Kartina TV expands reach via SES
Details
Editor
| 01 October 2019

Aiming to boost substantially its reach across Western Europe, Russian-language over-the-top (OTT) platform Kartina TV is to broadcast a tailored bouquet of TV channels across SES satellite services.

One of the leading pay-TV operators in Europe and the US for Russian-language programming, Kartina TV caters to the Russian-speaking diaspora who can access Russian-language content via OTT set-up boxes and apps.

The content provider will use craft at SES’s prime neighbourhood to deliver Russian-language TV channels for households across Western Europe. Content will be available on a new free-to-view encrypted DTH platform on ASTRA 1N satellite at 19.2 degrees East, will continue to be available over IP networks.

The new Kartina Satellite Verimatrix-encrypted FTV platform will carry around 30-40 SD channels in HEVC encoding and is available for users who have a dedicated 4K/Ultra HD HDR Android based hybrid cardless STB with categorised lists of FTA channels and extended EPG support.

“As OTT content providers, we want to be delivering content to everyone, but there are limitations when it comes to terrestrial networks,” explained Oleg Jecov, head of satellite project of Kartina TV. “By combining our offering with satellite, we will be able to broadcast channels for viewers who have limited broadband connectivity, and open up a new market for Kartina.”

Håkan Sjödin, vice president, sales Nordic, Baltic and Eastern Europe of SES Video, said, “At SES, we increasingly see how OTT players are keen to expand their markets by leveraging the superpower of satellite – reach. This deal with Kartina TV is an example of that, and sets a new standard for OTT platforms in expanding the reach, viewership and value of multi-genre content.”