The Russian DTH platform Tricolor TV has acquired satellite capacity on Eutelsat 36B at 36 degrees East formerly used by Ukraine’s Lybid TV.
Quoted by Comnews and Satkurier, Nikolai Orlov, Eutelsat’s representative in Russia, said that the capacity was on two transponders and that on of these had been activated by Tricolor TV a few weeks ago.
He added that Tricolor TV is currently broadcasting only two channels for the platform.
Although Lybid TV, itself a DTH platform serving Ukraine, went off the air and filed for bankruptcy only last month, it is thinking of re-launching a service once the political and economic situation stabilises in country.
However, its prospects would be hampered by the fact that several dozen Ukrainian TV channels, among them some of the most watched, are available FTA via Astra 4A at 4.8 degrees East and Amos 2.3 at 4 degrees West.
Lybid TV was at one time headed by the former director of Tricolor TV and widely believed to have Russian backing. However, the Russian parties in question denied this.
