The Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has given the go-ahead to the formation of a joint venture between Romantica (East) and CBS Enterprises.
As a result, CBS channels could launch in the country as soon as the end of this year.
Romantica (East) is the Chello Zone partner name in the partnership with CBS.
It is part of Liberty Global, Inc (LGI), whose other interests in Poland include Chello Europe and UPC Polska, the country’s leading cable operator.
The new joint venture will licence and distribute thematic, entertainment and movie channels in – amongst other locations – Europe and the Middle East.
Within Poland itself, it will distribute Zone Reality, Zone Romantica, Zone Europa and Zone Club.
In the case of three of these channels, they will be renamed CBS Action (Zone Romantica), CBS Drama (Zone Club) and CBS Reality (Zone Reality).
CBS Enterprises will hold a 30% stake in the new venture, which the UOKiK says has to be formed within the next two years.
