Transaction Provides Strong Technology Platform to Diversify Movie Gallery's
Business
DOTHAN, Ala., March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Movie Gallery, Inc.
(Nasdaq: MOVI) today announced it has acquired substantially all of the assets,
technology, network operations, and customers of MovieBeam, Inc, an on-demand
movie service. The acquisition of the MovieBeam service provides Movie
Gallery with a compelling technology platform to enable digital content
delivery and drive future revenue growth. Terms of the transaction were not
disclosed.
The MovieBeam service is a leader in delivering digital entertainment,
providing customers a convenient way to rent movies from home. The MovieBeam
content delivery network, which is available in 31 major metropolitan areas
across the U.S., uses over-the-air datacasting technology to provide instant
access to an ever-changing lineup of new releases and popular favorite movies-
on-demand from virtually every major Hollywood studio.
In addition to MovieBeam's proprietary set-top box based content delivery
network, Movie Gallery intends to use MovieBeam's existing infrastructure to
underpin the development of alternative digital delivery capabilities. Movie
Gallery believes that the state-of-the-art MovieBeam technology will be
instrumental in its efforts to digitize and deliver content to its customers -
- in both standard definition and high definition formats -- via new mediums
including, for instance, downloading or streaming of movies over the internet,
internet protocol-based content delivery and other developing channels.
"We believe the MovieBeam service provides the best video-on-demand
service available in the marketplace today and is a strong compelling
complement to the consumer retail video store experience," said Joe Malugen,
Chairman and CEO of Movie Gallery, Inc. "Our acquisition of MovieBeam is the
first phase of our long-term strategic plan to provide digital content to
consumers. We will begin merchandising the MovieBeam service in our Hollywood
Video and Movie Gallery stores and on our websites in the near future and we
have exciting plans to build upon the existing content digitization and
broadcast platforms."
Movie Gallery expects that the total incremental expense related to
MovieBeam, including the initial acquisition cost and any ongoing development
expenses, will be less than $10 million in 2007.
About Movie Gallery
Movie Gallery is the second largest North American video rental company
with over 4,600 stores located in all 50 U.S. states and Canada operating
under the brands Movie Gallery, Hollywood Video and Game Crazy. The Game
Crazy brand represents 633 in-store departments and 17 free-standing stores
serving the game market in urban locations across the United States. Since
Movie Gallery's initial public offering in August 1994, the Company has grown
from 97 stores to its present size through acquisitions and new store openings.
For more information about the Company, please visit our website at:
www.moviegallery.com.
About MovieBeam
MovieBeam is a leader in delivering digital entertainment, providing
customers a convenient way to rent movies from home. The MovieBeam movies-on-
demand service provides instant access to an ever-changing lineup of new
releases and popular favorites from virtually every major Hollywood studio,
including select movies in HD -- always 100 to choose from, with up to 10 new
movies automatically delivered digitally each week using over-the-air
datacasting technology. The MovieBeam service is available in 31 major
metropolitan areas across the U.S., with availability in nearly half of U.S.
households. More information is available at www.moviebeam.com.
Forward Looking Statements
To take advantage of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, you are hereby cautioned that this
release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding
the Company's plans and intentions for integrating the MovieBeam acquisition
and pursuing related strategies, as well as estimated incremental expenses,
that are based upon the Company's current intent, estimates, expectations and
projections and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Various factors
exist which may cause results to differ from these expectations. These risks
and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to the
integration of acquisitions generally and the risk factors that are discussed
from time to time in the Company's SEC reports, including, but not limited to,
the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1,
2006 and subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The Company
undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as
a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
CONTACTS:
For Movie Gallery
Analysts and Investors: Michelle K. Lewis, Movie Gallery, Inc.,
503-570-1950
Media: Andrew B. Siegel of Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher,
212-355-4449 ext. 127
SOURCE Movie Gallery, Inc.
-0- 03/07/2007
/CONTACT: Analysts and Investors, Michelle K. Lewis, +1-503-570-1950, or
Media, Andrew B. Siegel of Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher,
+1-212-355-4449 ext. 127, both for Movie Gallery, Inc. /
/Web site: http://www.moviegallery.com
http://www.moviebeam.com /
(MOVI)
CO: Movie Gallery, Inc.; MovieBeam
ST: Alabama
IN: ENT FLM
SU: TNM
RF-AA
-- CLW082A --
7332 03/07/2007 07:30 EST http://www.prnewswire.com