Thomson acquires Corinthian Television

Thomson has announced a major step forward in the expansion of its broadcast services activity with the acquisition of a 70% stake in Corinthian Television Facilities in London.
Corinthian is one of Europe’s leading broadcast television facilities companies providing live studios, graphics, video, audio production and postproduction and transmission playout to major international broadcasters through long term contracts.
The acquisition of Corinthian is an important step in expanding Thomson’s relationship with existing media and entertainment clients in new geographic areas.
The UK, one of the most highly developed broadcast playout markets in Europe, will provide Thomson with an initial base for geographic expansion of its broadcast management services activity both within the UK and in other major countries in Continental Europe, the Middle East and in South Africa.
Through its blue chip clients, Corinthian currently delivers four channels to audiences in the UK, two channels to Scandinavian viewers, one digital terrestrial signal in the UK, and two channels into Central and Eastern Europe. Corinthian Television will also serve as a new service development platform (asset management, e-delivery of content, and international language versioning) and link into Thomson’s existing network of post-production laboratories in London, Madrid, Montreal, New York and Los Angeles.
“The addition of the Corinthian facility in the UK further expands our content management and distribution capability and gives us a strategic location to serve media and entertainment clients throughout Continental Europe and the Middle East,” said Lanny Raimondo, Senior Executive Vice President, Thomson. “We believe the trend for outsourcing of broadcast services will continue, and we intend to build on our heritage of providing world class services to our content-owning customers around the world.”
(GB)