In this monthly feature, S&P Global Market Intelligence provides a roundup of news related to over-the-top, video-on-demand and other online video initiatives in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
TOP NEWS
* La Liga has entered into a partnership with British pay TV operator Premier Sports to broadcast the Spanish football league's matches in the U.K. and Ireland. The three-year agreement will see matches broadcast on multiple platforms, including the Premier Player OTT streaming platform for £11.99 per month or £99 per year.
* Facebook Inc. on Sept. 5 announced it has entered into partnerships with European publishers for the creation of content for its video service Watch. The companies Facebook teamed up with include Germany's Axel Springer SE, Hubert Burda Media and Gruner + Jahr AG & Co. KG; France's Brut, Le Monde and BFM Tv; and Sweden's Expressen.
* Viacom Inc. launched its ad-supported video-on-demand platform Pluto TV in the U.K., Germany and Austria via Apple Inc.'s Apple TV and mobile devices, Broadband TV News reported Sept. 2, citing a statement. Pluto TV is also making its debut in Switzerland.
PAN-EUROPEAN
* Amazon.com Inc. on Sept. 4 unveiled a slew of new and revamped products, including the second generation of Amazon's Fire TV Cube streaming media player. Fifteen new Fire TV Edition products will go on sale in the U.S. and Europe, including new smart TVs with native language support for consumers in the U.K., Germany and Austria.
WESTERN EUROPE AND NORDIC COUNTRIES
* Nordic Entertainment Group AB's streaming platform Viaplay AB will launch in Iceland during the first half of 2020, according to a Sept. 9 news release. The subscription VOD service will be available through direct subscriptions and via third-party partnerships.
* Netflix Inc. commissioned Lightbox Entertainment for the feature documentary "Tell Me Who I Am," TBI Vision reported Sept. 9. The original content will premiere at BFI London Film Festival and will launch on the streaming platform on Oct. 18. The streaming giant also unveiled "Into the Night," its first Belgian original series, on Sept. 3. It will launch globally in 2020.
* Scottish broadcaster STV Group PLC on Sept. 3 announced that it is teaming up with pay TV sports broadcaster Premier Sports and its sister channel FreeSports. The partnership will see STV Player hosting a livestream of the FreeSports channel.
* Nordic Entertainment said Sept. 3 that it is releasing a new Swedish-Norwegian action thriller series titled "The Machinery." In a separate Aug. 30 announcement, the company said it commissioned new seasons of two of its children's series, "The Great Escape" and "Saga's Stories." All titles will premiere on the Viaplay streaming service in the Nordics.
* Netflix placed an order for a new Swedish original series titled "Love & Anarchy" from Scandinavian production company FLX, according to an Aug. 29 news release.
* Amazon struck a deal to make its Prime Video service available in France through Altice France SA's SFR, Variety reported Aug. 26. Following the launch on SFR, Prime Video will be rolled out on Altice Europe-owned services in other markets, such as in Portugal.
* Nordic Entertainment on Aug. 23 said it is releasing a new original medical drama series titled "First Responders," or "Åreakuten" in Swedish. The show will premiere exclusively on Viaplay in 2020.
* The Walt Disney Co. will launch its direct-to-consumer service Disney+ in the Netherlands on Nov. 12, the same day it debuts in the U.S. and Canada. The service will cost €6.99 per month or €69.99 per year.
* The British Broadcasting Corp. is asking independent TV producers to extend the availability of their content on the iPlayer platform to one year, from the current 30 days, without paying extra licensing fees, London's The Guardian reported Aug. 18. However, British regulator Ofcom said the BBC has to "adequately compensate" producers.
* ITV PLC began testing BritBox in preparation for its U.K. launch later this year, TBI Vision reported Aug. 16. A briefing with the BBC, ITV's partner for BritBox, has been conducted with select staff completing beta tests within ITV's headquarters.
SOUTHERN,
* Polish soccer league Ekstraklasa SA launched its own over-the-top streaming platform called Ekstraklasa.tv, Digital TV Europe reported Aug. 23.
* Sports streaming platform DAZN said Aug. 23 that it acquired nonexclusive streaming rights to the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. Meanwhile, Telecom Italia SpA is in talks with DAZN's parent company, Perform Group Ltd., to add content from the streaming service to its VOD service TIMvision, Telecompaper reported Aug. 23, citing Il Sole 24 Ore.
* Orange Polska SA began offering Viacom's subscription VOD service Paramount Play to Orange TV customers, Telecompaper reported Aug. 22.
MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA
* Educational channel Da Vinci will be available in South Africa through Vodacom Play, as part of a partnership with telecom operator Vodacom Group Ltd., Broadband TV News reported Sept. 9.
* Eros International PLC's South Asian entertainment streaming platform Eros Now entered into a strategic partnership with Vodafone Qatar PQSC. Under the partnership, Vodafone Qatar subscribers will be able to access Eros Now's library, which consists of films, original series and music.
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