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Global Technology Leader, Kudelski Group, to Acquire Voting Control of OpenTV Corp.

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Global Technology Leader, Kudelski Group, to Acquire Voting Control of OpenTV Corp.

Alliance With Digital TV Leader Expected to Advance Opportunities for Digital Television; OpenTV to Receive Up to $19.7 Million Capital Contribution

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- OpenTV Corp. (Nasdaq:
OPTV), a leading provider of enabling technologies for advanced digital
television services, announced today that Kudelski Group (SWX Swiss
Exchange: KUD), a global leader in content protection and related digital
television technologies, has signed a stock purchase agreement with Liberty
Media Corporation (Nasdaq: LINTA; LCAPA) to acquire voting control of
OpenTV.
The transaction aligns two global digital television technology leaders
who, together, will be able to deliver fully integrated products and
solutions to the world's digital TV operators, spanning conditional access
software, middleware, interactive applications, and advertising. At the
same time, the transaction enables both companies to continue operating
independently, supporting efforts to serve some customers on a standalone
basis as their requirements dictate.
The Kudelski Group companies, with consolidated 2005 revenues of
approximately $550 million, include primarily:
-- Nagravision, a worldwide leader in integrated security software
solutions for digital television -- Nagra France, NagraStar, Nagra
Plus, NagraCard and NagraID
-- Abilis, Quative, and SmarDTV developing new technologies in mobile,
IPTV and security
-- SkiData specializing in public access
OpenTV has historically worked closely with the Kudelski Group to
deliver various digital television services, including PVR, VOD and other
on-demand services, EPG and content syndication for on-demand services,
interactive applications, and enabling technologies for enhanced and
interactive advertising.
"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," said James A. (Jim) Chiddix, Chairman and CEO of OpenTV.

--

( The entire article is at the following source: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/10-19-2006/0004454736&EDATE= )
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Swiss company to buy control of OpenTV

A Swiss security software company, Kudelski Group, will buy voting control of OpenTV Corp. and replace its CEO, the two companies said Thursday.

Kudelski, headquartered in Cheseaux, Switzerland, will buy 6.5 million class A shares of OpenTV, as well as 30.2 million class B shares. The seller is Liberty Media Corp. (NASDAQ: LINTA)

Liberty will be paid $3.60 a share, or $132.3 million in the deal, and in turn it will pay up to $19.7 million to San Francisco-based OpenTV. (NASDAQ: OPTV)

After the deal closes, which should be by the first quarter of 2007, Kudelski will own 26.7 percent of the economic interest and 74.7 percent of the voting interest of OpenTV's ordinary shares.

Kudelski plans to make Alan Guggenheim CEO of OpenTV -- he is the CEO of NagraStar, a joint venture between Kudelski and EchoStar. Jim Chiddix, OpenTV's chairman and CEO, will become vice chairman. Andre Kudelski will become chairman.

OpenTV sells digital television technology.

( Source: http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2006/10/16/daily29.html?from_rss=1 )
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Not bad for a company that earned it's reputation for making VERY high end portable audio reel to reel tape recorders for the film industry. They've come a long way, baby.
After the closing bell, OpenTV reported third quarter revenues were $26.6 million, an increase of 36 percent when compared to revenues of $19.5 million for the same period last year. The company said royalties and licenses revenues increased 41 percent to $17.4 million. Services and other revenues jumped 28 percent to $9.2 million. Last month, Kudelski signed a stock purchase agreement with Liberty Media to acquire voting control of OpenTV. The deal is expected to close in first quarter 2007.

www.skyreport.com - used with permission
Richard King said:
Not bad for a company that earned it's reputation for making VERY high end portable audio reel to reel tape recorders for the film industry. They've come a long way, baby.
OpenTV or Kudelski?
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