Acquisition of AP France by dapd Complete

BERLIN and PARIS--(Marketwire - Jul 12, 2012) -  On July 12, 2012, the dapd media holding AG, via its French subsidiary Sipa News, took over the French service of the international news agency Associated Press (AP). After Sipa Press and Diora News, this is the third company dapd has taken over in France. This takeover makes dapd the largest agency partner of AP worldwide. The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

Associated Press, a leading global news agency, entered the French market at the beginning of the 20^th century. The firm has existed in its present form since 1945. AP's French office produces content in English for its worldwide service and also offers a photo and video service. "The cooperation with dapd in Germany is a success for AP since it started in 2009," said Kenneth J. Dale, the Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer of the Associated Press, at the contract signing ceremony in Paris. "We are confident that the takeover of AP's French Language Service by SIPA news in France will be a similar success."

"With the purchase of AP French Language Service, in the future dapd will be able to offer media and companies the whole range of agency services from one source," said Michael Cremer, leader of dapd's Europe expansion team. The takeover is preceded by many years of cooperation between Sipa and AP. Sipa has sold photographic material from the American agency since 2001 in France. Sipa retains the exclusive right of use worldwide of international AP news for francophone countries.

About Sipa
The Sipa group consists of the photo agency Sipa Press, which was founded in 1973, the news agency Sipa News which offers text, photography and video services, and Sipa Media (previously Diora news), which specializes in the production of web and mobile portals. The Sipa group as a whole supplies a majority of the French media with news content.

About Associated Press
With an editorial staff of 2,500, Associated Press guarantees complete coverage of all important events worldwide. AP was founded in 1846 and is the world's largest independent news service, reaching half of the world's population. Associated Press' branches in France are some of the most important in Europe. Although its French-language service is now part of dapd, AP will maintain its presence in France with a team of photographers and video reporters, as well as English speaking correspondents.

About dapd media holding
The dapd media holding AG is an independent international news agency group with headquarters in Berlin and Munich. The leading German agencies dapd, ddp images, Picture Press, Airmotion and ddpdirect are among its subsidiaries. These supply around 700 clients with texts on current topics, as well as current and historical pictures. Its clients include a majority of German daily newspapers, numerous magazines, online media, television and radio broadcasters, political parties and governments. In July 2011 dapd media holding took over the French photo agency Sipa Press, founded in 1973, which delivers 6,000 pictures to clients in more than 40 countries.