Daily Satellite TV News

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beIN Sports increases Extreme E’s broadcast portfolio in SE Asia

In an agreement covering Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia and Hong Kong, the Extreme E electric SUV racing series has extended its current broadcast agreement with beIN SPORTS.

The international broadcaster, which already televises Extreme E within its MENA territories, will televise all five of Extreme E’s 2021 X Prix events with race highlights, magazine, preview and review shows in its South East Asian regions. The addition of these new territories means beIN SPORTS will show Extreme E in 32 countries across MENA and South East Asia. Extreme E’s race coverage will also be available on beIN’s digital platform, connect.beinsports.com

The Extreme E series hopes to raise awareness of the climate emergency by mixing sport with purpose to inspire change. It also aims to leave behind a long-lasting positive impact through its legacy programmes and showcase the performance of all-electric vehicles in extreme conditions, promoting their adoption of electric vehicles in the quest for a lower carbon future for the planet.

With the Island X Prix Sardinia, the series has already completed four of its five X Prix in its inaugural season with previous events being the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia and Ocean X Prix in Senegal in addition to Greenland. The Season 1 finale, the Jurassic X Prix, will take place in Bovington, in the UK’s South Coast county of Dorset from 1-19 December 2021.

The events have been hits on traditional TV channels with 75 broadcasters in 180 countries, Extreme E has developed a strong social media presence. The broadcast of the debut event in Saudi Arabia in April pulled in 18.5 million views across Extreme E’s TikTok account and the championship also Extreme E has also joined forces with video game development and entertainment company One Earth Rising to create a new channel on Twitch.tv.

beIN SPORTS broadcasts to over 40 countries across 5 continents, airing over 7,500 hours of live sports content every month on more than 60 channels across the world.

Commenting on the new deal, Mike Kerr, managing director at beIN SPORTS Asia, said: “Extreme E does a fantastic job in raising awareness of climate change and we at beIN are very proud to be supporting the work being done. beIN and Extreme E also share common goals through promoting gender equality and creating a level playing field for all, with 50 of its drivers being women. By broadcasting the series, we look forward to shining a spotlight on the inspiring women in motorsport, aligning with the ambition behind our beINSPIRED project.”

Extreme E chief marketing officer Ali Russell added: “We are delighted to extend our broadcast portfolio with beIN to include its Asian region. Our sport for purpose series has already delighted many millions of viewers around the world with four thrilling events this year, but of course there is an even greater purpose to our championship apart from radical racing entertainment, and that is around the environment, which is unfortunately under threat. The more that we can extend our message throughout the world, the more we can increase awareness and help to slow down the climate crisis.”

 

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Setanta Sports added to Extreme E bouquet for Ukraine

Just before the off-road electric racing series closed its fourth leg in Sardinia, Extreme E confirmed Setanta Sports as its latest broadcaster in Ukraine.

The Extreme E series hopes to raise awareness of the climate emergency by mixing sport with purpose to inspire change. It also aims to leave behind a long-lasting positive impact through its legacy programmes and showcase the performance of all-electric vehicles in extreme conditions, promoting their adoption of electric vehicles in the quest for a lower carbon future for the planet.

With the Island X Prix Sardinia, the series has already completed four of its five X Prix in its inaugural season with previous events being the Desert X Prix in Saudi Arabia and Ocean X Prix in Senegal in addition to Greenland. The Season 1 finale, the Jurassic X Prix, will take place in Bovington, in the UK’s South Coast county of Dorset from 1-19 December 2021.

The events have been hits on traditional TV channels with 75 broadcasters in 180 countries, Extreme E has developed a strong social media presence. The broadcast of the debut event in Saudi Arabia in April pulled in 18.5 million views across Extreme E’s TikTok account and the championship also Extreme E has also joined forces with video game development and entertainment company One Earth Rising to create a new channel on Twitch.tv.

With its population becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact of air pollution caused by fossil fuel, Ukraine’s electric car market has shown significant growth in recent years. In 2020, the number of electric cars on the roads grew by 375% since 2018, and the country currently boasts the biggest number of public charging points compared to its nearest EU countries – with more than 8,500 (a 57% increase compared to the same period two years ago).

Including the just completed race and as part of growing expansion in Ukraine, Setanta Sports will air Extreme E’s full debut season, including the live race feed, highlights, preview, review and magazine shows on its core and +channels, as well as on-demand on its digital outlet https://www.setantaplay.tv.

