PR/17/06
DIRECT 8, LAUNCHED BY FRANCE’S BOLLORE GROUP, INKS CONTRACT
WITH EUTELSAT FOR FREE-TO-AIR BROADCASTING IN FRANCE AND TO
INITIATE INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE
Paris, 3 April 2006
Direct 8, the new general entertainment channel launched on 31 March 2005 by the
Bolloré Group through France’s Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) network, has
concluded a multi-satellite agreement with Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris:
ETL) for free-to-air broadcasting. The channel’s objective is to consolidate its
audience in France and initiate its international expansion into other countries in
Europe and into Africa.
Direct 8 has signed a five-year contract for the carriage of its channel in free-to-air
video platforms operated by Eutelsat from its HOT BIRD™ neighbourhood and on its
W3A satellite. By joining the line-up of free-to-air channels broadcasting from the
HOT BIRD™ neighbourhood Direct 8 will be able to be received by 2.8 million homes
in France, including subscribers to the TPS pay-TV platform, and over 40 million
satellite homes in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East equipped for direct-to-
home (DTH) reception.
The channel’s selection of a second free-to-air platform, on Eutelsat’s W3A satellite,
brings the benefit of a widebeam Ku-band coverage over sub-Saharan Africa and
power levels enabling reception with 90cm antennas. In addition to DTH reception in
Africa, the signal will also be available for redistribution by terrestrial networks.
“This launch of Direct 8 in two of our digital platforms underscores the attraction of
our key broadcasting neighbourhoods for new channels seeking to accelerate their
audience by reaching into millions of DTH homes as well as homes connected to
cable and community networks”, said Olivier Milliès-Lacroix, Eutelsat’s Commercial
Director. “Backed by the expertise of the Bolloré Group, we believe that Direct 8 has