1997

January 6

ProSieben launches separate regionally oriented advertising programming in Switzerland, giving ProSieben clients their first opportunity to schedule advertising specifically tailored for the Swiss market.

April 12

Sat.1 Sales Development puts a new type of TV advertising on the market. The "Lange Kulmbacher Filmnacht" on April 12 shows three films without commercial breaks for the first time on free TV, under the sponsorship of the Kulmbacher Brewery. Other projects follow, including “McSchmidt Studio," "Mitsubishi-Familientag" and "Barilla Comedy Küche."

May

The Bavarian State Agency for New Media (BLM) grants Kabel 1 an expanded license to operate as a full-service channel.

July 7

ProSieben, Germany’s first television stock, is listed for official trading on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The new issue is oversubscribed by a factor of 50.

November 21

ProSieben Media AG launches an extensive business-to-business Web site at "www.pro-sieben.com."

1998

February 11

On February 11 the 48th International Film Festival opens in Berlin, with Sat.1 in a key role: for the first time, the Berlin TV station is one of the prestigious event’s principal sponsors.

March 14

ProSieben launches separate regionally oriented advertising programming in Austria. For the first time, its advertising clients can schedule advertising specifically tailored for the Austrian market.

March 23

ProSieben Media AG is the first media stock to be included in the MDAX.

May 26

ProSieben holds a topping-out ceremony for the new building at the Berlin site, in which the company has invested more than DM 12 million.

August 2

Sat.1 Schweiz goes on the air, with live broadcasts of the Swiss National Soccer League A.

1999

January

Effective December 31, 1998, the ProSieben Group acquires the ddp news agency.

March

The ProSieben Design Department evolves into the SevenSenses creative agency, which also provides services to numerous outside companies.

April 16

Sat.1 launches an entirely new form of advertising in 1999. For the first time, BMW runs a split-screen spot. During three advertising breaks, each six minutes long, the new BMW 3 Series Coupé drives along the upper and lower margins of the picture while the remaining 80 percent of the screen shows spots for Schöller, AWD and other clients.

August

RTL/ProSieben Schweiz is launched. The prime access schedule offers news, features and talk shows for the German-speaking population of Switzerland.

August 1

The Sat.1 Sales & Service department becomes the Media 1 marketing firm. This wholly owned Sat.1 affiliate also markets Germany’s most important local and metropolitan TV stations.

August 31

With a Gendarmenmarkt party of more than 2000 guests, a galaxy of stars and a concert by Marius Müller-Westernhagen, Sat.1 dedicates its new media center in Central Berlin. The station has invested more than DM 275 million in remodeling and expanding the complex of buildings, DM 55 million for studio equipment alone. The result is one of Europe’s most up-to-the-minute media centers. After 15 years of producing programming at three sites in Hamburg, Berlin and Mainz, Sat.1’s roughly 800 employees are working under one roof at last.

December 31

ArtMerchandising & Media AG is founded, focusing on the international marketing of corollary rights in works of art. The ProSieben Group holds a stake in the company.

2000

January 24

The new news station N24 goes on the air. N24 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProSieben Media AG.

February 1

Swiss business attorney Urs Rohner succeeds Dr. Georg Kofler as CEO of ProSieben Media AG.

February 15

As part of Sat.1’s “Talents” program to assist new talent, the first “Sat.1 Stand Up-Club,” with young comedians on the rise, airs on February 15. The comics are introduced by “Wochenshow” star Ingolf Lück.

June 28

ProSieben Media AG and Sat.1 announce their intent to merge and form Germany’s largest television corporation. The executive board of ProSieben Media AG and the Supervisory Board of Sat.1 GmbH have agreed. The four stations Sat.1, ProSieben, Kabel 1 and N24, together with all their subsidiaries and affiliates, will come together under the umbrella of the new ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, of Unterföhring. In preparation, Sat.1 moves its broadcasting operations from Mainz to SZM Studios in Unterföhring; all other operations move to Berlin.

October 2

The merger between Sat.1 and ProSieben to form ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG takes legal effect upon enrollment in the Commercial Register of Munich District Court.

October 13

The 97,243,200 shares of ProSiebenSat.1 AG preferred stock are released for trading on the Frankfurt Exchange. ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG presents its new logo. A corporate design is developed for ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, not only to serve as an entirely new brand, but to forge a link between the merged ProSieben und Sat.1. The numbers 7 and 1 are mingled visually to form an arrow pointing upward.

November 15

MEDIAGRUPPE MÜNCHEN and MEDIA 1 merge to form SevenOne Media, the ProSiebenSat.1 Group’s marketing company.