Viasat World preps Epic scripted launch

MIPCOM: European pay TV operator Viasat World is launching a new scripted brand that will offer more than 600 hours of dramas to its international subscribers.

Irina Gofman

Epic Drama will launch in December to Viasat World’s subscribers in its key markets across Central and Eastern Europe, offering “big budget, HD content across a diverse mix of dramatic genres.”

The new brand will join Viasat World’s channel and SVoD portfolio, which includes 27 pay channels and numerous on demand services in more than 50 markets. Up to 80% of the content will be available on-demand.

The pay operator said the launch, which is based on its Epic Drama programming block on Viasat History, would be “underpinned by significant investment in the best of content and its associated rights.”

Irina Gofman, CEO & president of Viasat World, said the “bold and lavish new channel” would be “entirely dedicated to big scale and expensive drama productions with compelling storytelling at its heart.”

Epic Drama will initially be available in Viasat World’s key markets and territories, including; Bulgaria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine via a pan-regional feed, with further roll-outs planned for 2018.

A mix of genres will be available, including crime and mystery, classic literary, politics and power, period, war, action adventure, real history and fantasy. The slate draws on series produced in the UK, US, Spain, France, Italy, Australia and Canada.

Almost all content will have premiered in primetime and have been produced within the last three years, with 70% exclusive to each market.

In related news, Viasat World is launching an international OTT version of its TV1000 Russian Kino service. The service, available for an as-yet undisclosed monthly fee, promises Russian speakers access to an unrivalled selection of Russian-language movies.