M7 inks dual HD satellite distribution agreement for Current Time TV
Luxembourg/Washington DC, 9 March 2023 – Luxembourg-based M7 Group, owned by CANAL+ Group and one of Europe’s leading pay TV providers, has concluded an agreement with the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) for the satellite distribution of Current Time TV in HD via both ASTRA 19.2 and Eutelsat E9B.
Current Time TV is a 24/7 Russian-language TV and digital network, providing live news, robust debate, and fact-based reporting on local, regional, and international issues, aimed at audiences in Russia, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and around the world. It is produced by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in collaboration with Voice of America.
Demand for the mix of unique feature and documentary programming that Current Time offers is expanding in Russia, Ukraine, the Baltics, and beyond. Over last year, Current Time signed over 50 new media partners in countries like Estonia, Lithuania, and Moldova. Current Time television content is also complemented by a robust and popular digital component that engages and connects with global audiences via social media and other platforms. In the past year, Current Time’s online videos have been viewed an unprecedented 4 billion times.
Following the agreement with M7, Current Time TV will be distributed free-to-air via ASTRA 19.2 East (Transponder 1.105, 12.515 MHz), Europe’s prime satellite position reaching over 95 million TV homes, out of which close to 40 million are Direct-to-Home households. ASTRA 19.2 distribution allows Current Time TV to substantially enlarge its viewing audience among Russian-language homes in Europe.
As part of the agreement, Current Time TV will be listed in the EPGs of Canal Digitaal, TV VLAANDEREN, TéléSAT, HD Austria and Skylink, the M7-owned Direct-To-Home platforms fully or partially operating via ASTRA 19.2. Furthermore, Current Time TV will soon be available as a linear OTT channel via the M7 platforms in Hungary (Direct One) and Romania (Focus Sat), as well.
In addition, Current Time TV will broadcast via Eutelsat E9B at 9° East (Transponder E014, 11.977 MHz), for inclusion in the M7 Germany Russian language package, as well as for encrypted third-party delivery within its Europe-wide footprint.
M7 Group, a CANAL+ Group company, is one of Europe’s largest operators of satellite and IP-based TV platforms and is based in Luxembourg. M7 Group uses different brands in different countries: Skylink and freeSAT in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Canal Digitaal in the Netherlands, TV VLAANDEREN and TÉLÉSAT in Belgium, HD Austria in Austria, Direct One in Hungary and Focus Sat in Romania. Today, M7 Group provides more than 3 million subscribers with hundreds of satellite and IP-based radio and television services in digital and HD quality. M7 Platform Services provides broadcasters with end-to-end distribution solutions for DTH, cable and IPTV reception. Furthermore, M7 provides a growing range of premium content platforms and channels: CANAL+ Austria and CANAL+ First in Austria, CANAL+ Sports and CANAL+ Action for the Czech and Slovak markets. www.m7group.eu.