MTS consolidates its entertainment businesses under the MTS Media holding

May 16, 2024

MOSCOW, Russia – Mobile TeleSystems Public Joint Stock Company ("MTS" or "the Company") (MOEX: MTSS), a digital ecosystem, announces that the MTS Media holding has completed the consolidation of online cinema KION, online reading platform Stroki, streaming service MTS Music, and the businesses MTS Live and MTS Label under a single structure.
 
MTS Media, a holding company established in February 2024 to develop the media assets within the MTS digital ecosystem, has completed the consolidation of the group's entertainment businesses. As part of the consolidation, the new companies MTS Stroki LLC and MTS Label LLC have been created for the Stroki and MTS Label services launched by MTS. These companies, as well as MTS's KION LLC (which operates the KION online cinema) and MDTZK LLC (MTS Live), were then made subsidiaries of MTS Media. MTS Music, while technically remaining part of MTS, has also been placed under the control of MTS Media.
 
"Media is one of the fastest-growing areas within MTS, and to achieve even greater results we have brought together the entertainment businesses under the umbrella of a new media holding. We already have a strong content offering thanks to KION and MTS Live, and combining them with music and books will allow us to create large multi-format projects and find and develop media franchises that can be monetized in various environments, offering complete immersion into the world of entertainment and emotions," said Elena Balmont, General Director of MTS Media.
 
An example of this ecosystem approach is the universe based on the novel The Master and Margarita, which was launched earlier in readiness for the premiere of the film adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's work. The film’s digital release was exclusive to KION, the Stroki service released an audiobook voiced by Leonid Yarmolnik, who played in the film, MTS Music has themed playlists for the novel's characters as interpreted by contemporary musicians, and MTS Live is arranging a selection of performances based on The Master and Margarita.
 
About MTS's media assets:
 
MTS Live runs various projects in the sphere of offline entertainment: the ticketing services MTS Live and Ticketland, concert venues in Moscow and the regions, and production of concert and theatre events. MTS Live was an investor and co-producer of the musical Don't Be Afraid of Anything, I'm With You, which took in box office receipts of more than RUB 3 billion, becoming the most successful theatre event in the country's history.
 
KION, an online cinema with 8.6 million users, is among the 20 most valuable Russian online companies, according to Forbes. KION offers over 200 TV channels and thousands of films, series, cartoons and documentary projects. Original content is the platform's flagship. KION's projects have received accolades at more than 50 Russian and international film awards. In the 3 years it has been in existence, KION has released over 80 originals, including hits such as Kidney, Reciprocity, Crystal and others.
 
MTS Music is a music streaming service with an extensive collection of 70 million tracks and a user-friendly interface, which is available to both MTS subscribers and customers of other operators.
 
Stroki (rus. Строки – Lines) is a reading platform where subscribers can read books, magazines, manga and comics, as well as listen to audiobooks and podcasts. Stroki's own publishing house releases original books every week.
 
MTS Label supports artists in areas including production, rights management, distribution and marketing. More than 200 artists work with the label, and in the year it has been in existence over 2,000 tracks have been released.
 

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For further information, please contact in Moscow:
Investor Relations Department
Mobile TeleSystems Public Joint Stock Company
Tel: +7 495 223 2025
E-mail: ir@mts.ru
 

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Mobile TeleSystems Public Joint Stock Company (“MTS” – MOEX: MTSS) is Russia’s ecosystem providing network-native digital services and largest mobile operator. The company offers a full range of solutions for consumers and business customers across wireless and wireline connectivity; over-the-top, linear, and satellite television; digital-first banking and financial services; as well as unified communications, cloud computing and IoT. There are more than 86 million mobile subscribers using MTS services across the company’s operations in Russia and Belarus, including more than 81 million subscribers in Russia alone. In addition, MTS has a nationwide network of more than 4,400 owned and franchised retail outlets in Russia, and provides nearly 10 million clients with broadband, TV, and/or fixed-line telephone connectivity, over 13 million users – with OTT and pay TV services. The number of ecosystem clients exceeds 15 million. MTS’s shares are listed on the Moscow Exchange under the ticker MTSS. For more information, please visit the company’s Investor Relations website at ir.mts.ru.
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