New movie channels tap Levira for playout

Estonia-based transmission services provider Levira has struck an agreement with Kids Network Television to provide playout and distribution for two new linear channels – Filmzone and Filmzone – from July 15.

Kids Network Television operates the Kidszone channel, aimed at 4-14 year-olds and dedicated for the Baltic market. The service was launched in 2013 in Estonia and Lithuania, with a Latvian version following in 2014.

Filmzone will offer a mix of thrillers, adventure and action films, while Filmzone+ will focus on dramas, romances and comedies.

Currently about 30 channels are aired from Levira’s facility in Tallinn and distributed primarily in Northern Europe.

“We are happy and confident to start cooperation with Levira, who has long experience in providing such services. It allows us to concentrate on making the best channels for our viewers,” said Regiina Eelmaa, managing director of the Filmzone and Filmzone+ channels.

“With a great pleasure we enter into cooperation with Kids Network Television to help them to extend their business in Baltic markets and to develop their new channels Filmzone and Filmzone+. I believe our experience and know-how will secure high quality of the channels from technical perspective and will thus  allow our new client to focus on it’s core business and to provide viewers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania great content and positive emotions,” said Indrek Lepp, director of Levira’s media services division.

Estonian telco Elion has already added the two channels to its NutiTV offering, replacing channels K1 and HD1. Elion’s head of procurement Toomas Luhatsi said the new channels filled a gap in the market for Estonian-language versions of recent international movies.