Viewers will no longer be able to watch Nova BH via M:tel and Eronet

(Patria) - The most-watched television in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nova BH, will no longer be available to viewers who have chosen M:tel (and companies under their control Blicnet d.o.o, Telrad net d.o.o, and Elta – kabel d.o.o.o) and Eronet as their cable operators.

These cable operators in Bosnia and Herzegovina have decided not to extend their cooperation with Nova BH television and have rejected our fair and market-based offer for continued collaboration. Despite attempts during the New Year holidays to once again reach a joint solution, M:tel and Eronet ignored our correspondence and cut off the signal of Nova BH television. In doing so, they have deprived their subscribers of the opportunity to enjoy proven high-quality content – from a relevant news program, the best series and entertainment shows, to the premium sports program for which Nova BH is known.

Listening to viewers' wishes while following global television trends, we created and invested in a rich programming schedule. This was one of the reasons we introduced a fee of 0.60 euros per user in our channel distribution agreement – the same price that Telekom Srbija, the owner of M:tel, charges each user in Serbia for broadcasting BN and Hayat TV outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, while for the transmission of Radio Television of Serbia they charge 1.2 euros per user, even though that television is already funded from the budget of the Republic of Serbia. For the Pink package, M:tel and Eronet also pay a higher fee than the minimal amount Nova BH requests relative to the program quality in which it constantly invests. As it is an industry standard for terrestrial television channels to pay a fee to cable operators, both globally and in the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot and must not be an exception.

Since its founding on October 9, 2018, until today, Nova BH has focused on investing in and improving a television program of top quality in all segments. Users of M:tel and Eronet will thus be deprived of the most-watched series (Turkish hits, Lud, zbunjen, normalan, Žigosani u reketu, Drugo ime ljubavi, and Senke nad Balkanom), the most popular entertainment formats (Zvezde Granda, Nikad nije kasno, Zvezde Granda Specijal, Supertalent, Popodne sa Leom Kiš, Praktična žena, Mr. Kitchen, Totalni obrt, Nova IN), as well as an objective news program. Sports fans who follow programs via M:tel and Eronet will also be unable to enjoy the top-tier sports content for which Nova BH is recognized.

We believe that viewers will continue to choose to follow the highest-quality program of Nova BH through available platforms. Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina can certainly watch Nova BH throughout the country via terrestrial distribution, and in the Republika Srpska, we are also available through Total TV.