Chris Dziadul, November 7, 2024
Go3 partners with Netflix
The streaming service Go3 has become the first company in the Baltics to partner with Netflix. As a result, its customers will be able to access Go3, Netflix and Setanta Sports all in one single subscription. Go3 is operated by TV3 Group, which is owned by Bite Group and Providence Equity Partners. It was launched in December 2019 and reached 500,000 subscribers at the beginning of this year. This was equivalent to a penetration of around 20% of all households in the Baltics.
Warner Bros. Discovery secures Polish licence extensions
Poland’s National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) has awarded 10-year satellite licences to the channels TVN International Extra and TVN Fabula, both of which are operated by TVN Warner Bros. Discovery. In a statement, the regulator said that during the vote on the extensions its chairman Maciej Swirski “did not support the resolution due to the currently unresolved issue of the company's ownership relations.”
4iG to combine telco services
Hungary’s 4iG has announced it will unite its commercial telecom services under the ‘One’ brand on January 1, 2025. As of that date, the residential and corporate telecommunications service of Vodafone Hungary, Digi, Antenna Hungária and Invite will appear on the market exclusively under the One brand name. The companies operating under the One brand will then merge into One Magyarország Zrt. in the second half of 2025.
United Media launches VOD catalogue
United Media has launched Nova Docu, a new regional VOD catalogue offering the best local and international documentary content. Users in Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia will be able to access the content on Eon, the largest TV platform in South East Europe.
Digi debuts in Portugal
Romania’s Digi Communications has launched a portfolio of commercial services in Portugal. Aside from a TV offer consisting of 60 channels, it includes fibre broadband and fixed and mobile telephony. Digi recently completed the acquisition of the Portuguese operator Nowo.
New travel and “extreme recreation” channel for Ukraine
Ukraine’s 1+1 Media has launched a new linear channel named Svit+. Aimed at viewers aged 18-34, it offers programmes on travel and extreme recreation, as well as reality shows and documentaries, and is distributed terrestrially on the T2 multiplex, leading Ukrainian OTT platforms, cable networks and the Viasat DTH platform. 1+1 Media’s portfolio already includes the proprietary and partner channels 1+1 Ukraine, 1+1 Marafon, 2+2, Tet, PlusPlus, Union, Bigudi, Comedy Central, Kvartal TV, Kvartal TV International and 1+1 International.
Voyo approaching sub target
The streaming service Voyo is set to reach its target of 1 million subscribers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia next year. The news was given by Daniel Grunt, the CEO of the Czech Republic’s CEO, speaking at the CIF 2024 conference and quoted by the local media. He added that Voyo has been profitable since last year. The service is available across all six countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania/Moldova, Slovakia and Slovenia – in which Central European Media Enterprises (CME) operates TV stations, including TV Nova.
BBC Player expands in CEE
BBC Studios has announced the launch of the on demand service BBC Player the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the Czech Republic, it is being distributed on Magenta TV, while in Slovakia it can be received on Magio TV. In both instances the service is fully localised in Czech, with a combination of voice-over, subtitles and dubbing for children’s content. BBC Player has also launched on Cosmote TV in Greece.
Telekom Srbija extends SES partnership
SES and the Serbian incumbent Telekom Srbija have extended their partnership for satellite services from SES’s Astra 3C satellite at 23.5 degrees East for a further four years. Under the agreement, SES will continue providing multi-transponder capacity to enable Telekom Srbija to deliver SD and HD pay-TV channels across Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia as part of its M:Sat TV platform. The agreement also includes uplink and backup services for transponders and redundant fibre connectivity for the entire platform.
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© Chris Dziadul, 2024
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