Antenna Group acquires Sony TV portfolio in CEE | Major Businesses | Business | News

As part of a major investment in the region, securing 22 pay-TV businesses and two OTT services in 12 territories, international media group Antenna, has agreed with Sony Pictures Television to acquire the CEE AXN, Sony and Viasat pay-TV channels and on-demand services in Central and Eastern Europe.

The multi-territory, multi-channel deal allows Antenna Group to expand further its reach across the CEE media landscape, targeting an audience in excess of 100 million. The newly acquired entertainment channels and on-demand services achieve 90% pay-TV market penetration with more than 24m subscribers across 12 territories: Poland, Hungary, Czechia, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Montenegro.

The 22 channels, which include the AXN and Viasat legacy brands, provide a mix of original productions and international programming from major studios, including Sony Pictures Entertainment, CBS, Warner Bros, NBC Universal, Disney and eOne, which inspire a loyal, dedicated fan base with strong brand affinity.

As a result of the deal, Antenna Group said that it would seek to enhance the channel offering, delivering news and entertainment, including studio and locally produced content, while growing audiences and maximising distribution. It added that it would be seeking further investment opportunities across content production companies, TV channels and OTT services throughout the region.

“I am delighted to welcome the Sony Networks team in Warsaw, Budapest and Bucharest to Antenna Group,” commented Adam Theiler, CEO pay-TV Antenna Group. “Together, we will renew our efforts to entertain the legions of fans who trust AXN and Viasat, and by doing so, confirm our place as the preferred content partner of the pay-TV operators and advertisers who share our aspiration to grow the pay-TV market in Central and Eastern Europe.”