BBC World News and SES Extend HD Deal
Audiences across Europe will continue to enjoy BBC World News on ASTRA 19.2 degrees East
Luxembourg, 13 May 2020 — TV viewers across Western Europe will continue to be able to watch BBC World News thanks to an extended deal with SES. BBC Global News delivers its HD news channel, BBC World News, free-to-air, across Europe on SES’s Astra satellite at 19.2 degrees East.
The total HD reach at Astra 19.2 degrees East has increased every year, rising from 65 million homes at year end 2015 to 88 million by year end 2019, a 34% growth in five years. The BBC World News channel, which has been available in HD through SES since 2015, is distributed via a multiplex operated and uplinked by SES from its Luxembourg headquarters.
Chris Davies, EVP Marketing and Distribution for BBC Global News, says, “This deal with SES is really important as it allows us to reliably reach widespread audiences across Western Europe. Amidst one of the biggest news stories of this generation, we’re seeing unprecedented demand for quality journalism. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve taken BBC World News from being available in 465 million homes worldwide to over half a billion homes, to provide a growing audience with trusted, accurate and impartial news.”
“Since the COVID-19 health crisis started, we have heard from our customers that demand for linear TV, especially news programmes, is on the rise and that reliable news producers such as the BBC are now more critical in providing accurate news and information to millions of viewers,” said Ferdinand Kayser, CEO at SES Video. “We’re pleased to continue working with the BBC and to help bring high-quality HD news to 88 million European households at a time when they need it most.”
For further information please contact:
Suzanne Ong
External Communications
Tel. +352 710 725 500
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About SES
SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES’s video network carries over 8,300 channels and has an unparalleled reach of over 355 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com
About BBC Global News
BBC World News and BBC.com, the BBC’s commercially funded international 24-hour English news platforms, are owned and operated by BBC Global News. BBC World News television is available in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide, and over half a billion households and 3 million hotel rooms. The channel is also available on over 180 cruise ships, 53 airlines, including 13 distributing the channel live inflight. BBC.com offers up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features, including BBC Worklife, BBC Culture, BBC Future, BBC Travel and BBC Reel, for PCs, tablets and mobile devices to more than 110 million unique browsers each month.