EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive to Impact over 50% (1) of the Mobile Entertainment Industry

Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) Europe today launched its guide
to the AMS Directive at a members´ workshop with the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and Ofcom. The ´Practical Guide´ aims
to help the many mobile entertainment companies affected by the
Directive understand both its impact and the potential opportunities
it will create across the single market. The guide was compiled by
MEF´s European chapter in partnership with leading international law
firm, Denton Wilde Sapte.

This new legislation will update and replace the existing
Television without Frontiers (TWF) Directive which currently provides
the regulation framework in the EU for the television and broadcast
industry. Under the AMS Directive, existing rules for traditional TV
will be enforced for mobile multimedia services, including mobile
television broadcasting (linear) and video on-demand (non-linear)
services.

The guide, which has also been translated into French, German and
Italian, is now available on the MEF website (www.m-e-f.org) and
provides practical information on how the Directive is set to affect
businesses and services. The Directive aims to harmonise conflicting
rules which currently apply in different member states. These changes
should allow mobile companies operating across Europe to more fully
exploit opportunities across the single market.

The AMS Directive has been approved by the European Parliament and
will be adopted by the end of 2007, after which member states have two
years to pass legislation bringing the AMS Directive into force at a
national level. The DCMS is the Government department responsible for
this in the UK and will be holding a series of stakeholder meetings to
confer with the industry during this process.

Ingrid Silver, Partner, Denton Wilde Sapte commented, "The mobile
entertainment industry value chain is at the cutting-edge of the drive
towards a converged media environment. The AMS Directive represents a
huge shift for the industry into being a harmonised, legislative
environment. This will have ramifications for businesses of all sizes,
particularly if they intend to have an advertising, sponsorship or
product placement element to their TV or TV-like business models."

Gerard Grech, MEF Europe Chair, commented, "When implemented, the
AMS Directive will place a number of new guidelines on companies
operating in the mobile sector providing audiovisual content services,
particularly in relation to advertising and sponsorship. According to
a MEF-based survey conducted in October 2007, over 50% of the mobile
entertainment business is likely to be affected by this
Directive. This guide is therefore timely in providing strategic
regulatory guidance and advice on the possible impact and
opportunities the directive creates for all involved in the mobile
audiovisual value chain."

To download the full version of the MEF Guide in English, French,
German or Italian, visit www.m-e-f.org.

Notes to editors

More about the MEF´s involvement with AMS Directive: Several
individual member companies were directly involved in the initial
consultation process for the revision of the TV Without Frontiers
Directive. In 2005, MEF launched a dedicated initiative, led by MEF
member Comsys with the support of Endemol and Ericsson, to gauge its
impact on the services our members offer.

About Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF)

MEF exists to represent the interests of its global membership
across the mobile entertainment value chain. Our goals are to build
awareness, create business development opportunities and facilitate
the development of commercial guidelines and best practices to promote
a healthy and profitable industry.

With global headquarters in London, a Hollywood-based Americas
secretariat, an Asian chapter in Hong Kong and the newly established
Europe branch, MEF´s network of members represents a veritable ´Who´s
Who´ of mobile entertainment businesses and entrepreneurs. For more
information and a full list of members please visit: www.m-e-f.org.

(1) Based on a survey of MEF member companies