Dutch regional public broadcaster Omroep Brabant is to cease its satellite broadcasts for DTH homes on December 31. Out of the total of ten regional channels, another five are weighing their options.
In a statement, Omroep Brabant said that the costs of satellite distribution are too high in relation to the number of homes served. The channels has been broadcasting on satellite for the past four years, but was helped by a grant from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, as well as a financial contribution from KPN.
Omroep Brabant will remain available to people outside the reach of cable networks via the Dutch terrestrial Digitenne network as a free-to-air channel and as a web stream.
Five other regional broadcasters – Omroep Zeeland, RTV Drenthe, RTV Rijnmond, L1 Limburg and RTV Noord Holland – have not yet made a decision about their future DTH distribution. RTV Noord, Omrop Fryslân, RTV Oost and Omroep Gelderland will continue their satellite broadcasts.
