Warner Bros. enters output deal for Kazakhstan

Almaty. August 16. Kazakhstan Today - CTC Media has secured a multi-year output agreement with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution for its Channel 31 in Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Today reports.

According to Kazinform, the deal is a first for the Kazakhstan market. Channel 31 will gain the exclusive rights to broadcast a range of feature films and TV shows from the Warner Bros. catalogue. Many of the titles covered under the pact will have never been broadcast in Kazakhstan before, World Screen reports.

Marat Devlet-Kildeyev, CTC Media's head of international broadcasting, said: "We have been working towards signing this output deal, which is crucial for both parties and a first for the Kazakh market, for a long time now. Our previous agreement gave us some exclusive rights, but Warner Bros. worked equally with other channels. We have now become the main strategic partner of this major studio, whose content is included into the treasury of world cinema. We are happy to have the opportunity to show Kazakh viewers such hits asThe Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, Lethal Weapon, as well as The Hangover and its sequel. Our viewers will be the first to see the latestBatman movie, and a whole range of new releases in 2013-2015. The signing of this deal marks the continuation of Channel 31's strategy developed back in 2009 and aimed at ensuring the channel only broadcasts high-quality and most interesting content from world leaders."

Bagdat Kodzhakhmetov, the CEO of Channel 31, added: "Channel 31 is the first channel on the Kazakhstan market to sign such an output deal with Warner Bros., which is testament to the effective development and continued growth of our business. The agreement gives us the exclusive right to show an enormous range of popular movies and animations. In 2012, we already plan to show Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Inception, Clash of the Titans, Sex and the City 2 and a range of other blockbusters. The combination of our own original content along with these masterpieces of world cinema will ensure that the diverse needs of our audience are completely satisfied."

Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. International Television, commented: "Our diverse slate of content, which ranges from high-budget tentpole films to quality comedy and dramatic television series are strong performers in the Kazakhstan television market. Recognizing that, we are impressed that CTC Media has stepped up and secured the exclusive rights to this slate and we look forward to working with everyone at Channel 31 to market these shows and movies to the widest-possible audience."

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