Shanda Announces Joint Venture with Hunan TV

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Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:15am EST

SHANGHAI, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Shanda Pictures Limited ("Shanda
Pictures"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Shanda Interactive Entertainment
Limited (Nasdaq: SNDA), or Shanda, a leading interactive entertainment media
company in China, and Hunan Broadcasting and Television Group ("Hunan TV"),
today announced a strategic cooperation to invest an aggregate of RMB 600
million to establish a joint venture company ("the Joint Venture"), which will
produce and distribute movies and television series, as well as engage in
other related businesses such as agency services.
    The Joint Venture's first project will be a remake of a TV series,
"Princess Huanzhu," which was adapted from the romantic novel of the same name
by renowned Taiwanese writer, Qiong Yao. Princess Huanzhu was first produced
in 1998, and became one of China's most popular television series.  The Joint
Venture also announced its intent to produce a movie based on "Xing Chen Bian"
(Evolution of Beginnings), which is one of the most popular novels from Shanda
Literature, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shanda. Xing Chen Bian is being
adapted into an online game by Shanda Games Limited (Nasdaq: GAME). The
investment in this movie will present this popular novel to a wider audience
via different forms of interactive entertainment.
    Chairman and CEO of Shanda, Tianqiao Chen, commented, "The Hunan
Broadcasting, Film and TV Group is one of the most vital and innovative
Chinese media and entertainment groups. Its first class production team is the
creative force behind some of China's most original music and talent shows and
TV series. Our partnership will combine the best aspects of traditional and
new media to create new and exciting content that I believe will entertain
people around the world."
    Hunan Broadcasting, Film, and TV Group Bureau Chief Mr. Changlin Ouyang
commented, "The cultural industry is in a crucial period of restructuring.  It
presents both new opportunities and challenges for traditional broadcasting,
film and TV companies to leverage various resources to continue to grow and
develop. Shanda is a leading new media company focusing on interactive
entertainment, with a portfolio of diversified entertainment content including
music, games and literature with a huge user base. We believe this cooperation
will greatly benefit both partners in its future endeavors."
    Safe Harbor Statement
    This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements
are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements in this announcement that are not
historical facts, including but not limited to statements regarding the
development of the Company's copyright business and quotations from
management,
represent only the Company's current expectations, assumptions, estimates and
projections and are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking
statements involve various risks and uncertainties. Important risks and
uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to be materially
different from expectations include but are not limited to the Company's
ability to grow its original online literature business and the risks set
forth in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, including the Company's annual report on Form 20-F. The Company
does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement,
except as required under applicable law.
    About Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited
    Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited (Nasdaq: SNDA) is a leading
interactive entertainment media company in China. Shanda offers a portfolio of
diversified entertainment content including some of the most popular massively
multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) and advanced casual online
games in China, as well as online chess and board games, e-sports game
platform and a variety of cartoons, literature works and music. Shanda's
interactive entertainment platform attracts a large and loyal user base. Each
user can interact with thousands of other users and enjoy the interactive
entertainment content that Shanda provides. Interaction enriches your life.
For more information about Shanda, please visit http://www.snda.com
    About Hunan Broadcasting, Film and TV Group
    Hunan Broadcasting, Film and TV Group is one of the leading entertainment
brands and celebrity producing platforms in China. Broadcasting since 1997,
Hunan Satellite Television Station, a subsidiary of Hunan Broadcasting, Film
and TV Group, has been widely recognized as the No. 1 entertainment media
outlet in China. Over the past 12 years, the company has grown rapidly,
expanding its audience from 65 million to 880 million viewers. It also
broadcasts to viewers in parts of North America, Asia, and Australia.
    On June 16th, 2009, Hunan Satellite Television was ranked as the No. 1
television entertainment brand in China by the World Brand Lab in its "500
Most Valuable Brands in China."
    Together with some CCTV channels, Hunan Satellite Television is considered
one of the first tier channels in China in terms of audience size. Hunan
Satellite Television was among the top six satellite television channels for
seven consecutive years, and has been the No. 1 satellite television
broadcaster on a provincial level for 80 months in a row.
    For more information, please contact:

     Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited
     Mabel Hsu, IR Associate Director
     Vivian Chen, IR Manager
     Phone: +86-21-5050-4740 (Shanghai)
     Email: IR@snda.com

     Hunan TV
     Li Li, Branding Department
     Phone: +86-731-8480-1217 (Changsha)
     Email: lili@hunantv.com

SOURCE  Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited

Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, Mabel Hsu, IR Associate Director,
Vivian Chen, IR Manager, +86-21-5050-4740 (Shanghai), IR@snda.com; Hunan TV,
Li Li, Branding Department, 0731-8480-1217 (Changsha), lili@hunantv.com
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