Discovery & Cyfrowy Polsat Partner for OTT

Discovery and Cyfrowy Polsat have inked a joint-venture agreement to create a video streaming platform that will operate in Poland and international markets.

The new OTT service will provide viewers with access to the best of Polish content, including movies, series, documentaries, sports and entertainment. The new service will include local productions supplied by TVN and Polsat, acquired content and new series commissioned specifically for the new entity.

The platform will be an independent business entity with its own resources and management board. After gaining regulatory clearance, the joint venture will launch as an AVOD service but the partners look forward to developing the new service, including the eventual rollout of an SVOD component.

Kasia Kieli, president and CEO of Discovery EMEA, said: “This new venture fits squarely into our international strategy and belief that local broadcasters need to better satisfy consumer demand by aggregating their offerings and developing a strong local-content-led streaming service—just as we did in Germany with Joyn.”

“Polish audiences will have a dizzying number of streaming options for international content, but this will undoubtedly be the home of the best Polish productions,” she added.

Maciej Stec, deputy president for strategy at Cyfrowy Polsat and Polkomtel, the Plus network’s operator, added: “We are glad to be co-creating a project which is likely to become a real alternative to international OTTs. Our ambition is for the platform to offer the best and most advanced technological solutions. It is especially important that this project has the capability to bring Polish content to international viewers, too.”