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OpenTV
chairman and CEO Jim Chiddix says, "Aligning
ourselves with a global leader in the digital
television sector like Kudelski will help
us immediately extend our product lineup
into new markets and give us access to customers
we haven't had relationships with before.
It will also open up new opportunities that
we may not otherwise have had the technical
or related resources to address in
the near term.
"We
think this deal offers us a myriad of new
opportunities to bundle solutions, sell
products into Kudelski's existing customer
base, save costs through various integration
and joint R&D efforts, and collaborate
more effectively in several early stage
sectors, such as the digital terrestrial
market.
"And,
just as importantly, we expect to do that
while retaining the requisite degree of
independence necessary to satisfy the needs
of all of our existing and potential customers
and partners, with a continued focus on
maximising value for all OpenTV stockholders."
Kudelski
Group chairman and CEO Andre Kudelski says,
"OpenTV's software has established
the global benchmark for set-top box middleware.
We also believe it is a company with great
potential and very
talented people, a gold-plated customer
list, and market-leading technologies that
will offer both OpenTV and the Kudelski
Group, working
side by side, real growth opportunities.
"This transaction was driven, in large
part, by
recognition of OpenTV's leadership position
in advanced digital television and our desire
to work more closely with OpenTV to capture
additional market share in the rapidly consolidating
digital television industry. With
digital television households expected to
double by 2010, with the landscape for television
advertising changing daily, and with the
mobile
and online video sectors now quickly evolving,
we see OpenTV as extremely well-positioned
to exploit these opportunities -- even more
so given the complementary nature of our
product offerings."
Liberty
Media senior VP Michael Zeisser says "Over
the past four years, through its controlling
position in OpenTV, Liberty has helped shape
an industry-leading player in digital television.
OpenTV has a strong management team, customers,
and momentum. As it embarks on its next
stage of growth Kudelski will be a formidable
strategic partner."
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