NEWS FROM SETANTA

Setanta’s acclaimed ‘Commentweeter’ continues for England match

Setanta also adds touchline touchline reports to Twitter commentary for World Cup Qualifier

Due to the success of Setanta Sport’s pioneering Twitter commentary of the FA Cup Final last weekend, the broadcaster has not only decided to continue the practice for this Saturday’s England fixture against Kazakhstan, but is extending it’s coverage by posting the ‘tweets’ of it’s touchline reporter throughout the game.

Jon Champion, who has been commentating on live football for over 20 years, will be posting on his Twitter feed at the same time he leads the match commentary from Almaty on Setanta Sports 1. He’ll also be using the micro-blogging site to post preview comments and interact with users in the days leading up to the match, where England will attempt to keep up their World Cup qualifier winning streak. In addition, Setanta’s touchline reporter, Dan Roan, will also be tweeting from the match, taking fans closer to the action with pitchside and tunnel gossip.

The Twitter commentary, which can be followed at www.twitter.com/commentweeter, is now a key component of Setanta’s coverage, which seeks to combine traditional TV match coverage with modern social media technology. Dan Roan’s touchline and tunnel twitter feed can be followed at www.twitter.com/Touchntunnel

Jon Champion said: “When we decided to ‘Commentweet’ we were not sure how the experiment would work out. Fans embraced it for the Cup Final with even greater enthusiasm than we imagined and that’s why we are keeping it up for Saturday’s England match. As a commentator, it has always been my desire to enhance the enjoyment and understanding of fans before, during and after a match. I’m really excited to be able to continue the new dialogue we started last weekend.”

Timothy Ryan, Setanta Marketing Director, said: “Getting John to ‘Commentweet’ was a leap into the unknown for us and we are really pleased to see that it paid off. In this day and age, people like to be able to access media on their own terms in their own time and sports broadcasting needs to evolve to make that happen. Using Twitter for match commentary creates a new kind of interactive way for fans to enjoy the game and with Dan Roan’s touchline gossip taking fans closer to the action than ever before, we’ll be giving fans all the important news as it happens.”

Jon Champion’s Twitter commentary is available free to all users of Twitter at www.twitter.com/commentweeter. Dan Roan’s can be followed at www.twitter.com/Touchntunnel

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Notes to editors:
Setanta Sports, the platform-neutral premium sports channel business, is a leading international pay-TV sports broadcaster operating channels in the UK, Ireland, North America and Australia. Founded in 1992, its premium sports content is available to tens of millions of digital homes worldwide.

Setanta operates more sports channels than any other broadcaster in the UK and Ireland. Setanta Sports is the most widely-available premium sports broadcaster in the UK and is available to all digital homes: on satellite, via Freeview, Virgin Media, Tiscali, BT Vision and by broadband, ensuring the widest possible distribution to all sports fans.

Setanta Sports is the only broadcaster of premium sports on digital terrestrial television (Freeview). The Setanta Sports 1 channel, featuring the best of Setanta¹s premium live content, is available on Freeview boxes with viewing card slots and integrated TVs with a common interface (CI slot).

Setanta customers can now receive Setanta-i (www.setanta.com/i), an online video service that allows you to watch Setanta Sports both live and on demand. This new service replaces Setanta by Broadband.

The Setanta Sports Pack is available to satellite and cable customers and is made up of the following channels:

Setanta Sports 1

Setanta Sports 2

Setanta Golf

Racing UK

ESPN America*

Celtic TV

Rangers TV

LFC TV

Arsenal TV

For a full list of Setanta Sports¹ exclusively live sporting content and fixture details, please visit www.setanta.com .

Content includes Barclays Premier League football, FA Cup, England international friendlies, 2010 World Cup qualifiers involving England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, UEFA Europa League, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, Blue Square Premier, US PGA Golf, Indian Premier League cricket, live Magners League rugby, top-flight boxing, Ultimate Fighting Championship and action from some of Europe¹s best football leagues.

Guinness Premiership rugby will also be available for 2010/11 season, with Setanta showing 43 games exclusively live.

Setanta Sports is available with no annual contract required. For the latest pricing offers on any platform, please visit www.setanta.com or call 08712
007 494

Setanta Sports is also joint owner with Virgin Media of Setanta Sports News, the 24-hour sports news channel, available free-to-air on the Virgin Media platform, and also on satellite, covering all the top sports news stories from the UK and abroad.


*not available to Virgin Media customers