Germany

[DE] Digital Cable Allocation Agreement

IRIS 2006-2:1/34

Max Schoenthal

Berlin

The digitisation of cable television in Germany is progressing. In December 2005, after years of negotiations, cable operator Kabel Deutschland GmbH (KDG) and TV broadcaster RTL reached an agreement on the distribution of the channels that make up the " RTL family", ie RTL Television, RTL 2, Super RTL, n-tv and VOX via the so-called Simulcast system. Simulcast means that these channels will, for an interim period, be broadcast in analogue form as well as digitally via cable in the 13 Bundesländer served by KDG. In the meantime, KDG has also signed agreements to carry six other private channels (DSF, Euronews, Eurosport and Eurosport 2, "Das Vierte" and terranova), which have consequently been available via the KDG network since January 2006. Baden-Württemberg operator Kabel BW has also reached a similar agreement with RTL. However, unlike the KDG arrangement, both digital and analogue transmissions will be unencrypted for the time being. An agreement between KDG and ProSiebenSat1Media AG is expected in the near future.