Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) is expanding its coverage across CEE with a new distribution partnership signed with Romania’s RCS&RDS.
The deal will expand and broaden VIMN’s coverage in the region via its channels Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.
Bartosz Witak, general manager, CEE and Israel, VIMN, said: “RCS&RDS is one of the biggest distribution partners in the Central European region and it plays an especially important role in our regional growth. Therefore, we consider placing our agreement with RCS as one of the great successes of the year.”
Comedy Central regularly comes in as first among the most viewed Hungarian cable channels and Nickelodeon will be available in more households in Hungary and Romania with the new deal; an additional 3 million households in Romania and 500,000 new households in Hungary from this October.
Speaking to Broadband TV News, industry sources said the deal was significant in that RCS&RDS had replaced channels from one leading international content provider with that from another.
Earlier reports that AXN was involved are not true – negotiations are ongoing between SPT Networks and RCS and the channel remains operational. “We hope to come to an agreement with RCS to continue to bring AXN to our loyal viewers in Hungary,” said a spokesperson for AXN.
Last November the company took off Discovery channels from its networks in Romania in a move that drew considerable criticism from subscribers.
