NBCUniversal International said Wednesday that it will launch its subscription-based reality TV streaming service Hayu “in multiple Central and Eastern European countries” in the fourth quarter.
“This builds on the ongoing success of the service in other European markets and will bring the number of territories for the streaming service to over 40,” said the company, part of Comcast’s entertainment arm NBCUniversal. The streamer will launch in the new territories direct-to-consumer “on a full array of devices – mobile, tablet, TV, console and web.”
Hayu offers more than 300 shows and more than 9,000 episodes of reality TV content, including such franchises as The Real Housewives, Below Deck and Million Dollar Listing. It also provides programming in the English language in such unscripted sub-genres as home and design, dating, cooking, crime and fashion. “Subscribers don’t have to worry about spoilers as the vast majority of U.S.A. shows are available on Hayu the same day as their U.S.A. broadcast,” the company highlighted.
“As the destination for world-renowned reality content, this expansion to Central and Eastern Europe continues to deliver on our goal of super-serving the best reality TV to even more fans of the genre,” said Hendrik McDermott, managing director, direct-to-consumer, global at NBCUniversal. “We are thrilled to be launching our direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service in the region, where we look forward to partnering with platforms and telcos to serve their young female audiences.”
Hayu launched in the U.K., Ireland and Australia in March 2016, followed by Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark in November 2017. Canada followed in September 2018, with the Benelux countries being added in December 2018. The service then became available in Southeast Asia, namely The Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore, in October 2019, and in November 2020, it launched in Germany and Austria. Early in 2021, Hayu launched in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Switzerland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
