Premiere has announced a deal with a leading German investment bank as it prepares to launch Premiere Star in Germany later this year. HypoVereinsbank is taking a 10 percent stake in Premiere Star, a
Premiere subsidiary, which will provide a new pay-TV package Premiere Star, to customers in Germany.

Premiere Star will be distributed exclusively via satellite in the early stages, and will include a minimum of 15 TV channels. Premiere Star incorporates pay-TV channels that are presently not distributed via satellite, or only to a limited degree. The channels will be able to reach 1.7 million satellite subscriber households directly; Premiere reportedly expects Premiere Star to gain at least 200,000 customers per year.