Business news from Ukraine

Now you can pay for TV and Internet in OTP Bank UA

OTP Bank continues to develop the OTP Bank UA application and fill it with new features: from now on, it has the ability to pay for TV and Internet. The service is free of charge, and it is easy and convenient to use, said Oleg Klymenko, member of the Management Board responsible for retail business development of OTP Bank.

“A new feature that our customers have been expecting from us has been added to the application. It is important for users, because with today’s fast pace of life, there is often a need to pay for a TV package here and now, right before watching. Or you need to get access to the Internet urgently, and you need to pay the bill. We always try to learn as much as we can about our customers’ “pains” in order to offer the most useful solutions in our gentle mobile banking. Now we have the opportunity to pay utility bills in OTP Bank UA,” said Mr. Klymenko.

To use the new service, the customer needs to select a card, go to the “Payments” menu item, click on “Utilities and Internet”, then “Internet and TV payment”. In the search field, enter the name of the company. After that, the system will request a personal account, which is used to identify the service user. Finally, the customer needs to enter the amount and confirm the payment.

A repeat payment can be made in a few clicks: go to the payment history, click “Repeat payment”, enter the amount and confirm. You can find your payment history and get a receipt in the list of card transactions or in the “Utilities and Internet” section.

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UKRAINIAN SWEET.TV ONLINE CINEMA: 10 MLN HOUSEHOLDS IN UKRAINE USE TV CONTENT FOR FREE

About 10 million households in Ukraine use T2 digital air and pirated services, according to a study of the Ukrainian SWEET.TV online cinema.
“There are now about 10 million households in Ukraine that watch TV channels and films through free sources. These are T2 air and pirated services… In addition, there is a problem that Ukrainians, in principle, do not understand that they are using pirated services and viewing advertisements on such sites. It is equated to the legal purchase of content. Many do not even think that viewing content on pirate sites is illegal,” Director of SWEET.TV Oleksandr Rezunov said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, when buying a new TV set, most Ukrainians do not even receive an offer to subscribe to a legal Internet TV service because almost half of the equipment is bought in small, local stores.
All this, in Rezunov’s opinion, greatly hinders the development of the pay TV market in the country.
“T2 broadcasts free channels of media groups that show expensive Hollywood content. At the same time, OTT services have to pay royalties for placing each channel and each unit of content on their platforms. This approach to filling T2 broadcasting significantly slows down the development of the paid content market. In the place of media groups, I would wonder whether it is worth broadcasting expensive content for free,” he said.
The director of SWEET.TV also said that pirated resources are funded mainly by advertisers and supported by consumer interest. This means that it is worth introducing responsibility for placing advertisements on pirated services, as well as responsibility for watching pirated videos – as it already works in most European countries and the United States.
According to him, in order to fight piracy, SWEET.TV became a member of the Clear Sky anti-piracy initiative, as well as a member of the supervisory board for media and communications of the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine.
SWEET.TV is a Ukrainian OTT platform with more than 260 TV channels, including HD and 4K, products from Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, etc.
The platform has direct contracts with Disney, Paramount, Universal, Sony and other international content producers for dubbing media products specifically for the territory of Ukraine, and not for the CIS. The service creates Ukrainian-language dubbing for cult Hollywood films in the Hollywood in Ukrainian project.

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ADVERTISING OF MEDICINES PROVIDES THIRD OF INCOME FOR TV

Minister of Culture and Information Policy Oleksandr Tkachenko initiates a meeting of media representatives with the Ministry of Health and the National Security and Defense Council to discuss a future moratorium on the advertising of medicines and medicines.
“Regarding the moratorium on advertising of drugs and medicines, which should be developed by the Cabinet of Ministers on behalf of the National Security and Defense Council. As an ex-media person, I understand perfectly well that this advertising is 30% of the income of TV and other media. That is why the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy will soon initiate a meeting of media people with the Ministry of Health and the National Security and Defense Council to hear the opinion of the media people themselves,” Tkachenko wrote in the Telegram channel.
The Minister also said that any business, including television, should be socially responsible, and self-medication has nothing to do with responsibility in any civilized country.
According to him, the development of the mechanism will last until the end of the year, and the moratorium itself should be introduced by January 1, 2024.
“There is a transition period and it will be used effectively. In the dialogue with the representatives of media companies we will find a way to implement these changes with minimal losses. First of all, for them,” Tkachenko said.

