Samsung TV Plus adds slate of new channels to offering from European broadcasters

Samsung Electronics Ltd has partnered with European broadcasters including ZDF, ITV Studios, Viasat World and TF1, to bring a slate of new channels to its FAST platform Samsung TV Plus in markets across the continent.  

ZDF Studios, the production and distribution arm of German broadcaster ZDF, will launch two new channels on Samsung TV Plus in Germany. This includes Sa,Bares Für Rares, the long-running German antiques entertainment programme and ZDF kocht! which houses all content of the ZDF masterchefs, with plans to launch up to 20 channels on the Samsung FAST platform from ZDF across Europe.

ITV Studios’ Hell’s Kitchen channel which is exclusively available on Samsung TV Plus will debut in the DACH region, as well as Norway and Finland.

Independent European broadcaster, Viasat World will deliver content from three of its factual brands to Samsung TV Plus audiences in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Among the channels are nature and wildlife channel Viasat Nature, Viasat Explore which showcases extraordinary stories from ordinary people and history-focused channel Viasat History.

While Newen, the French production company of TF1 Group, will launch the French soap opera channel Plus belle la vie on the Samsung TV Plus platform in France and Switzerland.

According to recent research from Samsung Ads and Verve, almost two thirds (64%) of streaming audiences agree that content is improving on free streaming services, resulting in 78% of viewers watching free streaming alongside their SVOD services.

Jennifer Batty, European head of content acquisition at Samsung TV Plus said: “Being an early adopter, we have the advantage of having one of the largest FAST footprints, in Europe and globally. And with that we have been able to champion some incredible content producers, including European broadcasters. They have found a new home in FAST; extending the reach of their quality content beyond a regional audience. And those audiences have found a new way to access this broadcaster-quality content, all for free. We look forward to continuing our commitment to expanding the content on offer for our Samsung TV Plus European audience, and partnering with the best content producers globally to help us do so.”

Dr. Markus Schäfer, president and CEO, ZDF Studios, added: “For ZDF Studios, FAST channels represent an attractive business area with a wide range of growth prospects. In August 2022, for example, the “Terra X” channel on Samsung TV Plus was launched extremely successfully. We are now looking forward to successively launching 20 more FAST channels across Europe together with our partner Samsung, thus accelerating our FAST growth. We will start in Germany with the formats “Cash or Trash” and “ZDF kocht!”, which are ideally suited for FAST channel positioning.”