Calgary, Alberta – December 2016 – ePlay Digital Inc. (the “Company”) (CSE:EPY) PokerVision Media Inc. (“PVN”), a subdivision of ePlay Digital today announced its plans for a multi-platform digital TV channel that will bridge poker, gaming, eSports and sports content with previously unseen levels of interactivity. The new PVN Digital TV channel is expected to launch in Canada during the first half of 2017. The company’s leadership is currently obtaining studio space in multiple cities across the country while finalizing its programming structure and building interactive digital applications for poker, gaming, sports and eSports programming. Master control, broadcast studios and production facilities are already operational in Calgary, Alberta and Toronto, Ontario.
PVN will provide Live Event coverage of premier poker tournaments in Canada and from around the world with new and engaging technology to enhance and gamify the viewers and players experiences. The network will also feature original reality programming, sports handicapping, as well as eSports and gaming shows. “No other TV network in Canada has been created from the ground up with social, mobile engagement, augmented reality, and gamification,” says Jim Nelles, Head of Broadcasting for PVN. “The days of single-screen viewing are gone. Audiences expect great content on a TV screen complemented by interactivity on tablet and mobile. PVN is stepping up to deliver exactly that. We will drive larger and engaged audiences in the face of massive competition for viewership.”
According to Canadian viewing data from Numeris, digital TV viewership has grown by 21.4 per cent since 2013, even while conventional TV viewership has dropped 6.5 per cent. TV viewership is under pressure from online content and services like Facebook and Netflix, however PVN is offering an underserved audience sought-after content which can continue growth in a complex TV ecosystem.
“The television and media industry is rapidly changing and PVN is set to showcase how venues, professional and amateur players, digital and traditional platforms, and advertisers integrate to engage audiences,” says Trevor Doerksen, CEO and President of ePlay Digital.
Expert leadership will chart PVN’s course
PVN has attracted a world-class management team that will lead the roll-out of the new offering and overall corporate strategy. Jim Nelles, a former broadcast executive at Rogers and TSN will serve as the Head of Broadcasting. Former CityTV and Rogers Media studio executive, Malcolm Dunlop has joined as PVN’s VP of Programming. Lynne Kellner, Canada’s first female TV sports producer with CBC, will serve as VP of Television Production and Finance. Other members of the management team and its directors bring extensive experience in the online gaming, live event execution and financial expertise.
“PVN has built a great team and plan,” says Doerksen. “ePlay Digital welcomes the entire network and I’m personally looking forward to delivering on our promise to change how people watch and consume interactive, multi-screen entertainment.”
Further details will be announced on programming, broadcasting and licensing as the company finalizes plans with producers, TV distributors, and some of the world’s leading poker and eSports tours. International broadcast distribution details will be announced as live event broadcasting agreements are finalized and programming for US, European and Asian markets are developed.
About PokerVision Media
PokerVision Media Inc (PVN), a subdivision of ePlay Digital (EPY.CN), is a Calgary, Alberta-based multi-platform media and entertainment company that is redefining the future of sports consumption by bridging poker, gaming, eSports and sports content with unparalleled consumer interactivity. The company is launching with master control, broadcast studios and production facilities in Calgary and Toronto, with plans to open additional facilities across the country with the goal of creating and sourcing the best-possible content that entertains audiences as much as it engages them.
For further information on PokerVision Media, please contact: Jim Nelles, Head of Broadcasting (PVN), Telephone:
(416) 899-6789. Also see PokerVision Website at www.pokervisionmedia.com
Further Information
Further details are available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and the Company’s profile on
the CSE’s website at www.cnsx.ca.
For further information please contact:
Trevor Doerksen, CEO, and Director
Telephone: (403) 775-9475
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.eplaydigital.com
Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE): Symbol EPY
Deutsche Boerse Xetra – Frankfurt Stock Exchange: Symbol 2NY2; WKN: A2AN4D; ISIN CA26885W1041
