Dubai, January 8, 2006: Showtime Arabia, one of the leading pay-TV networks in the Middle-East and North Africa, will now be offering the classic animation channel Boomerang to its complement of family entertainment and will be available in four of its top packages including Total Plus and Movie Plus. 

The classic animation channel from Turner - which can be enjoyed by subscribers across the region further reinforces Showtime's family entertainment offering and solidifies its position as a leader in the region, not only for young viewers but also for the young at heart. 

Predominantly aimed at 4 - 9 year olds, Boomerang is dedicated to some of the best-loved classic cartoons ever made, including Top Cat, Bugs Bunny, Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, Wacky Races, Captain Caveman, The Hair Bear Bunch and Penelope Pitstop, among others.

Ron Ciccone, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Middle East at Turner Broadcasting Systems, said: "The launch of Boomerang with Showtime Arabia is fantastic news. Looking at the line up of the channel is like taking a walk down memory lane for many of us who enjoyed shows like The Flintstones and Tom & Jerry as kids.  The truly exciting thing about these programmes is that they have lost none of their freshness or appeal making it the perfect animation destination for the young and young at heart."

He added, "We are committed to developing our portfolio of channels and profile in this key business market and the launch of Boomerang further strengthens our entertainment offerings to viewers."

Peter Einstein, President and CEO of Showtime Arabia said, "In this region, the family is of utmost importance and providing the choice of content to each member of the family is what Showtime is all about. Adding Boomerang, an animation channel with all the greatest classics in one place, to our top bouquets and family packages will add value to our subscribers whatever their age. After all, who can resist Daffy Duck and Scooby Doo?

-Ends-

Notes to Editors
Boomerang shows timeless favourites such as Scooby Doo, Tom and Jerry, Looney Tunes and The Flintstones. Boomerang is cartoon entertainment for the whole family, bringing much-loved toon stars to a whole new generation of viewers. Boomerang is available in France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, South Africa, Romania, Spain, The Middle East, The Netherlands and UK.

Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Europe delivers some of the world's most successful and well-known news and entertainment brands - CNN, Cartoon Network, TCM (Turner Classic Movies), Toonami and Boomerang - across approximately 100 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Alongside its TV channels TBS is at the forefront of developing its brands through the internet, broadband, wireless, DVD, e-commerce, merchandising, cinema, publishing and every other available platform.

Turner Broadcasting System Europe Limited is a Time Warner Company.

Showtime Arabia one of the leading pay-TV network in the Middle-East and North Africa. It provides 50 channels of mainly international content, with an especially strong offering of first run Hollywood films, due to its exclusive relationships with Disney, Sony, Paramount, Universal and Dreamworks. Showtime Arabia owns and operates its own channels including The Movie Channel, TV Land, Nickelodeon, Paramount Comedy Channel and Movietime. Included in its third party channel line-up are such global brands as MTV, CNN, Discovery, the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Bloomberg.

The network is owned by Gulf DTH, which is a joint venture of KIPCO and Viacom. KIPCO is Kuwait's largest private sector investment company with more than US$ 15 billion under management. Its portfolio of investments includes around 55 companies, in sectors such as media, telecommunications, financial services, real estate and aviation, throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the U.S.

Viacom is a leading global media company, with preeminent positions in broadcast and cable television, radio, outdoor advertising, and online.  Viacom's well-known brands include CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, Paramount Pictures, and Simon & Schuster. 

For more information please contact:
Natalie Pritchard
PR Manager - Pan & CEE
Turner Entertainment Networks International Limited
Email: Natalie.Pritchard@turner.com 
Tel:  +44 (0) 20 7693 1113

Danielle Woods
PR Assistant - Pan & CEE
Email: Danielle.Woods@turner.com 
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7693 0787

Vida Rizq
PR Manager
Showtime Arabia
Email: Vida.Rizq@showtiemarabia.com
Tel:  +971 (4) 367 7026

Maida Talhami
Momentum
Tel: +971 4 3901635
Mobile: +971 50 7347728
Email: maida@momentum.cc

© Press Release 2006