CEE TV industry news stories

Russia jams Ukrainian satellite TV channels

Russian hackers have jammed around a dozen satellite TV channels in Ukraine. According to 1+1 Media, one of Ukraine’s leading media holdings, the channels are among the 39 broadcast from the Astra 4A 11766 H transponder and include its own and partner channels, among them 1+1 Ukraine, 1+1 Marathon, 2+2, Tet, PlusPlus, Bihudi, Kvartal TV and others. It adds the broadcasts are temporarily suspended until the problem is resolved. It also says that at the beginning of March, the Russian Federation began actively jamming the satellite signal of Ukrainian TV channels on SES’s Astra 4A and Eutelsat’s Hotbird 13 E satellites. On March 28, there was a large-scale external interference in the broadcasting of Ukrainian TV on the Astra 4A satellite, with the problem being quickly resolved. 1+1 Media recommends the use of alternative modes of reception of the TV channels currently being jammed, including terrestrial, cable, OTT and the internet (channel websites and YouTube).

 

Poland’s TVP partners with Rakuten TV

The Polish public broadcaster TVP and Rakuten TV have started cooperating in the area of ad sales for video content on a streaming platform combining TVOD, AVOD and FAST channels. The brokerage agreement covers the sale of ad time in the AVOD/FAST environment. Rakuten TV is available in 43 European countries and currently reaches over 150 million households across the continent. The agreement between TVP and Rakuten TV also envisages cooperation in the content field.

 

Major industry event in Warsaw

Content Warsaw, a three-day market, screenings and conference organised by C21 Media, will take place at the state-of-the art cinema complex Kinogram in the Polish capital between June 3-6. It will feature local players based in the city but also bring in key buyers, channels, producers, platforms and partners from across the CEE region. Further details can be found on https://contentwarsaw.net

 

Markiza to show Euro 2024

Slovakia’s Markiza will offer coverage of Euro 2024 on its main channel TV Markiza and thematic channel Dajto, as well as the streaming service Voyo. Euro 2024 will kick off in host country Germany on June 14 and Markiza will show all 51 matches from the football tournament, which takes place every four years. Markiza, which is part of PPF Group-owned Central European Media Enterprises (CME) is the leading national commercial broadcaster in Slovakia.

 

Over 145 “relevant buyers” at NEM Dubrovnik

NEM Dubrovnik 2024 has announced a full list of buyers that will participate in its 11thedition, taking place in the Croatian city from June 10-13. They represent over 85 companies from mostly CEE but also some West European countries. Further details can be found at https://neweumarket.com/dubrovnik/

 

BVOD Player service grows in Poland

Streaming’s share of TV viewing in Poland amounted to 8.1% in March, with YouTube representing the largest share among streaming services at 2.1%. Netflix, with a score of 2%, maintained its share from February, while other streaming services accounted for a combined share of 4%. Nielsen notes that among streaming content sources, the BVOD Player service in particular recorded increases. Viewers spent an average of eight minutes less per day watching video content in March than in February, with traditional TV viewing down seven minutes per day and streaming viewing down an average of one minute per day.

 

Deutsche Telekom CEE subsidiaries opt for 24i

Slovak Telekom and T-Mobile Czech Republic have extended their cooperation with 24i to feature new value-added content libraries, including synthetic channels, and streamline the user experience across their current streaming services T-MobileTV GO, Magio GO and Digi GO. 24i is owned by Aferian Group and specialises in crafting valuable, scalable and customisable OTT and pay-TV consumer offerings.

 

Ukrainian boost for Xavier Niel

The sanctioned entrepreneur Mikhail Fridman will not receive any money from the sale of the Ukrainian mobile operator Lifecell by Turkcell to Xavier Niel’s NJJ Capital. Speaking to the Ukrainian media, Mykhailo Shelemba, the CEO of Datagroup-Volia, added that following a decision by the Kyiv Court of Appeal the Antimonopoly Committee (AMCU) will hopefully now shortly approve the sale of Lifecell to NJJ Holding. Last month NJJ Holding obtained regulatory approval to buy Datagroup-Volia, one of the country’s leading telco and pay-TV operators. Xavier Niel, who owns France’s iliad, plans to merge Lifecell with Datagroup-Volia.

 

A1 continues Netflix rollout

Following its launch in North Macedonia, Netflix is now available in six A1 Group markets, namely Austria, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. Netflix can be received by A1 customers of fixed and mobile services. It is also integrated on Xplore TV Box, which also gives access to such OTT services as YouTube, Prime Video, Voyo and Canal+. A1 Group signed a multi-year partnership with Netflix at the end of last year.

 

New head for Slovak cable association

Vlastimil Lakatos has been appointed the new president of the Slovak Association for Cable Telecommunications (SAKT). He joined Antik Telecom, one of the country’s leading operators, in 2009 and has held the role of chief product officer since November last year.

 

Warner Bros. Discovery teams up with Vectra

Poland’s leading cable operator Vectra has entered into a partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery to provide internet, TV and mobile providers’ customers with access to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Eurosport channels. All told, seven pop-up channels in HD and one in 4K will provide over 830 hours of coverage of the Games, which will take place from July 26 until August 11.

 

 

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