German public broadcaster ZDF has terminated its distribution on Eutelsat’s Hotbird satellite system at 13° East at the end of 2017, a ZDF spokeswoman confirmed to Broadband TV News.
“The availability of ZDF’s programmes in Germany is ensured through the transmission on SES Astra. The distribution as a livestream on the internet as well as the possibility to access ZDF programmes on catch-up service ZDFmediathek also contribute to nationwide and in many cases even worldwide reception, if the corresponding rights are available,” the ZDF spokeswoman explained.
“For this reason and as part of its commitment to responsibly handle the public licence fee payments, ZDF has decided to discontinue the distribution on Eutelsat Hotbird.”
With its move, ZDF follows fellow public broadcaster ARD which has terminated the satellite transmission of its man channel Das Erste on Hotbird on March 31, 2017 in favour of a sole distribution on Astra (19.2° East). At the time, ZDF said that it would stay on Hotbird.
The former ZDF slot on Hotbird on the frequency 11.054 GHz H (SR 27,500, FEC 5/6) has been taken over by German home-shopping channel Juwelo TV.
