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4.04.08

Broadcast Facilities, Inc. Acquires Andrita Media Center

West Coast’s Largest Independent Media Facility Serving Top Programmers’ Growing Demand for HD Production and Transmission Services

 

(Los Angeles, Calif. – April 4, 2008) – Broadcast Facilities, Inc. (BFI), a media services company led by former Pixar and Fox executive Simon Bax and Bill Tillson, the President of Broadcast Cable Services, Inc., announced the purchase of the Andrita Media Center in Los Angeles, from Playboy Enterprises, Inc.

 

The Andrita Media Center is a state-of-the-art High Definition (HD) media facility, fully equipped to go from live production to on-air distribution all from within the same building.  The 106,000 square foot gated digital media facility provides 24/7 network origination, playback and satellite uplinking.  Andrita is equipped with three television production stages (18,000 sq. ft., 10,000 sq. ft. and 1,800 sq. ft.) with two HD/SD production control rooms.  In addition, Andrita has a radio studio and 70,000 square feet of office, editing, dressing and support facilities.  Moreover, a fully integrated tapeless digital post-production environment features 38 HD/SD Final Cut Pro edit stations and 3 Pro Tools audio bays.

 

Andrita transmits 21 cable networks 24/7, including 5,000 hours of “live” programming per year, via satellite and/or fiber.  Located in the city of Los Angeles, Andrita is minutes from downtown LA, Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena.  Andrita’s clients include MGM, Hallmark, SiTV, The Tennis Channel, The Africa Channel, World Championship Sports Network, Here! TV and Playboy.

 

Simon Bax, Chief Executive Officer of BFI, commented, “Andrita is a unique asset. It is the largest independent media facility on the west coast and it has an unparalleled reputation for technical expertise and reliability of service.  Bill and his team already have built an exceptional client base, and we see great opportunities to expand it.”

 

Prior to his tenure at Pixar, Mr. Bax served as CFO of Fox Filmed Entertainment and President of Studio Operations, where he oversaw all of the studio and technical operations facilities.  He currently serves on several boards of directors including Panmure Gordon & Co., a UK-based investment bank, and MobiTV, a mobile and broadband television and music company.

 

Bill Tillson, who will serve as BFI’s President and COO noted, “We are pleased that we had the opportunity to acquire this facility," said Mr. Tillson.  “BFI is committed to ensuring that Andrita continues as the premier network origination facility in Los Angeles, well positioned to serve the growing demand for HD channel launches.  In addition, we will continue to build our SD channel platform and roll out our IPTV services.  Our HD stages and our HD post production allow us to provide networks and producers with a turnkey solution under one roof.”

 

Mr. Tillson is President and principal of Broadcast Cable Services, Inc., a provider of broadcast production and distribution consulting services to the broadcast, media and entertainment industries, since he founded it in 1992.  In 2002, as a consultant to Playboy Enterprises, Tillson oversaw the design, construction and start-up of Andrita Studios.  Mr. Tillson has also served as General Manager of Andrita since its inception and led the transformation of Andrita into a media facility that provides services to multiple cable television networks and program producers.