“We are thrilled to be announcing Setanta Sports as our latest broadcaster. As a sport for purpose championship which is committed to amplifying the benefits of electrification, it is important to further the exposure of Extreme E in a market where EV sales are continuing to increase,” commented Ali Russell, chief marketing officer at Extreme E.

“There is an even greater purpose to our championship than the radical racing on show, with the need to reduce carbon emissions and combat the climate crisis, something which Ukraine has clearly recognised. As we expand our coverage in Ukraine by partnering with Setanta Sports, I am confident that there will be continued interest in the action-packed wheel-to-wheel racing delivered by Extreme E , as well as the wider storytelling around electrification, the environment and the series’ gender equal platform.”

 

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DAZN Group acquires Texel and launches innovation hub

Off the back of the acquisition of video streaming innovation company Texel, DAZN Group, which claims to be the world’s fastest growing sports media company, has announced the launch of its innovation hub, DAZN X.

The video technology and audience engagement expert employs 50 innovators in Tel-Aviv, Israel. Bringing proprietary technology, expertise and new skills, the entire Texel team will join DAZN X to work alongside DAZN’s existing technology and product teams.

DAZN X will operate as a global business unit across all DAZN’s core markets and DAZN says the acquisition will fast track DAZN’s ability to take the fan experience to the next level. DAZN X will focus on developing interactive and what are intended to be engaging content layers for fans as part of DAZN’s sports streaming service. The result will be that DAZN subscribers will soon be able to talk, share, shop and play with their friends and communities while live streaming premium sports content.

“We are here to revolutionise the sports viewing experience by making it more exciting, more sociable and engaging,” said DAZN co-CEO Shay Segev commenting on the deal, “Our acquisition of Texel and the launch of DAZN X significantly accelerates our strategy and positions us as the world’s leading sports innovator.”

CEO and co-founder of Texel, Amir Segev, added, “DAZN shares our vision of redefining the viewer experience by providing richer, more relevant and interactive content. We are immensely motivated as we join the fantastic teams at DAZN to innovate and reshape sports viewing for the better.”

 

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BT Sport to show 2021/22 men’s and women’s Ashes series

Remaining the home of the world’s most intensely fought and renowned international cricket series, BT Sport has renewed its UK rights deal to broadcast Australian men’s and women’s home cricket internationals until 2025.

The contract not only includes the forthcoming Ashes series in Australia but also includes the exclusive broadcast of four England tours over the next four years as well as the Dettol ODI and T20 tours scheduled for 2022. In addition, BT Sport will also show live coverage of all international tours of Australia. After this year’s Ashes, the Australia will take on New Zealand and Sri Lanka in a white ball series.

The renewed deal with Cricket Australia builds on BT Sport’s portfolio of cricket that includes exclusive broadcast rights of West Indies men’s and women’s domestic and international cricket in the Caribbean, and New Zealand's men’s and women’s home internationals.

Commenting on gaining rights for the Ashes and beyond, Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said: “We loved bringing the highs, lows and controversy of the Ashes to our viewers in 2017/18 and relish the opportunity to bring our viewers all the action from both a men’s and women’s Ashes in 2021/22. BT Sport’s cricket content has continued to grow since we signed our first rights deal with Cricket Australia, and we are delighted to be bringing more world class men’s and women’s cricket from Australia to fans across the UK.”

 

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Premier League nets $2.7BN US broadcast deal with NBC Sports

In a deal that not only shows clearly the enduring popularity of the topflight English football league to global fans, and also sending a harsh reminder to rival leagues as to its power, the Premier League has announced a new six-year broadcast deal in the US with NBCUniversal, via the NBC Sports Group.

NBC Sports became the home of Premier League coverage in the US in 2013. It has worked with the League, growing its profile and fanbase significantly. NBC platforms - including NBC, USA Network, NBCSN, NBC Sports digital and, significantly, the Peacock direct-to-consumer streaming service – reach every home in the country with a television or the internet, and NBC Sports’ Premier League Mornings programming has become well-established viewing for American fans. The new deal, valued at $2.7BN, will see NBC Sports remain the Premier League’s official broadcast partner in the US until 2028, and will cover all 380 matches every season. The deal also includes the exclusive rights for Spanish language coverage.

“We are delighted to announce our new US broadcast deal with NBC Sports, who have been brilliant partners for the Premier League over the last nine seasons commented Premier League chief executive Richard Masters.

