According to Internet Securities, ITI submitted an application to the Polish Broadcasting Council for a license to launch a sports channel in autumn. The channel should be one of the first to be offered on ITI’s digital platform.
Our view: ITI has also purchased the rights for the World Cup suggesting its focus on sports while TVN abstained and rather concentrated on the woman’s programming during the cup. TVN said that it does not plan to launch a sports channel itself. Therefore, we do not see ITI’s new sport channel as a competitive threat to TVN. In addition, TVN started considering a foreign expansion in the light of limited domestic growth; i.e. sold out inventory, near-full capacity of cable & satellite operators.