Three private broadcasters are to join the DTT offer in the German state of Saarland. Last Thursday, the media authority Landesmedienanstalt Saarland (LMS) issued licences to regional broadcaster Saar TV, Munich-based Tele 5 and the home shopping channel QVC.
The RTL Group and ProSiebenSat1 have not showed an interest in joining the DTT offer, but both ARD and ZDF will have their own multiplex. “Saarland is now one of the few regions which have private broadcasters taking part in digital terrestrial broadcasts. We are glad that we have put together an attractive offer with the public broadcasters,” said Dr. Gerd Bauer, director of the LMS. DTT transmissions will start later this year in the state.