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Abu Dhabi Media Company (ADMC) names world class line-up to front exclusive Barclays Premier League (BPL) programming on AD Sports Channels

International football presenter John Dykes and leading UK broadcaster Mark Pougatch among presenting team who will head up English language programming
Abu Dhabi - 25 July, 2010: John Dykes and Mark Pougatch* were today named as two of the faces of ADMC 's live English-language Barclays Premier League programming - available 24/7 exclusively on AD Sports 5 and 6.

AD Sports English Premier League Programming

Football fans can subscribe today to watch all 380 matches live and exclusive in high definition (HD) - available with both English and Arabic commentary.

In addition, AD Sports' flagship English channel, AD Sports 5, will offer 24/7 coverage of Premier League TV, the official channel of the Premier League. Exclusive programming will include preview and review shows, latest news, special features and in-depth analysis.

A second English channel, AD Sports 6, will bring viewers a mix of Barclays Premier League action and coverage of some of the world's greatest sporting fixtures, including Formula 1, UFL and tennis, all in HD. Those without HD televisions will be able to watch without any problems.

How To Subscribe

Viewers have a choice of three ways to subscribe to all the English Premier League action on AD Sports - satellite TV, cable TV or online by logging on to ADMCsport.com.

Subscription for satellite TV and cable TV is available now, and signing up to watch the world's most famous league is as easy as buying an ADMC box (made by Humax) and smartcard or calling your local IPTV (cable) provider. Live online streaming on admcsport.com will be available soon.

AD Sports Arabic Premier League Programming

Liverpool legend Ian Rush, former England and Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman and France and Chelsea star Marcel Desailly will kick off the Arabic programming on AD Sports channels 3 and 4 in a season preview special, to be aired on August 13^th.

Appearing alongside the star studded line-up will be the newly announced presenting team for AD Sports Arabic Barclays Premier League programming - Mohammed Najeeb, Osama Al Amiri, Haitham Al Hamadi and Hamed Al Harthriy.

Tottenham Hotspur's White Hart Lane stadium sets the stage for AD Sports first Arabic match-day broadcast, with Mohammed Najeeb and his team presenting the opening show live from a dedicated studio in North London, as Tottenham take on Manchester City at home.

Exclusive Arabic programming on AD Sports 3 and 4 will also include Inside the Premier League, The Premier League Live, Football Fever and Final Score.

Mohammed Najeeb, Director of AD Sports Channels, said: "The line-up of Barclays Premier League programming and the talent that we are bringing to the AD Sports Channels are unlike anything seen before in this region. We are raising the standard for both Arabic and English audiences, and offering more than just games and analysis.

He added: "Our viewers will have access to some of the world's best loved presenting and commentary talent, as well as a host of football legends both past and present, who will add to the analysis and debate as the season unfolds. We are proud to be able to name such a prestigious line-up of talent for our shows. If the football was not enough to keep people watching, then the talent alone certainly will be."

-Ends-

Notes to editors:
The Barclays Premier League consists of 20 football clubs and is regarded as the world's best league football competition. ADMC has secured the live and exclusive television and digital broadcast rights in the MENA region for the 2010-2013 seasons. The games will be available to viewers across the region on encrypted AD Sport (Al Riyadiya) channels which will be accessible via a high-definition set-top box, IPTV (cable), and streaming via broadband Internet.

Fans will be able to watch all 380 games live and exclusive to AD Sports in one of three ways:

· Users can buy a Humax HD decoder and smartcard to watch via satellite on ADTV's new pay-tv network. These are available in satellite retailers, hypermarkets and electronics stores. Satellite TV viewers will pay up to AED999 for the HD decoder, which comes with a smartcard providing a year's subscription to the AD Sports channels that will be broadcasting the league. For users who currently have a compatible Humax HD decoder, smartcards can be bought alone for AED370 for a year's subscription. They will also continue to get all the current free to air channels.

· Users can subscribe through their local IPTV (cable) provider. Prices will be set by individual cable providers.

· Users can also sign up to stream the matches online. In the GCC, fans who subscribe to watch matches online will pay AED370 for the season. In non-GCC countries, the price for the online season package is AED220.

*The English language presenting team:

John Dykes - One of the world's most watched football presenters, Dykes has spent more than a decade with ESPN STAR Sports, presenting their Barclays Premier League coverage in Asia.

Mark Pougatch - A well-known face of UK sports broadcasting, Pougatch has presented on the BBC's Match of the Day, Football Focus, Final Score and Sunday Grandstand, as well as presenting both Five Live Sports and BBC Radio 5 Live's flagship Saturday afternoon shows,

About Abu Dhabi Media Company :
Abu Dhabi Media Company ( ADMC ) is a leading media organization in the Middle East, with businesses in free and pay television, radio, publishing, digital media, games, feature films, music, digital signage, outside broadcast/production, and printing. The company manages over 20 market-leading brands such as the TV channels Abu Dhabi Al Oula and Abu Dhabi Riyadiya/AD Sports, Emirates FM and Star FM radio stations, Al Ittihad and The National newspapers, Majid and Zahrat Al Khaleej magazine, anazahra.ae, Imagenation Abu Dhabi, LIVE, and United Printing Press. ADMC partners with Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment on VEVO, the online music video platform, and has a first in the region MMOG joint-venture with Gazillion Entertainment. ADMC is headquartered in Abu Dhabi, with offices in Beirut, Cairo, Dubai and Jeddah. www.admc.ae

For further information please contact the Seven Media team:
Gregg Fray
Tel: +971 50 812 9566
Email: greggfray@sevenmedia.ae

Matt Slater
Tel: +971 50 812 0599
Email: mattslater@sevenmedia.ae

Zoё Griffiths
Tel: +971 50 329 7422
Email: zoegriffiths@sevenmedia.ae

Rana Jimaa
Tel: +971 50 804 0839
Email: ranajimaa@sevenmedia.ae

© Press Release 2010