“NBC Sports has significantly strengthened the popularity of the League in the United States in that time through its fantastic coverage and promotion. NBC Sports’ Premier League Mornings programming is now a real institution among supporters in America, with fans getting up early to come together and cheer on their favourite club, week in, week out. It’s an exciting time for football in the US and we look forward to continuing to work with NBC Sports to bring our competition to even more fans over the next six years.”

NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua added: “We are excited to come to this long-term extension with the Premier League. Our Premier League team, led by Jon Miller, has been incredibly dedicated to growing the Premier League in the United States over the last nine years. This new agreement is also a testament to the hard work of production, marketing and other areas of our company, as well as the tremendous partnership that has been established with the leadership and club owners of the Premier League.”

The announcement of the new US broadcast deal follows the Exclusion Order agreement with UK Government relating to the three-year renewal of the Premier League’s UK broadcast deal. As part of this, an extra £20million will be paid to EFL League One and League Two clubs this season. A new package of £5million extra will support clubs in the top-three National League divisions until 2025.

 

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Sky Documentaries to feature Diverse Film Fund from Together TV

Giving a huge boost to the potential reach of the original programmes, Sky Documentaries and Sky's Black History Month collection have taken Together TV's Diverse Film Fund short documentaries.

The inaugural Diverse Film Fund from Together TV was launched in March 2021 and commissioned the production of five short documentaries to celebrate Black British lives today. Each of the selected filmmakers received a production fee of £10,000 to support the production of their films on this theme. The project not only endorsed the emerging British filmmakers financially but provided a production training series of webinars with industry experts, a mentor for each director and creative collaboration throughout the journey.

The initiative has been championed by Together TV's chair and founder, Caroline Diehl MBE and by Together TV Trustee and ITV commissioning editor, Satmohan Panesar. The aim was to be able to elevate diverse original content on Together TV, which perfectly aligns with the ethos of the channel to inspire positive social change.

Each of the documentaries explores a very different aspect of the theme and were chosen to reflect the diverse scope of black British lives today. The Beyonce Experience (pictured) by Blaise Singh follows the story of Aaron Carty, who gave up a career as a police officer to live his dream of becoming a positive role model for the Black queer community as a Beyonce drag act.

Superheroes Wear Hoodies shines a light on a group of black youths who helped feed their local community during the pandemic, proving that superheroes do wear hoodies, while Alexandra Genova’s Our Land tells the story of two black food growers from London, as they try to realise their dreams of carving their own path in the predominantly white agricultural industry.

The Black Equestrian offers the story of three black British women in Equestrianism chronicle their journey into Polo, Show Jumping and Dressage, highlighting the ups and downs faced by people of colour, while Barry the Beekeeper takes a look at how the pandemic has affected Jamaican-born beekeeper Barry, who has been the heart of his local Liverpudlian community for over two decades.

Commenting on the commission, Sky’s director of programmes, UK & Ireland, Jamie Morris said: “The five films which have come from Together TV’s Diverse Film Fund represent a great editorial fit for our ambitions for Sky Documentaries to be the home of authentic and diverse storytelling. We value our long-standing relationship with Together TV and hope to continue working together for many years to come.”

 

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UEFA nets new Champions League deal with Sport 24

Sport 24, IMG’s live sports channel for the in-flight and in-ship industry, has renewed its agreement with UEFA to broadcast the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for a further three years.

The new deal includes the UEFA Super Cup, contested by the winners of the two main European club competitions, and the new UEFA Europa Conference League, which began this season.

Sport 24 and its sister channel Sport 24 Extra will broadcast extensive live coverage of every UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matchday until the 2023/2024 season, with over 170 hours shown live per season.

Guy-Laurent Epstein, UEFA marketing director, commented: “UEFA is excited to renew our partnership with Sport 24 for the 2021-24 UEFA Club Competitions. Sport 24 continues to lead the way in delivering live sport on cruise liners and airlines and fans will be able to enjoy the best of European club football across its extensive network of in-ship and in-flight partners.”

Added Richard Wise, SVP, content and channels, IMG’s media business: “UEFA Champions League is the premier tournament for the world’s top clubs across Europe and, backed by the UEFA Europa and Europa Conference Leagues, gives airline and cruise line passengers an unbelievable offering of live football action.

“We are also delighted to be taking our partnership with UEFA to the 10-year mark having started broadcasting their competitions back in 2015. Our in-flight football offering has never been stronger, and these deals highlight our commitment to football fans worldwide.”

