Pay-TV offers viewers dozens of stations of different genres on terrestrial antennas. These include not only full-format stations, but also thematic ones, which are provided by virtually all the key players on the market, be it Czech Television, Nova or Prima. Free-to-air television is intended primarily for the viewer who does not expect any extra standard, but is satisfied with the basic offer of linear broadcasting. If they get a TV set connected to the internet, they will also get the possibility of watching these programmes in reverse mode.
Pay-TV operators have built several weapons against the dozens of free-to-air programmes in DVB-T2 (and sometimes also DVB-T). No longer is the availability of free-to-air programmes in high-definition video and the rewatch function, which is possible with virtually all programmes offered in HD or directly in Full HD format, any bonus. The programme offers are then complemented by own or external video libraries such as Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, etc. T-Mobile has tried to go even further and test partners' content on linear channels as well.
FAST channels as a neglected phenomenon in the Czech Republic
Several TV executives have already mentioned in various interviews that their media group is considering the possibility of launching so-called FAST channels. These are free-to-air stations that are interrupted by embedded online advertising at precise times. They are provided free of charge by the broadcasters for the use of various streaming services. In simplified terms, FAST channels can also be imagined as free-to-air programming for terrestrial broadcasters, for example, except that they are available in applications that work with an internet connection - Rakuten TV, Plex, etc.
Despite the fact that a number of FAST channels are currently unattractive for Czech viewers, a certain group can now find their audience. Music stations"speak" the international language, and some sports or news programmes also fall into this category. Interestingly, the foreign services operating in the Czech Republic already have domestic advertising spots on these channels. However, if operators were to use some foreign FAST channels for their offerings, this would be an interesting expansion of their offerings and the services could get access to content that, for example, their rivals do not offer.
SD channels are not enough for the demands
Even in 2024, some (mainly) foreign broadcasters were unable to ensure the distribution of their programmes in high definition. Let us now disregard the fact that there are operators who offer some channels in SD resolution only by their own decision, but we are talking about a category of broadcaster who simply do not offer higher picture quality for the Czech market. Indeed, the Czech Republic is not a country where the population uses CRT TVs in large numbers and broadcasting in HD should be some kind of premium luxury for them.
One well-known brand that falls into this category is AXN channels. While their operator has expanded the broadcasting of their main programme to several operators' offers in HD in the last few months, the remaining two stations - AXN White and AXN Black - are still only available in SD resolution. Another example is Crime+Investigation. "Mazanice" is thus featured in the offers of a number of telecom players on the market, including the most important ones. A large group of programmes that are absent with HD resolution, for example, are children's stations. For brands like Disney Channel or Nickelodeon, this is surprising.
Exclusive channels
A category that is slowly finding its way into the offers of Czech operators is exclusive channels. We can mention, for example, the O2 TV Sport family , or Canal+ as an exclusive product that was eventually offered by other players, but we also want to point out something else. Let's look at the neighbouring German media market, for example. There is an active pay-TV company here in the creation of exclusive content, Waipu, an online platform that opens up access to 270 programmes of various genres to viewers for around 340 crowns per month, including the aforementioned FAST channels.
Waipu creates exclusive channels in agreement with some broadcasters, both on the public service and commercial programme sides. Examples include ARD Plus Krimiklassiker, ZDF Telenovela, RTLZwei Clips or RTLZwei Families. In practice, it is a question of extending the coverage of existing programmes or better appreciating the available libraries. T-Mobile already took the first steps along this path at the end of last year, launching the DVTV Extra project in cooperation with a well-known online platform , BBC First with BBC Worldwide 's drama or theatre shows under the Dramox banner, which also operates as a stand-alone VOD service.
Watch shows in advance
One of the strategic pillars on which Voyo' s video library (and also prima+, launched last year) has long stood is the possibility of viewing original programmes in advance. Both media groups also sell this benefit in the form of a classic TV programme (electronic programme guide), where it is possible to move not only backwards but also forwards on the timeline. But this might not just be the domain of Nova and Prima in their own online video libraries in the future. It could extend to virtually any broadcaster that made this option available.
Until recently, the option of preview viewing seemed like science fiction, with programs like Warner Bros. Discovery, National Geographic, and others, it might not actually be such a problem -especially when some stations repeat their shows several times, so it doesn't really matter when they select them from the EPG. Another option might be to place such a format in a library that the operator can prepare. However, in the current state of the media environment, it is probably hard to imagine that, for example, Česká televize would launch an iVysilani+ service, where it would be possible to view the public broadcaster's output in advance for a certain fee.
Source: mediaguru.cz
