Canal+ Group, ITI and TVN have completed the merger of the pay-TV bouquets in the Polish market.
Cyfra+ and “n” will be combined into a new platform named nc+ with a subscriber base of 2.5 million. Canal will take 51% in the new company, with TVN and UPC representing 32% and 17% respectively.
Canal said that the combination of the two platforms would enable subscribers to be offered exclusive content and the best technology. Both Cyfra+ and “n” are broadcast from the Eutelsat Hot Bird neighbourhood at 13 degrees East.
The executive management teams will be chaired by Julien Verley, with four other members Beata Monka (external affairs, communications and brand), Christian Anting (content and offer), Artur Przybysz (commercial and logistics) and Nicolas Dandoy (finance).
Bertrand Meheut, Canal + Group Chairman, said: “This strategic partnership with TVN, the leading Polish media and the creation of n + is an important step in the diversification and expansion of Group Canal+”.
The merger was approved by Poland’s competition and consumer authority UOKiK on September 14.
Poland’s DTH market is now effectively operating a duopoly, served by the new platform and Cyfrowy Polsat, the market leader, which currently has 3.56 million subscribers.
