NEP BROADCASTING AND NATIONAL MOBILE TELEVISION ANNOUNCE ASSET AQUISITION
NEP Broadcasting to acquire mobile units and exclusive production services contracts as part of package from NMT
PITTSBURGH, PA: — NEP Broadcasting, LLC, General Partner of NEP Supershooters, LP, announced today along with National Mobile Television (NMT), that NEP has agreed to purchase certain assets and contracts from NMT. NEP and NMT are the two of the nation’s leading providers of remote television broadcast facilities for the sports and entertainment industries.
The contracts include an exclusive agreement with ABC Sports, Inc. to facilitate their Monday Night Football, college football, golf and other sports broadcasts, an agreement with FOX to provide facilities for their NFL “B” and “C” game broadcasts and a contract with ESPN to utilize one HD mobile unit. NEP will also acquire three HD mobile units used to support these agreements (NMT’s HD4, HD7 and HD8) and certain other SD operations and mobile units in Hawaii as well as related support units and tractors. It is expected that most of the NMT employees who act as the dedicated crew on each of these mobile units will transition to NEP, keeping a continuity of expertise and know-how on each specific truck.
Debra Honkus, President of NEP Supershooters stated, “We are very excited that upon closing this transaction, NEP will be the exclusive provider of television production facilities and services to ABC and we will also be able to expand our current relationships with FOX and ESPN. NMT has solid mobile units and talented employees and we are very happy to be acquiring these assets and expanding our team.” The closing of the transaction should occur over the next month, subject to customary closing conditions being fulfilled.
Mark Howorth, CEO of NMT explained that NMT will use the proceeds from the transaction to position itself for future growth and to expand its regional sports business. “In addition to our continued support of CBS, ESPN and Fox as they grow their HD programming, NMT will increase its focus on regional sports networks in all markets, particularly in New York, Florida, Boston, St. Louis, Los Angeles and San Francisco. NMT’s locations across the country are well positioned to serve the regional networks, including many of the Rainbow Regional Sports Networks, FOX Sports Net, New England Sports Network, as well as new broadcasters like iNDEMAND and CSTV. To provide additional service for the RSN’s, NMT is currently building the first of five new HD mobile units due to debut in 2005, with the first one slated for the San Francisco area in April.” Mr. Howorth further notes, “In these days of rapid technology growth and demanding production budgets, companies must take every opportunity to position themselves for growth and flexibility. We have enjoyed our working relationship with ABC and expect we will continue to work with FOX and ESPN in the future.”
Management at both companies has assured customers with upcoming events using these mobile units that the transition will not affect their productions. Ms. Honkus assures, “We want this transition to be absolutely transparent to the customer. We expect most of the staff on these mobile units to be the same people the networks have worked with in the past. We selected these assets because they fit so well with the NEP fleet.” NEP expects to open a field shop in New Jersey to support FOX and ABC in the near future.
About NEP
NEP Broadcasting, LLC, of Pittsburgh, PA, provides a wide range of services to the sports and entertainment industries. NEP Supershooters, LP, is known world-wide as the top provider of remote broadcast facilities, management personnel, and engineering expertise for high-profile television events presented by the sports and entertainment industries. NEP can provide camera, audio, graphics and switching equipment in both digital and high-definition formats within their mobile production facilities.
For more information on NEP, visit www.nepinc.com
About NMT
National Mobile Television, with offices in Torrance, CA and Somerville, NJ, provides mobile television facilities for the production of television broadcasts from remote locations, such as stadiums, arenas, and conference halls. In 2004, NMT has provided facilities and services for more than 5,000 events, including major sporting, entertainment, distance learning, and corporate events for major broadcast networks, cable networks and independent producers including ABC Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, Fox News, Fox Sports Network, and New England Sports Network.
For more information on NMT, visit www.nmtv.com
Contact:
NEP: Terence Brady (412)820-6030 terence.brady@nepinc.com
NMT: Kathy Pulman (310)224-2889 kathy.pulman@nmtv.com