Chris Dziadul, February 26, 2025
Czech streaming platforms to merge
The Czech streaming platforms Voyo and O2 TV will be merged on March 10 to create a new service known as Oneplay. At the same time, the O2 TV Sport and O2 TV Fotbal channels will be transformed into four Oneplay Sport channels (1, 2, 3 and 4). Oneplay’s basic service (Comfort) will cost CZK199 (€7.97) a month and offer viewers 55 premium TV channels, a library of more than 2,000 films and TV shows, seven day catch-up and access to Voyo Originals and new Oneplay Originals. Meanwhile, the Extra Entertainment package will cost CZK399 a month and include 100 premium TV channels, along with National Geographic programme libraries. Extra Sport will cost CZK599 a month and include an expanded sports offer, while the Maximum package will, for CZK799 a month, include all available content from the other packages and the possibility to watch simultaneously on up to three devices. Voyo is currently operated by CME’s TV Nova, while O2 TV is part of the O2, the leading operator in the Czech Republic. Both are ultimately owned by the Czech Republic’s PPF Group.
Ukrainian DTH platform “not closing”
Ukraine’s 1+1 Media has officially denied rumours that its DTH platform Viasat is closing. The rumours appeared on anonymous Telegram channels and said that Viasat would cease operating this July or shortly afterwards. Viasat is the only official DTH platform now present in Ukraine and according to the most recently available figures has 89,137 subscribers.
Prima and Skylink to continue cooperation
The Czech broadcaster FTV Prima and Czech/Slovak pay-TV operator Skylink have agreed to extend their distribution agreement. As a result, Skylink viewers will continue to have access to all nine Prima channels in the Czech Republic (Prima, CNN Prima NEWS, Prima COOL, Prima MAX, Prima KRIMI, Prima LOVE, Prima ZOOM, Prima SHOW and Prima STAR) and four (Prima SK, CNN Prima NEWS, Prima COOL SK and Prima LOVE SK) in Slovakia.
End of the road for Slovak kids channel
The Slovak children’s channel Ťuki TV will officially cease transmisions on March 4. According to its operator Slovak Telekom, it will be replaced in the Digi Slovakia and Telekom programme packages by Jojko, a kids channel from Joj Group’s portfolio. Ťuki TV was officially launched by Telekom in June 2015 in partnership with Joj Group.
Sharp growth in Russian streaming market
The total number of users of streaming services in Russia grew by 28% in 2024. According to figures published by TelecomDaily, it stood at over 58 million as of the end of last year. Although the number of platforms that had over 1 million subscribers was unchanged at nine, the market share of the top five – Kinopoisk, ivi, Okko, Wink and Kion – continued to grow. As of the end of 2024 it stood at 86%, up from 80% a year earlier.
TVP teams up with MediaFarm
The Polish public broadcaster Telewizja Polska (TVP) has entered into a partnership with MediaFarm, a sales house that focuses on ad space from both Polish and international publishers within its network. It will see TVP become responsible for the sale of video advertisements in regional and national news services and in popular games and mobile applications. The cooperation includes the inclusion of two video products from MediaFarm – pre-roll advertising and rewarded video pre-roll – in TVP's offer. Advertising campaigns in the MediaFarm network currently reach 30% of adult Poles and its sales operate in both the direct (direct purchase) and programmatic (adserver purchase) models.
New IPTV service for Serbia
Telekom Srbija’s mts has announced the launch of a new IPTV service. Known as MOVE and available to all new users of the BOX 4 and BOX 3 packages on its fibre-optic network. MOVE gives viewers access to TV content, movies and series from Video Club. They are provided with an Android set-top box (STB) free of charge and can order three more for RSD300 (€2.55) plus VAT a month. The monthly fee for MOVE is charged according to the number of days the service is used and the number of STBs.
Gazprom-Media reveals digital stats
Around 10% of paying subscribers of Gazprom-Media Holding’s (GMH’s) streaming service Premier watch live channels. Furthermore, according to Daria Pugacheva, director of the research department of GMH, speaking at CSTB in Moscow, they do so for more than 100 minutes a day. Pugacheva also noted that TV and media account for 8% of the total number of views on RUTUBE, the video hosting service operated by GMH. They are also a very loyal audience despite RUTUBE not being a platform for watching TV channels, spending on average 62% more time on the service than other viewers.
BBC expands across CEE
BBC Studios has extended the reach of its channel brands across CEE with new launches in the Czech Republic and Romania. BBC-branded channels, BBC Earth and BBC First, are now available to the customers of Vodafone in Czech Republic, whilst BBC First has joined Orange Romania. At the same time, it has also promoted Zbigniew Pruski to VP, commercial partnerships, CEE & MENAT. Pruski, whose previous position was commercial director, branded services, will take on the responsibility for business relations and key partnerships in the MENAT region, in addition to his current responsibility of overseeing CEE-wide partner relationships.
Comments