES GLOBAL company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), and L1, a regional broadcasting company in Limburg, The Netherlands, have entered today into an agreement for free-to-air broadcasts of L1 TV and L1 Radio via the ASTRA satellite at 19.2° East. L1 officially began satellite broadcasts today. L1 is the first regional Dutch broadcaster to transmit via satellite.

L1 presents a range of news, information and entertainment programmes from the Limburg region. Broadcasting via ASTRA will also make L1 available to remote areas that do not have access to cable. Unlike most other regional broadcasters, L1 TV does not broadcast via the ether. As a result more than 25,000 families in Limburg do not have access to L1’s programmes. L1 is committed to reaching a broad spectrum of people who have an association with Limburg both in the Netherlands and abroad. Thanks to the ASTRA satellite’s far-reaching footprint, L1’s programmes can now be viewed throughout the whole of Europe.

General Manager Harro Coumans is delighted that viewers will now be able to tune in permanently to L1 via the ASTRA satellite: "The more people from Limburg we can reach, the better. That’s why we applaud distribution via multiple infrastructures. The fact that viewers can now watch our programmes via ASTRA means that people in both Dutch and Belgian parts of Limburg can tune into our programmes. People from Limburg who spend the winter in Spain or live in a rural region without cable service will also be able to enjoy our programmes."

Alexander Oudendijk, Senior Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer of SES ASTRA: "We are extremely pleased to welcome L1 on board. L1 represents an attractive supplement to our existing package of free-to-air channels. We also admire L1’s courage in being the first regional broadcaster to make the transition to satellite. We wish L1 every success and hope that this initiative will inspire other regional broadcasters to also make the move to satellite."

The ASTRA Satellite System at 19.2° East currently reaches more than 30 million satellite households in 30 European countries, including nearly 600,000 households with satellite access in the Netherlands. This makes satellite the largest and fastest-growing digital infrastructure in the Netherlands. In addition to L1 TV and radio, Dutch ASTRA viewers have access to more than 250 digital television and radio channels, including all Dutch national public and commercial broadcasters via CanalDigitaal.

L1 TV and L1 Radio can be received free-to-air via the ASTRA satellite on 19.2° East (ASTRA 1H, transponder 112, 12610.50 MHz, vertical polarisation, FEC 5/6). L1 TV and L1 Radio are found on channels 40 and 230 respectively in the CanalDigitaal Electronic Programme Guide.

About SES ASTRA
www.ses-astra.com
The ASTRA Satellite System is Europe’s leading satellite system that provides broadcasting and broadband services to more than 102 million households in Europe. The ASTRA Satellite System currently consists of 12 satellites that together transmit more than 1,400 analogue and digital television and radio channels and a range of multimedia and internet services. ASTRA’s most important orbital positions are 19.2° and 28.2° East. Professional services, such as Direct-To-Cable, Satellite
Newsgathering and Occasional Use services are offered via the 23.5° East position.

SES ASTRA is a wholly-owned SES GLOBAL company (quoted on the Luxembourg and Euronext Paris stock exchanges under SESG). SES GLOBAL is the owner of two leading satellite companies: SES ASTRA in Europe and SES AMERICOM in the United States. The company also holds interests in AsiaSat in Asia, Star One and Nahuelsat in Latin America and NSAB in Europe. Americom Government Services provides network solutions and bandwidth to the US government and its contract partners. SES GLOBAL offers a comprehensive range of communications solutions through a fleet of 38 satellites in orbit. SES GLOBAL is also a shareholder in ORBCOMM, a provider of wireless data communications services via a low-earth (LEO) satellite network, and a shareholder in ND Satcom that specialises in satellite technology. SES GLOBAL is also the founder and shareholder of SATLYNX, a company with an unparalleled portfolio of reliable and cost-efficient two-way broadband solutions for government authorities and companies throughout Europe. For further information regarding SES LOBAL, please visit www.ses-global.com.


Over L1 Radio-TV www.L1.nl
L1 Radio-TV is the public regional broadcaster for the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. The mission of L1 Radio-TV is to be Limburg’s leading information medium. In addition to radio and television, internet plays an increasingly important role in fulfilling this goal.

L1 was established in 1999 when the commercial TV8 Limburg and the public broadcaster Omroep Limburg decided to join forces. This alliance, which is unique in the Netherlands, has proved to be successful. Viewers and listeners have reaped the rewards of the partnership. In large part thanks to the varied range of programmes available through the alliance, L1 has succeeded in achieving an excellent viewing and listening density in Limburg. This union of strengths has also provided the Limburg region with a financially healthy regional broadcasting company.

Loyal listeners
L1 TV enjoys an average daily reach of around 34%. This means that approximately 340,000 people in Limburg tune in daily to L1 TV. This represents a sharp increase in comparison to the first year that the station began broadcasting when L1 TV achieved an average daily reach of 25.9%. L1 Radio holds a market share of more than 14%. This makes L1 Radio the most popular station in Limburg after Radio 3 FM. The employees of L1 are proud that, despite the extremely increased level of competition in the world of radio, L1 Radio has been able to maintain a market share of around 14% for a full five years. Even though a growing number of stations and ether frequencies have taken to the airwaves in Limburg in recent years, listeners have remained loyal to L1.


For more information, please contact:
Yves Feltes
Press Relations SES GLOBAL
Tel 31 43 850 60 00
Yves.Feltes@ses-global.com


Harro Coumans
L1
Tel 352 710725 -311
Harro.Coumans@L1.nl

This press release was issued through GroupWeb EmailWire.Com. For more information on press release distribution, go to http://www.emailwire.com.