Balkans

Bulgarian telecommunications company MTel has confirmed the launch of three new sports channels.

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters has made a final call for national authorities to come to the aid of its member Bosnia and Herzegovinian Radio and Television as the operator continues to struggle with funding issues.

Uefa, European football’s governing body, last month secured a strong increase in the value of its national team media rights from telco Digitalb in Albania and Kosovo.

Tour de France organiser Amaury Sport Organisation has said the 2016 edition of the cycling race will have new broadcast partners as it prepares to commence tomorrow (Saturday).

Crisis-hit Bosnia and Herzegovinian Radio and Television has reached a last-minute agreement with the European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters that will allow it to show the Uefa Euro 2016 national team football tournament.

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters has said it is “deeply concerned” after its member in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BHRT, announced it would cease operations at the end of the month due to financial difficulties.

The Basketball League of Serbia has sealed a deal to launch a video subscription platform in partnership with online services provider StreamAMG.

The Fight Channel Group has agreed a carriage deal for its Fight Channel and Fight Channel World HD pay-television channels with Macedonian cable television operator Blizoo.

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters has written to key decision makers at the European Union to call for joint action to save its member in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BHRT.

Croatian IPTV platform Iskon has agreed a deal to carry Fight Channel, the European pay-television channel dedicated to martial arts and combat sports.

Nova Broadcasting Group, part of multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group, has agreed a three-season deal for rights in Bulgaria to Liga ACB, the top division of basketball in Spain.

The Formula E electric car-racing championship has agreed two-season extensions to its rights deals with telecommunications firm Telekom Romania and pay-television broadcaster Arena Sport TV.

The Formula E electric car-racing championship has agreed a new broadcast rights deal in Iceland, along with extending existing agreements in Albania and Cyprus.

German-based pay-television broadcaster Motorvision TV has moved to expand its global reach by securing new carriage deals in Serbia and Taiwan, as well as extending existing agreements in France, Slovenia and Romania.

Nova Broadcasting Group, part of multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group, will launch a new HD sports channel in Bulgaria next month.

Serbian public-service broadcaster RTS has acquired rights to the 2015 European Games.

SPTV, a free-to-air specialist sports channel owned by the Croatian Olympic Committee, has secured rights in the country for the 2015 edition of the European Games multi-sports event in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The aggressiveness of telco Telekom Srbija was a driving factor in increases in the value of the rights to the Uefa Champions League and Europa League in the Balkans.