Estonia is hoping to capitalise on Brexit and how it will affect TV broadcasting licences issued by the UK regulator Ofcom.
Tallinn-based Levira has recently begun to promote the benefits of the country as an alternative to the UK once it has left the EU and therefore placed itself outside the Audio-Visual Media Services Directive.
Speaking to Broadband TV News at IBC, Martti Kinkar, from the technical project management and new services department division of media services at Levira, said that the company knows that broadcasters are looking at the situation as they need stability in terms of licensing. While Levira is not offering anything, it is promoting Estonia as one possible country for licensing “as we have all the pieces there”.
If broadcasters are required to establish a local presence in Estonia Levira would be happy to step in to help. Indeed, opening a business is a straightforward process in the country and would only take 15 minutes online.
This would be through what is termed E-Residency, a scheme unique to Estonia that allows one to run a business in the country without relocating or travelling there on a regular basis.
Kinkar also said that Ofcom is currently the leading issuer of broadcasting licences in the EU, having provided some 1,400 to foreign stations and their array of channels.
The next leading issuer in the EU has only granted some 400 licences to foreign broadcasters.
