In this monthly Eastern Europe Video Spotlight 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 different Eastern European markets.
TOP NEWS
* Time Warner Inc.'s HBO Europe expanded its subscription VOD service HBO Go to seven more central European countries, according to a Nov. 29 news release. The premium cable programmer's library of original series, films and documentaries is now available direct to consumers in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. The service also offers HBO Europe's locally produced drama and documentaries, among others.
* HBO Go earlier debuted as an online direct-to-consumer offer in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, The Hollywood Reporter reported Nov. 13.
* 21st Century Fox Inc.'s Fox Networks Group is gearing up to introduce a National Geographic on-demand service in Europe and Africa in 2018, Variety reported Dec. 4. The new National Geographic+ nonlinear service has been designed to appeal to millennials.
Content and carriage deals
* Russian fixed operator TTK teamed up with VOD service ivi.ru Media Ltd., Telecompaper reported Dec. 5. Under the deal, subscribers of TTK's IPTV and TV Without Frontiers offers will get access to films from ivi's content roster via a set-top box or a mobile device.
* Ukraine-based Megogo.net acquired exclusive rights to the live broadcast of Germany's Bundesliga, France's Ligue 1 and Italy's Serie A, Broadband TV News reported Nov. 28. The broadcast of the European soccer leagues will be available to the subscribers of Optimal and Maximal movie and TV packages.
Service launches
* Subscription VOD service Showmax added live streaming to its service in Poland, Broadband TV News reported Dec. 4. The platform has started streaming "Saturday Night Live Polska," which will be uploaded to Showmax for on-demand viewing.
* Czech pay-TV operator DIGI CZ sro rolled out a seven-day catch-up service for its customers who have Digi TV satellite or Digi2 Go mobile subscriptions, Broadband TV News reported Dec. 1. The service also offers access to more than 100 TV channels online.
* Russian direct-to-home operator Tricolor TV partnered with digital TV solutions provider Neotion for the launch of Territory of Tricolor TV, a new service for the B2B segment that enables individual TV watching on mobile devices within public areas, Neotion said Nov. 29.
* Orange SA's Orange Polska SA began offering access to Netflix Inc.'s selected content on Orange TV, through IPTV and a 4K decoder, Telecompaper reported Nov. 27.
* Polish on-demand service Player.pl, owned by Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. unit TVN SA, added Canal+ and HBO channels to its offer, Broadband TV News reported Nov. 23.
* Netia SA rolled out a VOD service that will enable Personal TV subscribers to order content via the operator's multimedia decoder Netia Player, Telecompaper reported Nov. 17.
* Macedonian operator Vip rolled out a mobile TV service dubbed Vip Now, which can be accessed on mobile phones, tablets and personal computers, Telecompaper reported Nov. 13.
* Megogo.net has debuted on VEON Ltd.'s Russian mobile platform Beeline TV, as part of the companies' strategic cooperation, Broadband TV News reported Nov. 8, citing Comnews.
More news
* Slovak broadcaster RTVS is planning to launch a channel that will be delivered over the internet and target children up to 15 years old, Broadband TV News reported Nov. 29, citing Medialne.
* The Moscow Arbitration Court awarded ivi.ru with 12.1 million Russian rubles after the streaming company won in a case against film distributor Paradis, Broadband TV News reported Nov. 28. Paradis reportedly failed to promptly deliver films to ivi.ru despite being paid for the distribution deal in 2011.
* Discovery Communications Inc.'s Eurosport will make its Olympic Games coverage available through its OTT service Eurosport Player, following the acquisition of rights for the Olympics between 2018 and 2024, Broadband TV News reported Nov. 20.
* Slovak commercial broadcaster Joj is planning to launch a new VOD service in 2018, Broadband TV News reported Nov. 9, citing Medialne.