Sport 24 is available on Panasonic’s live television service, which is broadcast via satellite globally.

 

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A1 Telekom Austria, BBC Studios strengthen CEE cooperation

The wholesale team of A1 Telekom Austria Group and BBC Studios are to reinforce their existing collaboration that will not only extend current distribution agreements for BBC Earth and BBC First channels on the A1 pay-TV platforms in the CEE region until 2025, but also establish a technical partnership.

In the extended collaboration, A1 Group´s Broadcasting division will provide technical satellite services for premium drama channel BBC First, excluding Poland, delivering BBC First channel to cable, IPTV and DTH operators channel within the wide footprint of the Eutelsat 16A satellite. A1 acts as technical distribution and contribution partner of numerous TV channels in European, Asian and American markets, providing variety of services – playout, delivery via IP, fibre and/or satellite. For the latter it uses Eutelsat 16A and Eutelsat 9B for Europe; APSTAR-9 for Asia and SES-6 for the US region.

In the framework of the new agreement, the BBC Earth channel’s footprint will be extended in the region. Previously available via A1 in North Macedonia (A1 Macedonia) and Slovenia (A1 Slovenia), the channel – renowned for delivering world- class factual and popular science content – will now be available also in Croatia (A1 Croatia). The agreement will also see an enhanced SVOD offering from BBC Studios on A1’s platforms.

Highlights on the channels in the coming months include the landmark Natural History series uncovering the magical world of plants The Green Planet, presented by Sir David Attenborough, and the latest Brian Cox series Universe on BBC Earth as well as the thirteenth season of legendary sci-fi show Doctor Who and a second season of detective series Mallorca Files on BBC First.

“We are delighted to extend our strategic cooperation with BBC Studios and distribute their high-quality content within our territories. With A1´s direct2home platform services, we provide numerous TV broadcasters with robust and reliable technical broadcasting services worldwide. We are very excited and proud that BBC Studios has chosen us as its European technical partner for their flagship channel BBC First. We are looking forward to our fruitful cooperation in future,” says Elena Petrova, head of broadcast and SAT Services at A1 Telekom Austria Group, is pleased about this extended partnership.

Zbigniew Pruski, commercial director BBC Studios CEE, said: “A1 Telekom Austria Group is an important partner for BBC Studios in the region and I am excited to see that our cooperation is growing. Our latest agreements have not only granted BBC Studios a solid satellite provider for our best British drama channel BBC First, but also allowed a wider reach for BBC Earth – the best destination for anyone who likes to explore the natural world and be astonished by its complexity and beauty”.

 

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Antenna Hungária deploys mediaClass to extend online TV

Following from launch of what was claimed to be world's most advanced digital terrestrial television service, Antenna Hungária has again turned to IPTV/OTT multiscreen infrastructure technology provider mediaClass for the launch of mindigTV.

Antenna Hungária has been a key player in the Hungarian telecommunications sector for decades. Its main areas of activity are national terrestrial television and radio broadcasting, as well as wireless business telecommunications. The network has shown continuous growth in recent years, expanding its programme production and event technology businesses and joining the explosive growth of the OTT and IOT industries.

The new online TV app, developed and customised to Antenna Hungaria's requirements, is available on a wide range of devices and can now be used on LG and Samsung smart TVs manufactured after 2018, giving viewers access to over 80 channels - 34 of which are in HD, 14 live TV - supported by an electronic program guide with seven-day catch-up TV. Subscribers to Antenna Hungária's mindigTV Go can also choose additional content from several theme-based packages, including 10 children’s channels as well as a video library and sports subscriptions.

"This latest project follows on from during Q4 2020," says Jim Lomax, SVP sales and marketing for mediaClass. "We have designed and integrated a complete product suite for Antenna Hungaria's DTT service which is now the most advanced of its kind in the world. The combination of a mediaClass full-feature TV platform and our state-of-the-art SwiftClass high-performance set-top-box software provides the technical resources needed to deliver globally unrivalled DTT services. SwiftClass is the world's most advanced, complete and economical STB software. It supports 50 fps HD viewing on low-cost Linux STBs in as little as 128 MB RAM."

 

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Sports fans prop up US pay-TV

A blunt research note from leading market analyst MoffettNathanson is warning that the undying devotion of American sports fans is keeping the linear TV ecosystem from “rapidly imploding”.

