Digital TV in CEE – PRAGUE. The Russian DTH Platform NTV-Plus is definitely interested in multiscreen and at some point will merge all its services into one system, according to Lev Petukhov, head of web projects development and maintenance department.
Speaking in a panel entitled Delivering Advanced Services: HD, 3D, VOD and DVR, he added that the company is still quite optimistic about securing the rights to the Russian Premier Football League for the next four seasons, which it is currently contesting with the state broadcaster RTR.
In his view, winning them will help continue educating Russian viewers about premium content.
Commenting on VOD, Petukhov said that the company had launched a linear stream two and half years ago and then introduced DVR.
Right now, he expects NTV-Plus’s VOD service to reach 1 million tickets a year by the end of this year, which is “a great figure”.
NTV-Plus has also introduced HD – it currently offers subscribers 15 channels in the format, six of which are proprietary, including one in 3D – into Russia.
