German TV broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 will continue to distribute its free-to-air channels in SD resolution on Astra (19.2° East).
Under the multi-year renewal agreement, Astra satellite operator SES will provide transponder capacity for the unencrypted transmission of TV channels Sat.1, ProSieben, kabel eins, sixx, Sat.1 Gold, ProSieben Maxx and kabel eins Doku as well as the regional programmes of Sat.1 for viewers in Bavaria and North-Rhine Westphalia. The contract also includes additional technical services from SES subsidiary MX1.
“In Germany, 46% of TV viewers receive our programmes via satellite – and increasingly also in the best HD quality through SES platform HD+. With this new agreement, we are ensuring that our free-TV stations retain their high reach via satellite,” said Nicole Agudo Berbel, Chief Distribution Officer and Executive Vice President Digital Publishing at ProSiebenSat.1.
Christoph Mühleib, Managing Director of Astra Deutschland, added: “We are very pleased to continue working with ProSiebenSat.1, one of our most important customers. This renewal agreement is also great news for all satellite TV households as they can continue receiving ProSiebenSat.1’s unencrypted channels. Satellite is and remains the only transmission infrastructure giving German viewers access to the full range of programmes at no additional monthly cost.”