The study noted that despite the enduring fandom keeping bundles alive, over the past two years there has been a “notable” decline in pay-TV subscribers, even when including growth in virtual MVPD services.

It noted that in the third quarter of 2019 there were 93 million pay-TV subscribed in the US, representing 78% of households that had television. Ye the last two years of rapid cord-cutting has seen the number of pay-TV subscribers including MVPDs fall to 84 million in Q3 2021, 69% of US TV households. The analyst projects -4% to -5% annual declines in pay-TV subscribers including virtual MVPDs, reaching 73 million by 2024 from around the 83 million expected in 2021. The analyst forecasts that by 2024, there will be the same number of homes subscribing to traditional pay-TV as those that are non-pay-TV subscribers.

The huge erosion in subs was attributed to non-sports fans seemingly leaving bundles, leading to the analyst attempting to calculate what the logical floor was for US pay-TV arena. Worryingly, MoffettNathanson said there were another 26 million non-on sports households that were in danger of leaving the pay-TV universe. By contrast it said there were 53 million US households who described themselves as regular sports and new viewers who support bundles.

Going forward, the analyst odes note that even though the fact that there were over 30 million US homes at risk of further pay-TV erosion, there was a case to be made that the streaming services that offer sports could actually build the pay-TV market. However, it warned that key rights holders must avoid leaking all of their key rights over-the-top in order to avoid “killing what is left of the golden goose.”

 

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Icon Film Channel launches as standalone app

Following the streaming service’s exclusive launch in April on Amazon Prime, Icon Film Distribution has announced the launch of its new standalone edition of the Icon Film Channel (IFC), which will be available on major app stores from 13 December.

The channel will launch with hundreds of titles from Icon’s catalogue, which includes Drive, starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan; Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto and Passion of the Christ; historical biopic Malcolm X, directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington; sci-fi thriller The Butterfly Effect; and hard-hitting drama House of Sand and Fog, with Ben Kingsley and Jennifer Connelly.

IFC will offer films from a range of genres, with comedies such as British classic Kevin and Perry Go Large, starring Harry Enfield and Kathy Burke, and Robert Altman’s Gosford Park, with an ensemble cast featuring Dame Maggie Smith, Stephen Fry and Kristin Scott Thomas. Thrillers include 30 Days of Night, starring Josh Hartnett, and the female-led psychological horror, The Babadook.

New additions to Icon’s library will be available to stream on IFC for the first time at launch, including Flatliners, starring Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts and Kevin Bacon; neo-noir thriller Jagged Edge led by Glenn Close and Jeff Bridges; The Prince of Tides; U-Turn from Oliver Stone; and Terry Gilliam’s cult classic The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, featuring John Neville, Eric Idle and Uma Thurman. Further titles include crime drama The Whistleblower, starring Rachel Weisz, Benedict Cumberbatch and Vanessa Redgrave, and black comedy The Cable Guy with Jim Carrey.

Further titles, both classic and new, will be added to the service each month, along with new UK premieres that will be exclusive to the IFC app. Individual film rentals will also be offered for non-subscribers.

The IFC app will be available in UK and Ireland on desktop, mobile browsers, and major platforms including Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Xbox One, iOS and Android. Subscriptions start at £4.99 a month or £39.99 annually with a 30-day free trial. Selected rental films cost from £2.99.

Adam Sergeant, chief operating officer at Icon parent company KFilm, said: “We are thrilled to be launching IFC as a standalone app. It is the next evolution of a film brand renowned for its quality and independent spirit, combining Icon’s extensive catalogue of classic and award favourites, home-grown titles, acclaimed directors and leading ladies and gentlemen, with both new to service and often fully exclusive to IFC only, content. It’s the next step in our ongoing mission to provide a truly 24/7 viewing experience for our customers.”

 

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Sky on the grid with Channel 4 for F1 finale

Sky has announced a partnership with Channel 4 that will see Sky Sports’ live coverage of the Formula 1 season finale shared with the UK on what could be an historic occasion for Sir Lewis Hamilton as he goes head to head with Max Verstappen.

Victory for Hamilton in Abu Dhabi on Sunday would see him clinch an eighth world title and confirm him as the greatest F1 driver ever. The two leading drivers will start the race on equal points at the Yas Marina track.

Sky Sports has seen record viewing from the opening GP in Bahrain, to the penultimate race in Saudi Arabia which was watched by a peak audience of 2.7 million viewers.

