The Czech national transmission company Ceske Radiokomunikace (CRa) could find itself in financial difficulties operating the country’s third DTT multiplex, which it acquired from the Czech Digital Group (CDG) last month.
According to E15, the multiplex essentially sits empty – it now only carries the channel TV Public following the closure of Z1 earlier this week – at a time when the company has raised the fees it charges for use of the multiplex by CZK1.5 million (€62,000) a month to CZK6 million.
CRa is nevertheless committed to building up the multiplex, raising its current coverage from 85.2% of the population to 96% by this November.
It will in addition add more channels, most probably from existing broadcasters.
CRa also operates the Czech Republic’s second DTT multiplex, which carries the commercial channels TV Nova, Prima TV, Prima Cool, Nova Cinema and TV Barrandov.
The first multiplex is operated by the public broadcaster CT and carries its four main channels, while the fourth is operated by the incumbent telco Telefónica O2, still on a trail basis, and carries Nova HD, CT HD and Ocko.
