Credit: SES

Bayerische Medien Technik GmbH (bmt), a subsidiary of the Bavarian regulatory authority for new media (BLM) and Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), Bavaria's public broadcasting service, has signed a multi-year agreement to extend its partnership with Luxembourg satellite company SES S.A.

Under the agreement, bmt will continue to use SES' satellites at Astra 19.2 degrees East to broadcast Bavarian local TV channels in HD. It will also continue to receive funding from the state of Bavaria to broadcast fourteen free-to-air channels, including local TV stations from Munich and Nuremberg, to audiences across Bavaria.

Siegfried Schneider, President of BLM, explained: “The increasing viewership and high popularity ratings of the current programming in the past two years show how much viewers appreciate reliable information from their region, especially in the news-heavy times of the pandemic. With the transmission of local TV programmes via SES’s Astra satellites, we are able to successfully reach the widest audiences and bring their favourite content in HD quality".

Christoph Mühleib, Managing Director of ASTRA Deutschland GmbH, added: “SES’s partnership with bmt underscores the growing significance of regional TV offerings and the value local content brings to audiences that look for a tailored viewing experience. With our prime satellites at 19.2 degrees East, we ensure consistent delivery of local programming to the millions of viewers in Bavaria with the best image and sound quality".