Premiere has given further details of the hack on its smart card security and has admitted the breach has impacted on its post-Christmas sales. The pay-TV platform said a security gap in the Nagravision conditional access system had been exploited by criminal hackers using digital receivers manufactured overseas.
Premiere CEO Michael Börnicke said that despite the problems the company remained well placed. “Premiere cannot exclude the possibility that business will be affected by the gap in the security system. In view of this situation, it is not possible to forecast results for the current year. Premiere will thus not be giving a prognosis for the fiscal year 2008 at the present time.”
Premiere revealed 2007 financial broadly in line with expectations. It recorded an EBITDA up from €47.9 million in 2006 to €83.4m in 2007. The simultaneously published Q4 results recorded an EBITDA of €13.4 million and revenues of €283.6m.
Previously announced year-end subscriber numbers were confirmed at 4,278,671. These include 3,652 million direct subscribers and a further 628,000 through the Arena and Unitymedia platforms. The company also announced 170,000 subscribers to it’s new Premiere Star bouquet.
