German entertainment channel Family TV will launch on Astra (19.2° East) on May 1, 2016.
The commercial free-to-air channel will be distributed unencrypted on the frequency 10.921 GHz H (SR 22,000, FEC 7/8). SES Platform Services, the technical services subsidiary of Astra satellite operator SES, will handle encoding, multiplexing and uplink.
The channel will be broadcast in SD resolution for five years initially, according to SES Platform Services.
Family TV is operated by Augsburg-based ITV Media Group and targets viewers between 14 and 49 years of age with series, movies, documentaries and original productions.
Through Astra, Family TV reaches 18 million satellite households in Germany. The channel can also be received on Eutelsat’s Hot Bird position at 13° East, on cable and IPTV networks, on internet TV platforms and as a live-stream on its website.
“With the distribution of Family TV on the Astra satellite, we can considerably increase our reach and significantly reach more viewers,” said Timo C. Storost, managing director of ITV Media. “We are happy to realise this growth move together with our partner SES Platform Services.”
