News Corp to assess CEE involvement
News Corp is reviewing its TV operations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). According to an agency report, it has asked Lehman Brothers to ascertain the value and the strategic options “after being approached by multiple suitors.” Earlier this week it was announced that TV Puls, the Polish regional station backed by News Corp, is closing its entire news operation. Broadband TV News has already reported that earlier this month the company handed its licence to launch a national station in Montenegro. News Corp also a presence in Latvia (LNT and TV5), Bulgaria (bTV) and Serbia (Fox Televizija).

New DTH platform for Hungary
Hungary is likely to see the launch of what will be its fourth DTH platform this autumn. According to several local reports, the service will be known as T-Sat and distributed by Amos 2 and Amos 3, located at 4 degrees West. Hungary’s three existing DTH platforms are UPC Direct, Digi TV and the newcomer Hello HD, which made its debut at the beginning of May.

Poland ponders third DTT multiplex
Poland is looking into the possibility of launching a third DTT multiplex as it embarks on the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting. The Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) and National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT), the country’s two industry regulators, may utilise the 20% of frequencies allocated to Poland at RRC 06 that have not already been earmarked for two planned multiplexes by setting up a third. It would carry a limited number of channels, possibly in HD, along with additional services, and initially reach between 25-50% of the population. The operator of this third multiplex, as is already the case for the second, would be chosen in a tender. Although the first planned multiplex has been allocated to existing FTA channels, it is at this stage not clear who it will be operated by.

Volia comes under spotlight
The Ukrainian Antimonopoly Committee (AMKU) has launched an investigation into the activities of Volia, the country’s leading cable operator. It is understood to relate to the introduction of new digital TV packages and complaints received against the company. Volia is present in the capital, Kiev, and cities of Lviv, Alchevsk and Chernivtsi.

Czech digital TV study raises eyebrows
A surprisingly high 7% of the Czech population – equivalent to 600,000 people – have said they have no intention of switching to digital TV reception. The finding which was contained in a study undertaken by STEM/MARK for the Czech Telecom Office (CTU), also found that the majority of people (35%) are interested in DTT reception, followed by digital cable and satellite (22%) each and IPTV (11%). ASO will take place in the Czech Republic in October 2011, though a couple of regions (Jesenicka and Zlinska) will continue analogue transmissions until mid-2012.

UPC Polish digital rollout continues
UPC has extended its digital cable offer to the city of Kraków and nearby Wieliczka. It is already available in Warsaw, Wroclaw, Opole and Katowice and environs and will soon also be available in the tri-city of Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot. UPC has also introduced an EPG, which can be accessed by subscribers on www.upclive.pl.

Czech TV Nova fine cancelled
The Czech Supreme Administrative Court has confirmed the annulment of a €100,000 fine on the country’s leading broadcaster, TV Nova. It was originally imposed by the country’s Council for Radio and TV Broadcasting (RRTV) on the station’s licence holder CET 21 for what it perceived to be biased and unbalanced reporting on new personal bankruptcy legislation. The decision has been welcomed by the CME-backed station, which has also recently been hit by several other fines from the RRTV. One, for €1 million, was for carrying an international news report that was also shown by CNN and Sky News without any problems.

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Superstacja sale firms up
The sale of the Polish entertainment channel Superstacja has moved a step closer. Local reports indicate the Polish multimedia group Agora is willing to pay around PLN30 million (€9.22 million) for a 33% stake in the station, securing shares from both the founder Ryszard Krajewski and Polsat-linked Ster, its current owners. Although a deal could be reached later this month, Superstacja is also understood to be attracting interest from several other parties including Axel Springer Polska and the owners of the Ukrainian station TRK-Ukraina. Superstacja made its debut in September 2006, and according to data produced by AGB Nielsen Media Research claimed an audience share of 0.21% between January and July this year.

Disney boosts Lithuanian coverage
The Lithuanian IPTV platform Interactive GALA TV has added Disney Channel, Playhouse Disney and Toon Disney to its offer. Interactive GALA TV is operated by the incumbent telco TEO LT and has over 27,000 subscribers. Its basic package cost LTL35 (€10.1) a month, and the three Disney channels are being made available for an additional LTL5.

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Chris Dziadul Reports News Corp’s crossroads

The TV market in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has never been high on the list of News Corp’s priorities. However, the company has slowly but surely built up a portfolio of investments that, while perhaps not as prominent as those of CME, MTG and RTL Group, is certainly impressive.
It therefore comes as something of a surprise that it has just asked Lehman Brothers to look into its interests in the region on the grounds that they have attracted interest from prospective buyers. Whether this will eventually result in the disposal of some or all of its stations remains to be seen.
In Poland, News Corp has managed to establish a foothold in a market dominated by the ‘big three’ broadcasters TVP, Polsat and TVN through its acquisition of a stake in the regional station TV Puls. In recent months it has changed the terms of TV Puls’s licence, transforming its profile from a socio-religious to a general channel, and increased its coverage. Moreover, only a few days ago it announced plans to launch two HD channels, one offering news and the other entertainment, in the next few months.
However, in a move that took many people by surprise, TV Puls closed its entire news operation earlier this week for what were termed “business reasons.” While this may be little more than an abrupt shift in the station’s focus, it could perhaps be the first step to the station’s eventual sale.
TV Puls is a certainly a long way from challenging the dominance of the ‘big three’, though the same cannot be said of its sister stations bTV (Bulgaria) and LNT (Latvia), both leading players in their respective markets. Fox Televizija, News Corp’s Serbian operation, was meanwhile the fifth most watched channel in the country last year, while in neighbouring Montenegro News Corp recently returned a national TV licence without even launching a service.
News Corp clearly finds itself at something of a crossroads in CEE. While it is unlikely to leave the region, some disposals – and perhaps even acquisitions – could soon be on the cards.

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Editor: Chris Dziadul +44 20 8995 1287
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