Canal+ plans “revolutionary changes” to its flagship service in Poland, according to Julien Verley, the president of the DTH platform nc+.
In a wide-ranging interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, he said that they would take two years to implement and see the channel offer a wider variety of programming including documentaries, interviews, discussion and sport, with it remaining a premium service and free of commercials.
Commenting on the general performance of nc+, Verley said it had put its difficult start – the service made its debut in March 2013 – behind it and had added more new subscribers in each of the last three months – 20% more in the case of September – than in the same period last year. He also said that although the pay-TV market in Poland was saturated, with penetration standing at over 70%, growth was only realistically possible through winning customers over from other providers and this is where nc+ saw its chance.
Verley dismissed suggestions that nc+’s potential loss of the rights to the Ekstraklasa (Polish premier football league) when they expire at the end of the year would be major blow to the company, given that it also has a number of other important rights, both for major football and other sports competitions.
Verley also denied nc+’s service was expensive and said that the company is currently working with Orange, a long-time partner, to introduce a completely new offer.
Furthermore, Verley dismissed the threat of DTT and said pay-per-view was a 20th century technology. He also acknowledged the enormous threat of piracy.
