CEE TV industry news stories

Chris Dziadul, August 1, 2024

 

 

SkyShowtime expands in Poland

The streaming service SkyShowtime will become available on Prime Video in Poland on August 5. At the beginning of last month it made its debut on Prime in the first of four key European markets (Spain) and it will now also be offered in the Netherlands and Sweden in addition to Poland. Amazon customers in Poland will be able to receive SkyShowtime for PLN24.99 (€5.82) a month, with the option to cancel at any time. SkyShowtime is available via its app on Apple iOS, tvOS, Android devices, Android TV, Google Chromecast, LG Connected TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, selected distribution partners and the website www.skyshowtime.com

 

Russia acts against YouTube

YouTube download speeds in Russia are expected to be cut by up to 70% this week. The news was given by Alexander Khinshtein, the chairman of the State Committee on Information Policy, Information Technology and Communications, on his Telegram channel and subsequently reported by several other media. The reduction, which applies to desktop computers and not mobile devices is, according to Khinshtein, a response to the “anti-Russian” policy of the hosting service. He subsequently said that the authorities have no plans to block YouTube. Separately, a Moscow court is reported to have fined Google and TikTok R5 million (€53,850) and R4 million respectively for failing to comply with an order by the Russian regulator Roskomnadzor to remove banned content.

 

Interest grows in Polish DTT multiplex

The Polish Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) has revealed the names of the parties who have expressed interest in operating the country’s fifth multiplex (MUX 5). According to local media, they are the national transmission company Emitel; Polsat Plus Group’s BCAST; and MWE Teleport, which is part of MWE Networks.

 

Legal reprieve for Czech Barrandov

The Prague Municipal Court has approved the reorganisation of the indebted Barrandov TV Studios, which operates Barrandov TV. Barrandov currently has over 90 creditors and liabilities of CZK700 million (€27.5 million). The reorganisation is expected to be completed within the next 12-18 months.

 

Canal+ gets active in Hungary

Canal+ has announced it will launch a service in Hungary next year that includes linear channels, series and movies bundled in a branded Canal+ streaming app. It has also reached an agreement to sell its satellite business Direct One, and possibly also its cable assets, to 4iG. The latter is Hungary’s leading telco and IT group and will gain an additional 150,000 subscribers through the transaction. 4iG will also offer its customers Canal+’s new streaming service when it launches in 2025.

 

Promotion for Russian streaming media exec

Viktoria Mikhno has been appointed deputy general director of the Russian streaming service Premier, which is part of Gazprom-Media. Mikhno joined Premier in 2020 as the director of business development. In her new role she will be responsible for the company’s business growth, interaction with key partners and building processes within the team. Back in May, David Kocharov was appointed the general producer at Premier.

 

Strong growth for Kyivstar TV

Ukraine’s Kyivstar TV ended 2023 with over 1.3 million monthly active users (MAUs). This, according to its parent company Veon, was 18.5% more than a year earlier. Veon notes that Kyivstar TV is one of the fastest growing entertainment services in Ukraine and, in 2023 introduced a Children’s Profile to provide dedicated programming for children. The content for Kyivstar is also being increasingly generated within the country, with 62% of Ukrainian origin.

 

Kosovo pubcaster DG resigns

Zana Spahiu, the acting head of the Kosovan public broadcaster RTK, has resigned for personal reasons after less than a month in post. In a statement released on July 30, Spahiu said that she had contributed to RTK as a lawyer for 14 years and hoped she would return to her former position as head of the legal office.

 

Xavier Niel gets green light in Ukraine

The Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMKU) has approved the take-over of Lifecell Group by DVL Telecom, which is part of French billionaire Xavier Niel’s NJJ Capital. Lifecell is the third largest mobile operator in Ukraine and the move paves the way for its merger with Datagroup-Volia. In March, the AMKU gave DVL Telecom permission to also take over Datagroup-Volia, Ukraine’s leading fixed telecom and pay-TV provider.  

 

RSF circumvents Russian censorship

Reporters without Borders (RSF) has lifted Russian restrictions on access to the websites of several European news outlets, including the Franco-German public service channel Arte. This has been made possible by operation Collateral Freedom, which it launched in 2015 and is one of the world’s biggest censorship circumvention operations. Collateral Freedom creates mirror sites for blocked media, making copies of censored websites that are updated in real time and whose addresses cannot be blocked. Russia implemented its latest restrictions on June 25 in response to EU sanctions against three Russian media.

 

 

 

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© Chris Dziadul, 2024