Setanta taps GlobeCast for distribution

GlobeCast, a subsidiary of France Telecom, is pleased to announce that it has signed a five-year deal with Setanta Sports, the international sports broadcaster, to distribute six channels to the Sky, Virgin Media, BT Vision and DTT platforms. This is the latest deal in a thirteen-year relationship between Setanta and GlobeCast.

The deal with GlobeCast comes as Setanta breaks Sky Sports’ Premier League monopoly by winning the rights to two packages which will be broadcast on Setanta Sports 1 when the new football season begins in August this year.

GlobeCast’s unique solution for the multichannel offering – featuring Setanta Sports 1 and 2, Setanta Golf, Rangers TV and Celtic TV – includes the creation and management of a bespoke multiplex system for the new bouquet and expansion of Setanta’s existing fibre network as well as capacity on the Eurobird satellite at 28.5 E for uplink to the Sky Digital platform. The solution also includes fibre connectivity to Virgin Media, BT Vision and a number of other DTT platforms.

GlobeCast’s relationship with Setanta dates back to the Sports broadcaster’s first transmission in 1994. GlobeCast currently delivers Setanta’s Australian channel and US channel via its WorldTV DTH platform and is the Broadcaster’s main provider of occasional use services.