M7 Group has signed an agreement with Blue Ant Media at the NEM 2019 conference in Dubrovnik for the distribution of Love Nature HD and Love Nature 4K.
A joint venture between Blue Ant Media and Smithsonian Networks, Love Nature offers wildlife and nature fans the world’s largest library of HD and 4K natural history programming, with more than 40 shooting locations worldwide, including Zambia, Scandinavia, Cambodia, and Australia.
Love Nature HD will be distributed via the M7-owned platforms for the Benelux (Canal Digitaal, Online.nl and TV Vlaanderen) and Skylink, M7’s pay-TV platform for Czech Republic and Slovakia. The channel will be available in English and with Dutch subtitles and Czech localisation will follow shortly.
As part of the agreement, M7 Platform Services will arrange for the safe and secure satellite delivery of Love Nature HD to third party operators within the Europe-wide Astra 23.5 degrees East footprint coverage and provide all related support services including the provision of reception modules and first-level helpdesk support for third party operators.
Love Nature 4K will be made available for M7’s B2B customers in the German-speaking markets, as well as for M7 Direct-to-Home subscribers capable of receiving Eutelsat Hotbird at 13 degrees East.
Commenting on the development, Ward Platt, CEO Global Networks & Kids at Blue Ant Media, said: “Our cooperation with M7 Group, provides us immediate entry to a large viewer base in multiple European key markets for both our HD and 4K channel, including the channels debut in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This new and non-exclusive distribution partnership will enable us to reach more viewers who are hungry for our premium natural history content in the very best quality and will further open doors for Love Nature in Central and Eastern Europe”.
Bill Wijdeveld, VP business development M7 Group, added: “We are very pleased with this agreement with Blue Ant Media. Being fully dedicated to natural history programming and produced in the highest quality, Love Nature is a truly unique channel and a great addition to our content line-up. We look forward to a great cooperation in our various European markets.”
