Sabres, battle re-enactments and Attila the Hun are poised to bring audiences to History Play in Hungary, a fresh streaming service from A+E Networks EMEA, available via RTL Most+.
The launch marks the premiere of the History Play brand in the Central-Eastern European (CEE) region. It is also available in the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands through various of partnerships including Amazon Prime and Apple TV+.
History Play offers audience exclusive access to award-winning documentaries and premium factual entertainment, building on A&E’s existing presence in Hungary.
“In the last two years we have learned that Hungarians are loyal and enthusiastic viewers of the History Channel,” says Izabella Wiley, SVP, general manager of A+E Networks CEE. “We are proud to offer our premium documentary content to digital streaming platform RTL Most+ subscribers, who will be able to access their favourite stories and characters on their own schedule.”
The History Channel is one of the leading factual channels in Hungary, reaching an average of over 4 million viewers in 2021 alone, according to Nielsen audience reports. History Play aims to give Hungarian viewers the chance to discover and binge past seasons on their own schedule.
The launch grows the US-owned network’s existing partnership with RTL in Hungary. The line-up mixes US and international shows with shows produced in Hungary for local audiences. One example is Forged In Fire which centres on the history and influence of the Hussar’s sabre, a special sword in the history of the CEE region. There is also Cities Of The Underworld, which features the story of the origins of Budapest.
“Hungary is referenced in many History shows, either on its own or in connection to the bigger picture of World War Two, World War One or as part of the Austro-Hungarian union,” notes Wiley. “Stories focused on history’s most famous characters, like Attila the Hun have always been a popular subject for documentaries. The Hungarians are very serious about the way their history is presented on TV. Wiley notes that nations across the central European region boast differing tastes and attitudes towards factual programming.
“For example, in Romania, audiences love transactional shows where there is a lot of fun. And Polish audiences also enjoy entertainment but display an appetite for history where their country plays an important role such as World War Two,” says Wiley. “Hungary is a serious nation. They like their factual shows to deliver substance. It can’t be just frills, there has to be core knowledge in the shows.”
A+E Networks CEE has also actively developed off air initiatives that occasionally cross over to the channel from social media. On the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the company produced a series of short- form video content talking to Bertalan Farkas, the first Hungarian cosmonaut, about the landing and its impact across the globe. After publishing across digital media, short videos aired on the channel.
Hungary also witnessed a live online premiere of Knight Fight, about the myriad battle re-enactment societies and groups across the region, which brought a high level of social media engagement. Wiley says an ambitious new project is in the works, titled Greatest Escapes With Morgan Freeman, with an online escape room.
Balázs Szabó, programming director and head of content acquisition at CLT-UFA Hungarian Broadcasting division, says: “The diverse and wide range of content on RTL Most+ is an essential aspect of our operation, therefore we are delighted to provide premium quality entertainment created by additional production companies, services, and TV channels along with the growing number of our own locally produced and exclusive titles.”
The line-up of shows available to RTL Most+ subscribers will also include top titles from the History channel library which includes over 300 episodes of factual entertainment, docudrama and premium documentaries including hit mystery franchise The Curse Of Oak Island and the UFO and other worldly investigations of Ancient Aliens and The UnXplained with William Shatner.
“RTL brings western standards to the Hungarian programme market and the demands on quality are high,” says Wiley. “We’re pleased to be stepping into the digital world with RTL.“
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