MTG launches three movie channels for CIS

Modern Times Group (MTG)’s Viasat Broadcasting unit is to launch three new HD pay TV movie channels in Russia, Ukraine and other CIS countries next month.

Viasat will launch TV1000 Premium HD, TV1000 Megahit HD and TV1000 Comedy HD. All will feature content from four Hollywood majors including Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros, with which MTG has signed multi-year agreements covering the CIS territories.

TV1000 Premium HD will feature first run premieres of films from the Hollywood studios and independent local distributors, while TV1000 Megahit HD will feature first run premieres of blockbuster titles from Hollywood and Russia. TV1000 Comedy HD will be a dedicated US comedy movie channel, sitting alongside current channels TV1000 East, TV1000 Russian Kino and TV1000 Action East.

Additional content on the new channels will also be available through MTG’s Viaplay online pay TV service in Russia.

“We will now offer an unrivalled channel portfolio across the region, comprising six movie channels, five documentary channels and a sports channel. Our channels offer the strongest movie content and very best local and international entertainment content to Russian viewers and will feature content from four out of six major Hollywood studios,” said Jørgen Madsen, president and CEO of MTG.