BBC Worldwide Selects Thomson to Manage its Broadcast and Global Distribution Operations

With this long-term agreement, Thomson will provide playout services from its new facility in Singapore



PARIS (France) and BURBANK (California)— Thomson (Euronext 18453; NYSE: TMS) today announced that its Services division, under the Technicolor brand, was awarded a long-term contract to manage ingest, quality control playout and monitoring for a number of BBC Worldwide branded channels. Thomson will provide these services from its new digital media facility in Singapore. The channels will be launched on Sing Tel’s IPTV distribution platform which further builds on Thomson’s broad content distribution capabilities.

“We are delighted to work with BBC Worldwide,” stated Brian Kelly, President in charge of Technicolor Network Services within Thomson’s Services division. “This agreement further expands our global footprint into Asia with the addition of a new digital media facility in Singapore, thus extending our ability to offer flexible solutions to our customers. We see Singapore as a key hub for servicing the Asia Pacific region and have forged a close partnership with Sing Tel to support each others service development.”

This agreement reinforces the ongoing trend by major broadcasters to partner with managed service providers. It further expands Thomson’s growing network services business worldwide. In the last twelve months, Thomson has extended activities in France (TV5 Monde and France 24), the United Kingdom (ITV plc), and in The Netherlands (NOB Cross Media Facilities) and has significantly expanded its range of services in London. Thomson now provides managed services to broadcasters from facilities in the United Kingdom, France, The Netherlands, Japan, North America, and now Singapore.

With its playout business, Thomson provides global consultancy and managed services to help prepare, manage and distribute content or media companies, channel owners, channel operators and out-of-home and corporate media networks around the world.

The announcement further expands Thomson’s growing capabilities in live broadcasting, digital asset management and network design and technology. Thomson offers its customers an end-to-end solution, including systems design, proprietary and open-standard architecture and applications, content preparation and management, and distribution of live, pre-recorded and on-demand digital content.