Supported by a tremendous marketing campaign costing DM100 million (pounds 33 million), German media company Kirch Group launched its digital package Premiere World on October 1 in Germany and Austria, replacing Premiere and DF1.

The service claimed 900,000 digital subscribers at launch. "Neither Germany nor other European countries have ever seen an offering of that quality and variety," said chairman Markus Tellenbach, adding that Premiere World would finally lead subscription-based digital television to success in Germany. With its three package options, Movie World, Sports World and Family World, additional stand-alone channels and a pay per view service, Premiere World offers 25 channels for different target groups. Movie World shows more than 30 German TV premieres of blockbuster movies each month. Scheduled in October are Titanic and Air Force One. A total of seven movie channels offer action, science-fiction, fantasy, romance and comedy genre movies.

Sports World transmits more than 1,000 events live each year. In October, for example, Formula 1 Grand Prix and the heavyweight boxing championship between Mike Tyson and Orlin Norris will be shown. Premiere World will show three live games from the Bundesliga German football league first division each week and further live matches from international leagues as well as tennis (Wimbledon and US Open), ice-hockey, golf and US sports. If several events take place at the same time, sports channels Premiere Sports 1 and 2 can be extended to up to 13 different parallel feeds. Family World shows commercial movies, series and documentaries on eight channels.

On October 16, Disney Channel launches its German channel within the Family World package. Compared with the DF1 package, as expected, a number of third party channels are missing, notably MTV, VH-1, NBC/GIGA-TV and pay-radio service Music Choice. BBC Prime continues to be available to all Premiere World subscribers at no extra cost, but doesn’t form part of a package. Due to the restructuring of satellite transponders, the UK-based channel is now present on a transponder which is fed into Deutsche Telekom’s cable networks, thus gaining nationwide cable carriage. CNBC also remains available on the Premiere World smartcard, but only for satellite viewers. MTV, VH-1 and Music Choice have taken legal action against the termination of their contracts by DF1. An MTV spokesperson said that a solution will be sought within the next two weeks, The chances are poorer for VH-1 which is now only available to cable homes. MTV continues as a free-to-air analogue channel on Astra 1B. Meanwhile, Premiere World head Markus Tellenbach has announced that a fourth package option will be launched in spring 2000 which will include classic movie channel Heimatkanal, a Schlager channel and some audio services.

Premiere World: package options

Movie World: Premiere, Star Kino, Cine Action, Cine Comedy, Sci-Fantasy, Romantic Movies, 13th Street, Studio Universal
Sports World: Premiere Sport 1, Premiere Sport 2 (regular channels) plus additional feeds if several live events take place at the same time
Family World: Junior, K-Toon, Disney Channel, Sunset, Comedy, Krimi & Co, Discovery Channel, Planet
Stand-alone channels: Heimatkanal, Filmpalast, Classica, Seasons, Blue Channel
CineDom: pay-per-view movies
Blue Movie: softcore erotic pay-per-view movies (weekends only)
plus: BBC Prime and CNBC at no extra cost