WWE inks deal with CJ Media in Korea

MUMBAI: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is spreading its wings across Asia. It has announced a three-year, multi-million dollar agreement with CJ Media which is one of Korea’s largest media and entertainment corporations.

In India, viewers can catch WWE action on Ten Sports. Recently, Ten renewed the deal till 2009.

As per the deal with CJ Media the WWE will provide 1,400 hours of original programming starting in 2005 through January 2008. CJ Media is CJ Group’s television and entertainment arm with major interests in film production, theatrical exhibition and distribution. It also operates Korea’s second largest multi-channel provider.

WWE’s programming will appear on the new youth-oriented channel XTM and will be available in more than 10 million homes in Korea. Among the programmes that will appear on XTM are Raw, SmackDown!, as well as monthly spectaculars like WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and Survivor Series.

WWE’S International TV Group senior VP and MD Andrew Whitaker, said, “This is a landmark deal for WWE in the enormously important Korean market. Partnering with a company like CJ Media is yet another example of the WWE brand delivering for broadcasters. And we are sure this will provide an entry point for WWE to operate in other emerging platform spaces.”