Chris Dziadul, November 21, 2024 – World Television Day
Bulgarian deal for United Group
United Group has acquired the Bulgarian online TV provider Elemental.TV for an undisclosed fee. According to Capital, the transaction was undertaken through the Cypriot company EON TV International and did not require regulatory approval as Elemental.TV’s annual revenues are below BGN3 million (€1.5 million). Elemental.TV offers viewers 120 channels and is targeted at Bulgarians living abroad. Meanwhile, United Group’s assets in Bulgaria include Bulsatcom, Nova TV and Vivacom.
Czech viewers pay more for pay-TV
The cost of receiving pay-TV services in the Czech Republic rose by 7% year-on-year in both the second and third quarters of 2024. As a result, according to Atmedia, viewers paid on average CZK419 (€16.6) a month as of the end of Q3, compared to CZK391 in the same period last year. Atmedia notes that while the take-up of pay-TV, and in particular IPTV, is growing in the country, a third of viewers consider it to be too expensive and instead opt for free-to-air (FTA) services. Such viewers in fact believe a price of between CZK150-200 a month as acceptable and for this they would expect a service that offers more than 100 TV channels, of which at least 70 are in HD, and such features as playback, recording and being able to watch video on up to four devices.
Canal+ Polska opts for Cinegy
The software provider Cinegy has been chosen by Canal+ Polska for an expansion of its playout capability. Canal+ Polska has deployed Cinegy Air PRO, Cinegy Capture PRO, to support more HD and Ultra HD channels in its offer. Additional playout capability was delivered by the systems integrator Studiotech Poland, a long-term partner of Canal+ Polska.
Eutelsat failing with Russian sanctions
The Diderot Committee and its partners will hold a demonstration on the occasion of Eutelsat’s AGM on November 21 to protest the satellite operator’s failure to fully comply with EU sanctions on Russian media companies. In a statement, it says that Eutelsat still continues to transmit the Russian Armed Forces’ Zvezda channels and Russian Orthodox Church’s SPAS channel to Russia and annexed territories of Ukraine. It also notes that Eutelsat is still not complying with Ukrainian sanctions on channel packages of NTV Plus and Trikolor, which have been distributed in the annexed territories since 2014.
DVTV goes national in Czech Republic
The Czech national transmission company CRA has begun to distribute the TV channel DVTV Extra terrestrially on multiplex 23. DVTV Extra brings together the most successful Czech video creators and has until now only been available exclusively as an internet TV service with paid content. It can now be viewed for free throughout the whole of the Czech Republic.
TVP under investigation
Poland’s Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) has secured documentation from the public broadcaster TVP as part of an investigation related to TV Bielsat. The latter is a channel operated by TVP and aimed at viewers living in Belarus. According to an agency report, the investigation is focused to financial affairs worth over PLN7 million (€1.61 million) in the period August 2018-January 2024.
New entertainment channel for Ukraine
Ukraine’s Starlight Media has announced the launch of a new entertainment channel. Named Super+, it will officially make its debut on December 2 and be made available nationally. Super+ will be aimed at a wide audience and its programming will include such well-known international hits as Friends and The Simpsons, as well as popular Ukrainian reality shows such as Daddy’s House. It will join a growing portfolio of channels at Starlight Media that also includes STB, ICTV, Novy Kanal and OCE TV.
Czech OK TV off air
The Czech terrestrial channel OK TV went off the air on November 16 following the dismissal of its CEO Jan Hloch. He was listed as the sole owner and returned the channel’s licence. It will now have to be reissued, most probably to the investors, by the regulator RRTV before OK TV can restart transmissions. OK TV was launched in May this year and focused on entertainment, lifestyle and music programming.
Elisa promotes Toomas Polli
Toomas Polli has been appointed VP and digital manager of Elisa Group’s digital services and a member of the management team of the technology unit. He will also continue as head of Elisa Estonia’s technology unit, a position he has held for the last 12 years alongside being a member of the company’s board. Elisa offers telecom and digital services and 5G solutions to more than 2.8 million customers in its main markets in Finland and Estonia and in more than 100 countries worldwide.
Maciej Pilipczuk to head Poland’s Emitel
Maciej Pilipczuk has been appointed the president of the management board and general director of Poland’s Emitel, effective January 1, 2025. Pilipczuk has been associated with Emitel for nine years, including the last three as a member of the Management Board/director of the Finance Department. Emitel has until now been headed by Andrzej Kozlowski, who will join the company’s Management Board at the start of next year.
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