In many regions around the world, the majority of populations receive their TV channels through a simple Free-to-Air (FTA) satellite receiver. This mode of transmission offers broadcasters a unique opportunity to reach millions of homes cost-effectively.  

Many channels have chosen to adopt this distribution means, and today FTA channels offer a wide range of variety and quality entertainment for viewers around the world. However, gaining an audience as an FTA channel has historically remained a challenge for FTA broadcasters.

While the content offer for users has grown massively, for broadcasters, getting noticed and gaining an audience has become more difficult in the ocean of available content. On the user side, viewers have little incentive to search for new channels and often need to spend time just maintaining an up-to-date line-up of channels that they receive at home.

FTA viewing offers incredible value for both users and broadcasters but can also be frustrating. Users benefit from a rich content offer, however, the user experience can be vastly improved. And broadcasters can reach huge audiences, but they need additional tools to engage with them.

Luckily, FTA broadcasters now have an opportunity to get even more viewers and more advertising revenue – with Sat.tv.

Re-inventing Content Discovery for FTA TV Channels

From guaranteed audience reach and discoverability to content promotion, choosing a Sat.tv-enabled Eutelsat video neighbourhood offers many benefits.

Let’s take a look at each in detail.

Enhanced Electronic Programme Guides

New Free-to-Air satellite receivers have the Sat.tv service embedded, which simplifies the user experience and gives visibility to the entire accessible line-up of channels - a first for the FTA market.

The EPGs feature all the channels listed through the satellite’s broadcast, with a detailed preview of what viewers can expect. This will enable more viewers to be attracted to an FTA channel’s content, which means more value for advertisers and more revenues for the channel.

Automatic installation and up-to-date channel list

All channels broadcast at the Eutelsat video neighbourhood are automatically installed on the satellite receivers with a fixed channel numbering. In addition, the receivers are updated automatically overnight, which means that any new channel on-air can be immediately accessed by viewers, without any complex reinstallation or re-scanning on the end-user side.

Consistent channel presentation

Channels are presented on all compatible satellite receivers with their name, written in the different languages available (including Arabic script), their logo, and channel genre. This enables end-users to benefit from an easy, graphic-based navigation system.

Channels are referenced with a single channel number and can be discovered by filtering on a specific channel theme. This makes relevant channels easier to find by audiences who are interested in specific genres.

The available channel line-up is also organised in a consistent manner, based on geography and thematic logic. Channels are located together with similar channels.

Regionalised Numbering

In addition to a unique channel numbering system, a selection of channels that are of interest to the end-user’s country are listed first. This allows an orbital position to be customised for audiences geographically, and enables national broadcasters to be found more easily by their core target audience.

Regional numbering, and the ability to search by channel genre, are just some of the tools that help broadcasters to be found by the relevant audience. As such, Sat.tv combines the massive audience of satellite broadcast, with the benefit of targeted engagement, in order to boost advertising revenues.

This feature is also a unique asset for countries that want to extend their terrestrial TV (DTT) network with satellite coverage, as the Sat.tv receivers enable the channel numbering required by the local regulator to be used, as with DTT distribution.

Available on a New Generation of Free Satellite Receivers

Sat.tv has been designed to run on ultra-low-cost set-top boxes and is being rapidly implemented by a wide range of set-top box manufacturers. It is free-of-charge for set-top box vendors, as well as for broadcasters carried on Eutelsat’s video hotspots.

The service is currently available on Eutelsat-Nilesat 7/8° West, which serves over 56 million Arabic speaking homes across the Middle East and North Africa. It is also progressively being deployed at other Eutelsat video neighbourhoods.

Maximising Reach for FTA Channels

With all these benefits, it’s clear that FTA channels who want to improve their discoverability, grow their audience and attract more advertisers should seriously consider a Sat.tv-enabled Eutelsat video neighbourhood.

Broadcasters maximise their reach while increasing their ability to target specific viewers. For audiences, it offers the best Free-to-Air user experience, with the broadest content visibility, and is now available on low-cost satellite receivers, extending accessibility.

If you would like to find out more about Sat.tv-enabled Eutelsat video neighbourhoods or how Eutelsat supports FTA channels, contact us today or visit our blog for more tips and resources.