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CHINESE SHENZHEN MTC TO INVEST $ 13 MLN IN TV MANUFACTURER KIVI TV

The international TV manufacturer KIVI, headquartered in Ukraine, has signed an agreement on strategic partnership and deep integration with one of the largest electronics manufacturers, Shenzhen MTC (China, Shenzhen).

“In 2021, within the framework of the signed agreement, the Chinese manufacturing giant will invest more than $ 13 million only in the development of a new line of smart TVs KIVI 2021. Investments will be directed to the development of new hardware and software solutions for a significant increase in productivity and the implementation of a number of innovative technologies, new design solutions, as well as improved picture and sound quality,” the Ukrainian company said.

The document also provides for the implementation of a number of innovative projects aimed at developing products under the KIVI brand over the next five years.

KIVI is an international company, developer and manufacturer of smart TVs and TV services. Products under the eponymous brand are sold in the European and Asian markets, and the KIVI TV service is available on all TV sets with the Android system in Ukraine.

The head office of KIVI is located in Kyiv, the development of TV sets and TV services is carried out by an international team of KIVI specialists, and production is carried out at high-tech factories in Europe and Asia.

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BUSINESSMAN IHOR KOLOMOISKY TO HEAD SUPERVISORY BOARD OF 1+1 TV CHANNEL

Businessman Ihor Kolomoisky, as the main shareholder of the 1+1 media group, will head the supervisory board of the 1+1 television channel, the channel’s press service said. “Today, on December 19, 2019, 1+1 Media announces the completion of the decentralization process and presents an updated management structure for the group. … Ihor Kolomoisky, as the group’s main shareholder, will head the Supervisory Board of Studio 1+1 TV Radio Company LLC,” it said.
In addition, Yaroslav Pakholchuk has been appointed the new head of the 1+1 media board and the director general.
It is noted that MP Oleksandr Tkachenko (faction of the Servant of the People) remains the honorary president of 1+1 media.
Media holding 1+1 media manages the following TV channels: 1+1, 2+2, TET, PlusPlus, 1+1 International, Unian-TV, Bihudi, the news agency UNIAN, such Internet projects as Hlavred and Telekrytyka. The holding also has its own production department, which includes the 1+1 video VOD platform and Media & Production High School. The main owner of the group is Ihor Kolomoisky.

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VITALI AND VOLODYMYR KLITSCHKO FILE SUIT AGAINST UKRAINIAN 1+1 TV

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and his brother, ex-boxing champion Volodymyr Klitschko, have filed suit against 1+1 TV to defend their honor and dignity. “Not a day goes by when the top-rated TV channel says unkind word of the Kyiv mayor. Lies, manipulations, fabricated information. I already said that I would defend my honor and dignity in court. My brother and I have filed a suit against the channel, which flings mud at us. They decided not to stop at me and already have targeted my brother Volodymyr,” Vitali Klitschko said during a press conference in Kyiv on Friday.
Klitschko said, “We are not talking about an attack on freedom of speech,” adding that the head of the channel (Servant of the People Party member of parliament candidate Oleksandr Tkachenko) “is a contender to head of the Kyiv City State Administration.”
Klitschko said campaign had been launched against him. He said the channel’s coverage about the new pedestrian-bicycle bridge in the center of Kyiv and restoration of the Shuliavsky overpass are examples of slanted coverage.
As reported, 1+1 Media Director General Oleksandr Tkachenko, who was elected to parliament on the Servant of the People Party list, has refused to comment about the possibility of his appointment to head of the Kyiv City State Administration.

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