Hamilton is already one of the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen, but victory would move him above Michael Schumacher’s seven titles and into unprecedented territory. For Verstappen it would be a first title for the 24-year-old Red Bull driver. Sky Sports F1 team of experts will be analysing every lap of the race.

Stephen van Rooyen, EVP & CEO UK & Europe Sky, said: “Sunday’s Grand Prix is one of the biggest sporting events in the last decade, and could be an historic moment for British sport. We’ve chosen to gift the race to the whole country at Christmas through our partnership with Channel 4, so everyone can be part of a huge national moment as Lewis Hamilton goes for a historic eighth World Championship title.

“The brilliant Sky Sports Formula 1 team will give viewers on Channel 4 and Sky Sports the best insight, commentary and analysis of every twist and turn of this most eagerly anticipated final race of the season. Additionally all Sky TV customers will have live coverage of the important qualifying session on Saturday, and the race on Sunday – which we will also show live on Sky Showcase.”

Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali added: “We are excited that Sky will make the Grand Prix on Sunday available to Channel 4 viewers so everyone can tune in live for the thrilling finale to this epic season. Sky’s passion for Formula 1 is incredible and this generous gesture shows their love of the sport and the millions of fans in the UK. We are all looking forward to Sunday and hope all the fans will be glued to their screens.”

Sky Sports F1 will show every aspect of the build up, including practice and qualifying as both drivers aim to gain a crucial advantage before the chequered flag. Additionally, every Sky TV customer will be able to watch everything from qualifying on Saturday to the race on Sunday, with the broadcast shared across Sky Sports and Sky Showcase. All the action will also be available to NOW members with either a NOW Entertainment or NOW Sports membership.

Sky Sports F1 will carry live build up on Sunday from 11.30am in UHD with the ‘Sports Recap’ function available throughout the race, which is due to start at 1pm. The live race will then see Sky Sports’ coverage aired across Sky channels and Channel 4, including the Sky commentary team and expert analysis.

 

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Professional Fighters League, fuboTV forge multi-year partnership

The Professional Fighters League (PFL), which claims to be the fastest growing and most innovative sports league, has announced an exclusive multi-year partnership for its new PFL Challenger Series with sports-first live TV streaming platform fuboTV.

The PFL Challenger Series takes the competition format familiar to MMA fans and aims to make coverage more exciting and modern with what it calls an “innovative, disruptive” approach PFL is known for. The series debuts live on 18 February 2022 and will stream on consecutive Friday nights exclusively on fuboTV and its linear network, Fubo Sports Network, in February, March and April.
"PFL Challenger Series is not your father's contender series," said PFL Founder and Chairman Donn Davis. "The winner of the PFL Challenger Series can become a real-world Rocky story, going from an unknown pro to World Champion holding a $1 million check in the same year."

Each week will see a refresh in the programme’s judging panel, bringing combat sports champions, major celebrities from music and entertainment, and global influencers. Confirmed judges to appear this season of the PFL Challenger Series on fubo include Mike Tyson, Ray Lewis, and Todd Gurley.

The PFL Challenger Series fan vote will give MMA fans a seat at the judges' table and viewers can also interact with the live competition through fuboTV's popular predictive, free-to-play games. fuboTV recently launched free games alongside select sports streaming on fuboTV and Fubo Sports Network giving viewers the opportunity to answer predictive questions about the action on screen.

"Our partnership with the PFL and their new PFL Challenger Series allows fuboTV to further differentiate our sports-first programming with exclusive MMA content, which we know is one of the hottest live sports for consumers," said fuboTV co-founder and CEO David Gandler. “fuboTV believes the future of sports television will be interactive. This partnership will give our audience unprecedented ways to interact and engage with the PFL. We are looking forward to bringing an interactive sports and entertainment television experience to consumers next year through this very unique partnership."

 

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ViacomCBS, CJ ENM forge global strategic partnership

In what the parties are calling a deal that will deliver world-class entertainment across streaming platforms, global media giant ViacomCBS and Korean content provider CJ ENM have announced a new strategic partnership that will bring premium entertainment to audiences worldwide.

ViacomCBS and CJ ENM say they will their combined global reach, production capabilities, world-renowned IP and hit-making pedigree to deliver key synergy opportunities across both companies:
The partnership includes co-productions for original series and films, content licensing and distribution across ViacomCBS' and CJ ENM's streaming services. Paramount Television Studios and CJ ENM/Studio Dragon will co-develop and co-produce English-language scripted series based on CJ ENM/Studio Dragon's titles for exhibition on the Paramount+ direct-to-consumer platform.

