New partnership offers customers integrated IT solutions and broadcast expertise

Cologne/Munich, August 2006 – Sony and Silex Media have started to form a strategic partnership to provide new solutions in the broadcast-IT field together. A team of specialists from both companies will exchange know-how to entirely satisfy customer needs in the AV/IT field. Here both companies complement one another in their core business: Silex Media, formerly the dedicated broadcast business unit of Silion Graphics (SGI), with its highly integrated IT-solutions used by over 30 broadcasting station in Europe; Sony Europe, the market and innovation leader in the broadcast business with its products and solutions that cover the whole production chain from acquisition, production, postpro and finally archive.

 „We want to extend our product and solution portfolio for digital asset management and archive as well as our capacities in the professional services field. Silex Media will perfectly complement our own expertise with its expert knowledge in IT-based broadcast systems. We are convinced, that together we will be competent local partner for our customers and ideally support them in their realisation of networked broadcast systems”, says David Bush, director PSE Germany and Austria, Sony.

Helmut Scherer, professional services manager central Europe, Silex Media adds to that: „We can offer the best of both worlds to our customers: open and flexible IT-solutions for the core production systems as well as proven video production technology as an interface to the outside. The long lasting customer relations in appropriate market segment will revive through this fulfilment."

The announced partnership will expand into a Europe-wide structure integrating Sony’s professional solution (PSE) team. Silex Media will contribute resources and know-how of solution design and implementation of IT-based systems. While conducting joint projects new and innovative solutions and customer-orientated implementations will be created.

About Silex Media

Silex Media comprises people, resources and know-how from SGI's Broadcast Business Unit in Europe. Silex Media concentrates on delivering IT-based solutions, systems integration and workflow products & services to broadcasters and professional media companies that wish to efficiently move from traditional tape based environments to digital workflows or to transition from a radio & television market to an internet & telecommunication position. Silex Media has offices throughout Europe and is 100% backed by SGI Japan whose investors include NEC, SGI, Sony and Canon. The company website is www.silexmedia.com.

About Sony

Sony produces audio, video, communication and IT solutions for consumer and B2B markets worldwide. With the division music, film, games and online Sony is uniquely positioned, to be the leading provider of the 21st century in the field of personal broadband entertainment. In Europe Sony’s B2B division belongs to the leading manufacturers of horizontal communication solution as well as magnetic and optical storage solutions. Among other things Sony Business Europe provides products, services and support in the field of healthcare, media, retail, event and transport. For further information visit www.sonybiz.net