Discovery

Indian television experts have questioned the viability of pay-television channel DSport – a partnership between Discovery Communications and Indian broadcast executive RC Venkateish which launched in India last week – in its current form.

Polish public-service broadcaster TVP has paid an increase of over 40 per cent to acquire rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games from media group Discovery Communications.

Pan-European pay-television broadcast group Sky has fired the latest shot in its battle with Discovery Communications, the parent company of international sports broadcaster Eurosport, by criticising its approach to negotiations over a carriage deal, adding that the US company is seeking close to £1bn (€1.16bn/$1.25bn) for an agreement.

Discovery Communications’ decision to end negotiations with Germany’s public-service broadcasters over the free-to-air rights for the Olympic Games will be a very expensive one.

This month’s creation of the Bamtech Europe streaming operation by US technology company Bamtech and Discovery Communications provides immediate benefits for its owners.

International media and entertainment company Discovery Communications has signed a sublicensing deal for Olympic Games rights with Belarus National State Broadcasting.

German public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF are unlikely to change their position over free-to-air rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games, despite being subjected to questions in parliament this month over their hard-line negotiating tactics.

The sublicensing deals agreed this week by Discovery Communications with public-service broadcasters in Slovakia and Slovenia for the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games fit the pattern of others agreed so far in Europe: public-service broadcasters paying higher fees for fewer rights than they had in 2014 and 2016.

International sports broadcaster Eurosport has greatly increased its spend on Wimbledon media rights across Europe following a host of new deals agreed in recent weeks.

New inventory and strong broadcaster competition has seen the value of Uefa’s package of national team rights increase markedly in Scandinavia.

International media and entertainment company Discovery Communications has signed a long-term extension to its carriage deal with media firm Liberty Global.

German public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF are ready to cut off talks with Discovery Communications over a sublicensing deal for rights covering the Olympic Games in 2018 and 2020 if the media company does not lower its asking price.

International media and entertainment company Discovery Communications unveiled a series of deals this (Thursday) morning covering the Olympic Games and European national team football qualifiers, as well as new strategic partnerships in Spain, Italy and Chile.

US media and entertainment company Discovery Communications has sealed its latest sublicensing deal for Olympic Games rights in Europe through an agreement with Czech public-service broadcaster Ceska Televize.

YLE will pay a 10-per-cent increase for media rights in Finland to the Olympic Games of 2018 and 2020, despite being unable to secure coverage of some of the most valuable events.

Finnish public-service broadcaster YLE has struck a deal to sublicense rights to the 2018 and 2020 Olympic Games from US media and entertainment company Discovery Communications.