The companies will also co-develop and co-finance films for theatrical and streaming releases with the plan to distribute one theatrical movie a year in various territories. ViacomCBS and TVING will co-finance new Korean series for global distribution on Paramount+ which will also license Korean-language series from CJ ENM's deep library of IP. The Pluto TV ad-supported streaming television service (FAST) in America, will launch a dedicated CJ ENM branded channel on December 14 featuring K-content for US audiences.

Commenting on the deal, Dan Cohen, President, global distribution group, ViacomCBS said: "Korean entertainment has become a cultural juggernaut with unprecedented demand, and CJ ENM is behind some of the biggest international hits that transcend borders, including Academy Award-winning film Parasite. We are excited to partner with CJ ENM to deliver world-class content that will captivate our collective audiences, expand our intercontinental footprint and accelerate the growth of our streaming services with this powerful collaboration."

"CJ ENM is growing into a global leading entertainment company in accordance with Chairman Lee Jay-Hyun's vision of expanding CJ's presence on a global level," saadded id Kang Ho-Sung, CEO, CJ ENM. "CJ ENM's vast library of original IP will create synergy with ViacomCBS' production capabilities and distribution channels to develop into global smash-hit content."

 

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Freesat adds new channels in time for Christmas

In time for the festive period, Freesat is offering new Channel 4 channels. Leading the line-up is the anticipated return of Channel 4 HD, along with music channels with Box Hits, Box Christmas (The Box), Kiss, Magic and Kerrang! all joining the platform.

Angie Mee, director of content partnerships at Freesat, commented: ‘’It's a delight to relaunch these popular channels on Freesat and we’re sure it will please our customers. Channel 4 has always been a great partner with its bouquet of channels, including Film4, E4 and More4, and we look forward to these additional channels joining the line-up at a time of year when families and friends are together.”

Jonathan Thompson, CEO at Digital UK, commented: “The return of Channel 4 HD and the launch of new music channels on Freesat is a shining example of what we are now able to provide viewers as a joint entity – more and better content. This early festive gift means Freesat customers will be able to enjoy all the world class programming that Channel 4 produces, as they sit around the TV with their family and friends.”

Karla Berry, distribution and platform partnerships leader, Channel 4, said: “Maximising Channel 4’s reach and impact with viewers through strategic partnerships is key to Channel 4’s Future4 strategy. With Digital UK and Freesat now one organisation we are excited about the future innovations and offerings we will be able to bring to all UK audiences.”

 

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DAZN kicks off Premier league football at Spanish commercial premises

Continuing its strategy of extending the reach of top-class football across the globe, and marking the first time it has taken its sports viewing experience to the out of home environment, DAZN has signed an agreement with Orange Spain to show English Premier League football in bars, cafes and restaurants in the country.

The announcement is part of the sports streaming provider’s next growth phase, which is said to involve doubling down on existing core markets such as Spain with a greater emphasis on “smart” partnership integrations and “seamless” customer experiences, making sport easier to find, quicker to access and better to watch. DAZN already has a well-established commercial premises business in markets including Germany and Italy. In the former territory, DAZN’s premium content is available to venues includes exclusive coverage of the UEFA Champions League and the Bundesliga. In Italy, its commercial premises offering shows exclusive Serie A and Serie B fixtures.

Orange Spain already offers the country’s two leading domestic leagues - LaLiga Santander and LaLiga Smartbank- as well as international club football from the football UEFA Champions League and Europa League. By showing the new linear channel DAZN fútbol, Orange also becomes the first operator to offer the Premier League for businesses in Spain. DAZN fútbol is available for €30 per month without a fixed term contract and will be accessible to both current and new customers of the LOVE Empresa offer and subscribers of the Orange TV Bares bundle.

The launch of a commercial premises offering in Spain was a key part of DAZN Group’s strategy said Paul Sexton-Chadwick, the company’s SVP, global commercial propositions. “As DAZN continues to roll out around the world, to extend the DAZN viewing experience to the out of home market,” he said. “By forming these partnerships and investing now, we’re creating affordable products and services that businesses can use to attract more people into their venues and bring people back to hospitality as the sector recovers.”

“Thanks to this agreement with DAZN, Orange once again stands out in the Spanish telecom market,” said Angelica Sánchez Plaza, Orange Spain SME&SoHo business director. “[It offers] added value to owners of bars and cafes, which, at such difficult time for the sector, have an even richer entertainment offer thanks to Orange, to attract customers to their establishments.”

