GlobeCast announced today that it has signed an agreement to deliver Russian-language channel Planeta Sport to audiences in Europe via the Hot Bird satellite. GlobeCast WorldTV Americas premier international direct-to-home satellite television provider also announced today that it has added RTR-Planeta and Planeta Sport to its channel line-up in the United States.
GlobeCasts Hot Bird platform at 13°East delivers more than 98 million television homes across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and 99% of cable operators in the region. In addition to Planeta Sport, other leading channels on the satellite include MTV, BBC, CNN, EuroNews, Bloomberg, TV Romania and TPS, among many others.
Planeta Sport provides premiere coverage of a wide range of international sports including the top Russian teams and athletes. From the Russian Premier League in football, ice hockey, basketball and volleyball, to the National Championships in billiards and rugby to gymnastics, figure skating and bowling, Planeta Sport includes everything for Russian sports enthusiasts.
In addition to distribution on Hot Bird in Europe, Planeta Sport and RTR-Planeta have also been added to GlobeCasts WorldTV DTH service in the United States. RTR-Planeta is an amalgamation of the best of RTRs leading channels Kultura and Rossiya and offers Russian-speaking viewers prime time news, made-for-television and feature films and documentaries as well as an array of general cultural programming. The channel helps viewers stay connected to Russian culture through a varied slate of programs about subjects such as history, art and theater.
Planeta Sport is downlinked to GlobeCasts teleport in London and uplinked to Hot Bird for distribution in Europe. For delivery on GlobeCast WorldTV, the two channels are downlinked at GlobeCasts teleports in Paris and London, and then are transported via the companys global fiber network to its facilities in Los Angeles for uplink to the Intelsat Americas 5 satellite for distribution across North America.
RTR is the leading Russian language broadcaster in the world. The company is comprised of two national television channels, Kultura and Rossiya; two national radio stations as well as 90 affiliated television and radio stations. More than 200 million viewers enjoy RTR programs.
GlobeCast WorldTV a subsidiary of satellite service provider GlobeCast is the leading source for international programming via satellite in America, delivering almost 150 market leading television and radio channels in 30 languages representing 40 countries from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa, via Direct-to-Home KU-band satellite on Intelsat Americas 5.