Broadcasters


Eurosport 2 goes Dutch

Eurosport has launched a Dutch-language version of Eurosport 2 for the Benelux. The new channel will offer 2,000 hours of live content per year covering freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding, as well as team sports and motorsports, including the Superbike World Championships, the FIA WTCC and the Le Mans 24 Hours. From launch, the channel […]

Discovery buys UK indie Betty


Discovery Communications has acquired UK independent producer Betty. The factual and factual entertainment channel operator has worked with the UK indie previously, ordering two seasons of a US version of Freaky Eaters. The food and diet series aired on Discovery’s female-skewed TLC channel. Discovery said that following the acquisition, Betty will develop shows for its […]

PT’s Meo adds trio of channels

Portugal Telecom’s IPTV service Meo has expanded its line-up with the addition of two lifestyle networks and a music channel. Clubbing TV HD broadcasts videos, interviews and performances from top DJs and club nights 24-hours a day. Fox International Channels’ (FIC) new round-the-clock cooking channel 24kitchen has also launched on Meo, along with female skewing […]

Etisalat plans large-scale expansion of OTT offering

UAE-based telco Etisalat is planning to expand the availability of its recently launched eLife OnWeb over-the-top service to a range of new devices. Speaking at Informa’s IP&TV Forum MENA event in Dubai earlier this week, Rashid Al Abbar, vice-president, home products marketing at Etisalat, said that an eLife iOS app would be published and available […]

ProSiebenSat.1 posts third quarter revenue growth

Commercial broadcast group ProSiebenSat.1 increased its third quarter revenues by 8.9% year-on-year to €163.6 million. Recurring EBITDA was up 19.5% to €163.6 million. In the group’s largest segment, the German speaking market covering Germany, Austria and Switzerland, ProSieben increased revenues by 6.5% to €413.9 million. The company’s free TV international segment, which since the disposal […]

Sky Italia passes five million subs

News Corp reported an earnings surge in its fiscal first quarter financial results, helped by growth at the company’s international pay TV networks. The company saw its revenue grow by 7% to US$7.96 billion (€5.8 billion) and reported an earnings rise of 45% in its direct broadcast division, which houses the company’s Italian pay TV […]

ProSiebenSat.1 takes stake in social network

German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 has acquired a stake in online social network meetOne. The company, through its SevenVentures investment arm, has bought a 29% stake in the website, which was developed by the team behind successful online gaming venture Bigpoint. The site, which is run by managing director Mila Sukhareva, combines online social networking with […]

ESPN to take NHL to Europe and Africa

International sports broadcaster ESPN has struck a deal that will see it air US hockey league NHL across Europe and Africa. The Disney-owned broadcaster has acquired the rights from Advisers Media International, Medge Consulting and the National Hockey League and will air it on its ESPN America channel, which reaches nearly 19 million homes. It […]

Numericable catches up with Turner

French cable operator Numericable has added four Turner channels to its catch-up platform. The channels include kids’ networks Boomerang, Boing and Cartoon Network, and film channel TCM. Customers will need to subscribe to the relevant packages to be able to view the channels via Numericable’s catch-up service. Boing and Cartoon Network are available in the […]

BBC Worldwide Channels renews Red Bee deal

Broadcast services provider Red Bee Media has renewed a multi-year deal with BBC Worldwide channels, to provide broadcast services for a suite of channels across Europe and South Africa. Red Bee Media will continue to provide end-to-end, file-based media management and playout services for eight BBC Worldwide channels from its facilities in London. The channels […]