SHANGHAI, June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- China Cablecom
Holdings, Ltd. ("China Cablecom" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: CABL),
a joint-venture provider of cable television services in
the People's Republic of China,
today announced an initiative sponsored by the Shandong Party
Committee to consolidate its provincial cable assets, a decree
backed by the government and State Administration of Radio, Film
and Television (SARFT). Under the review of this
consolidation, all municipal cable operators including Binzhou
Broadcasting have been instructed to maintain the current
organization structure and suspend financing activities on assets
until further notification from the government. As a result China
Cablecom has been granted a temporary deferment of its obligations
to deliver cash payments of approximately $16.5 million to the Binzhou joint venture
partners.
China Cablecom originally acquired operating rights of the
Binzhou Broadcasting network in Binzhou, Shandong Province on September 2007. Through a series of payment
extensions, the deadline on the Company's outstanding payments was
extended most recently until June 30,
2010. Following this announcement, China Cablecom has
received an open-end deferment, while maintaining the current
status of its equity position with joint venture partners at
Binzhou. Further updates will be provided upon the receipt of
government notifications regarding Shandong's execution plan for provincial cable
consolidation.
"We believe the shift in government policy is an opportunity for
China to establish the proper
infrastructure to create uniformity and help accelerate its cable
digitization deployment," says Pu Yue, Chief Executive Officer of
China Cablecom. "We are well-positioned to be beneficiaries of
these initiatives and are excited about the value this is creating
for our shareholders."
Based on this recent government decree in support of the
formation of "one consolidated broadcasting networking within one
province," the Shandong government
intends to create an integrated provincial network of cable assets
to accelerate the nationwide deployment of digitization and allow a
platform of high-quality network upgrades and development of
value-added services.
About China Cablecom
China Cablecom is a joint-venture provider of cable television
services in the People's Republic of
China, operating in partnership with a local state-owned
enterprise ("SOE") authorized by the PRC government to control the
distribution of cable TV services through the deployment of analog
and digital cable services. China Cablecom has consummated the
acquisition of a 55 percent economic interest in a cable network in
Hubei province with paying
subscribers exceeding 1,200,000. The Company originally acquired
operating rights of the Binzhou Broadcasting network in Binzhou,
Shandong Province in September 2007 by entering into a series of asset
purchase and services agreements with a company organized by SOEs,
owned directly or indirectly by local branches of State
Administration of Radio, Film and Television in five different
municipalities to serve as a holding company of the relevant
businesses. China Cablecom now operates 28 cable networks with over
1.67 million paying subscribers. China Cablecom's strategy is to
replicate the acquisitions by operating partnership models in other
municipalities and provinces in the PRC and then introducing
operating efficiencies and increasing service offerings in the
networks in which it operates.
Safe Harbor Statement
The matters discussed in this press release contain
"forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements contained
in this presentation and in the Company's other written and oral
reports are based on current Company expectations and are subject
to numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, Any
forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance
and actual results of operations, financial condition and
liquidity.. The forward-looking statements herein speak only as of
the date stated herein and might not occur or the actual results
may differ materially in light of these risks, uncertainties, and
assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation and disclaims any
obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events,
or otherwise. You should carefully consider these factors, as well
as the additional risk factors outlined in the filings that the
Company makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
including the Annual Report on Form 20-F filed on July 15, 2009.
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CONTACT:
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China Cablecom
Holdings, Ltd.
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Debra Chen
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Phone:
917.499.8129
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Email:
debra@chinacablecom.net
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SOURCE China Cablecom Holdings, Ltd.