 

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discovery+ launches on Roku devices in the UK

discovery+ is launching on Roku streaming players and Roku TV models in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

It follows the expiration of the 12-month exclusivity held by Sky in the UK market.

”We are always looking to bring the best possible entertainment selection to our customers, and are excited about the wide variety of entertainment that discovery+ offers Roku users in the UK and the Republic of Ireland,” said Yulia Poltorak, Director Content Distribution at Roku.

Roku is also rolling out discovery+ in the United States, Canada and Brazil.

“At Discovery, it is our goal to share our best in class brands and storytelling with viewers around the globe wherever and whenever they are consuming content,” said Gabe Sauerhoff, SVP, Digital Distribution and Commercial Partnerships, Discovery, Inc. “We are thrilled to expand our global partnership with Roku and bring their subscribers in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland everything that discovery+ has to offer.”

Roku customers will be able to subscribe to the discovery+ channel on their Roku device in the UK and the Republic of Ireland for £4.99/€5.99 per month for the Entertainment package and £6.99/€6.99 per month for Entertainment and Sport. The cost for an annual subscription is respectively £49.99/€59.99 and £59.99/€69.99 for the packages.

 

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MGM inks Mediaset on demand deal

Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) has partnered with Mediaset in Italy to debut its on demand service on the company’s recently launched Mediaset Infinity streaming platform.

MGM’s service will give viewers access to big franchises, fan favourites and box office hits from the studio’s catalogue across both film and TV.

It will be available on Mediaset Infinity for a monthly subscription of €3.99 after a 7-day free trial period.

MGM’s launch on Mediaset Infinity this month will mark the continued expansion of the studio’s on demand streaming service globally. The MGM channel is currently available in 25 territories worldwide.

 

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SPI/FilmBox teams up with Bionic Media

SPI has joined forced with the Dutch boutique sales house Bionic Media.

It notes that FilmBox has built up a large fan base in the country since its launch in May this year. This is reflected in the SKO Light reports, which includes the channel as of November 14, 2021. In the first week of the measurement, FilmBox got off to a good start with 210,000 viewers, which grew further in the second week to 263,000 viewers (target group 6+). The channel currently reaches approximately 600,000 households via eight Dutch TV platforms and has enormous potential with an expansion of distribution. SPI International expects to expand FilmBox’s market position in the short term.

According to Jeroen Bergman general manager Film1 and FilmBox Netherlands, “I am proud that FilmBox is taking this important next step based on the enthusiastic reception from Dutch viewers and television platforms and I am very happy with the collaboration with Bionic”.

Jacqueline Heemskerk, managing partner Bionic Media, added: “We are delighted that FilmBox has joined Bionic Media. It is a nice addition and fits well in our portfolio of high-quality thematic channels with a clear target group”.

Under the terms of is exclusive partnership with FilmBox, Bionic will take care of spot sales and content and brand partnerships in the Netherlands.

FilmBox is currently available in the country via Canal Digitaal, Delta, Caiway, Online.nl, Plinq, Trined, Kabelnoord and SKP.

 

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DAZN deal reduces Telecom Italia forecast

Telecom Italia’s underperforming partnership with the sports streaming service DAZN has forced it to update its forecast for fiscal year 2021.

In a statement, the telco (TIM) says that organic EBITDA AL for its domestic business is estimated to decrease (“low teens decrease”) “mainly due to lower revenues from wireline, partly attributable to the performance of the partnership with DAZN for the distribution of the Serie A TIM”.

It adds that “any non-recurring provision will be determined in light of the on-going negotiation of the DAZN’s agreement and will be recorded in 2021 FY financial statements”.

The telco also says that thanks to the growth of its Brazil business unit (“mid single-digit”, as previously communicated), group EBITDA AL is expected to be higher than €5.4 billion.

Group Organic Services revenues are confirmed to decrease (“low single-digit”, as previously communicated) and the adjusted consolidated net financial debt AL is expected to be around €17.6 billion after the payment of licenses for €435 million, of which €140 million following the award of 5G frequencies in Brazil.

Broadband TV News notes that the agreement between DAZN and TIM was signed in March this year. DAZN was awarded the TV rights to Serie A matches for 2021-2024 and the deal makes TIM the reference telecom and pay-TV operator offering DAZN content in Italy.