Around 12,500 episodes are available free of charge without requiring a login or an additional Sky subscription, according to the broadcaster. The catalogue includes popular children’s series such as PAW Patrol, Peppa Pig, Ninjago, Woozle Goozle and SpongeBob SquarePants.

The app targets children aged between two and 13 and combines video and audio content in an environment designed specifically for younger viewers. The free offering is supported by advertising.

Users who create a free account gain access to additional features, including personal profiles, individual avatars, favourites and a continue-watching function. An RTL+ subscription unlocks a further 6,500 episodes, bringing the total catalogue to around 19,000 episodes.

The Toggo app is automatically installed on Sky Q and Sky Stream devices with an internet connection and can then be accessed through the app section.

In his new role, Hahn will lead the company’s strategic engagement in the DACH region and oversee selected strategic accounts, supporting customer partnerships and business development across the European market.

Hahn brings more than 20 years of experience in the media and telecommunications industry. His previous positions include roles at Sky Deutschland, Xperi/TiVo and Tennis Channel, alongside experience in business development and strategic advisory.

Nagravision, the media and entertainment technology division of the Kudelski Group, provides solutions spanning content protection, cybersecurity, cloud-based video and streaming services, as well as personalisation.

Hahn will support customers in navigating their digital transformation and identifying new business opportunities, according to the company.

Eurosport and TNT Sports have extended their partnership with the European Broadcasting Union to show the IBU Biathlon World Cup and World Championships for the next four seasons, with live and on-demand streaming on HBO Max.

Starting with the 2026/27 season, the agreement covers 44 European markets, excluding the Nordics, Poland and Russia. It includes exclusive World Cup rights in 34 territories, although the EBU’s Eurovision Sport platform will also provide English-language streaming of all events, including in those markets.

Television coverage will be available on Eurosport in continental Europe and TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland. The package includes the World Championships in Otepää, Estonia, in 2027; Hochfilzen, Austria, in 2028; and Oslo, Norway, in 2029.

HBO Max will offer features including key moments, allowing viewers to navigate directly to highlights within event streams. Eurosport and TNT Sports said the number of HBO Max subscribers watching biathlon grew 18% year-on-year during the 2025/26 World Cup season.

Trojan Paillot, SVP Rights, Syndication and Commercial Development at Eurosport and TNT Sports, said: “We’re delighted to continue in our role as the leading multi-market broadcaster for biathlon – an incredible sport which regularly ranks among our most watched events throughout the winter season.”

The agreement complements coverage by EBU members in major biathlon markets, including ARD and ZDF in Germany, ORF in Austria, SRG SSR in Switzerland and ČT in Czechia, alongside French broadcaster L’Équipe.

It follows the extension of the EBU’s own exclusive media rights and production partnership with the International Biathlon Union through the end of the 2033/34 season.

The World Cup begins in Kontiolahti, Finland, on November 26. The season’s World Championships take place in Otepää from February 10–21, 2027, before the World Cup concludes in Oslo Holmenkollen on March 18–21.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has proposed making television and radio licence fees voluntary, as public broadcaster employees prepare to strike on November 3 over changes to their funding.

The Finance Ministry is examining a revised model for Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo), combining voluntary contributions with guaranteed funding. However, the source and size of that guarantee have yet to be specified.

Babiš said the government wanted to allow people to choose whether to pay, while exploring funding that would not come directly from the state budget. The proposals were due to be discussed by the coalition council on November 2.

The initiative would change the approach in the bill that passed its first parliamentary reading on October 24. That legislation envisages replacing compulsory licence fees with state-budget contributions. Babiš’s latest suggestions therefore remain proposals rather than an agreed replacement system.

Employees represented by the Veřejnoprávně initiative have announced a full-day strike for November 3, warning that transferring funding to the state would threaten the independence and stability of both broadcasters. Organisers say the action will be more visible than an earlier protest in June.

The government argues that guaranteed, predictable funding can preserve editorial independence. Opposition politicians have called for the existing bill to be withdrawn before a different model is developed, criticising plans to introduce substantial changes during its passage through parliament.

Babiš has acknowledged that the changes cannot take effect in January 2027 as originally intended. A 60-day parliamentary review period means the second reading is now expected in January, leaving the current licence fee system in place in the meantime.

Polish cable operator Vectra has commercially launched two new 4K set-top boxes powered by ADB’s Graphyne platform, supporting television delivery over cable and IP networks.

The Vectra 4K BOX and Vectra 4K BOX PVR bring together live channels, on demand programming and supported streaming applications through a common interface. Both support DVB-C, IPTV and OTT services, depending on network availability.

The standard model provides an entry-level option, while the PVR version adds a built-in 1TB hard drive for local recording. Both operate within the same service management platform.

Krzysztof Sokolik, Chief Marketing Officer at Vectra, said: “With Vectra 4K BOX and Vectra 4K BOX PVR, we can provide a choice of solutions, from an accessible everyday TV service to a more advanced experience with additional features.”

He added that working with ADB allows Vectra to bring the services together on a single platform while continuing to develop its offering.

The nationwide launch extends a relationship between the companies spanning several decades.

Małgorzata Ott, Chief Executive of ADB, said: “With the launch of these new hybrid TV services, we remain fully committed to providing Vectra with the technology, expertise and support they need to continue evolving their offering and meeting the expectations of their customers.”

Vectra says more than 1.5 million households use its services, which include broadband, television, VOD and telephony. The announcement did not specify pricing for the new boxes or identify the supported streaming applications.

Virgin Media O2 is preparing substantial job cuts as part of a wider restructuring, with further details expected alongside its third-quarter results on November 3.

Sky News reported that thousands of positions could be affected across the operator’s approximately 16,000-strong workforce. One source suggested the figure could reach 4,000, although the number had not been finalised. The report said the forthcoming announcement would set out a financial savings target rather than a specific headcount reduction. Contractors and suppliers are also expected to come under review.

Prospect, which represents VMO2 employees, described the cuts as “disappointing and very unsettling”. Deputy general secretary Noel McClean said the union would work to reduce redundancies and secure retraining and redeployment for affected staff. VMO2 declined to comment.

The restructuring comes amid concerns over the company’s debt burden and follows reports that VMO2 is nearing an agreement to use Openreach’s fibre network to serve customers outside its existing coverage. That arrangement has not been announced by either company.

Broadband TV News has approached Virgin Media O2 for comment.

French MPs have voted to remove a tax allowance benefiting video-sharing platforms including YouTube, as pressure grows for the services to contribute more towards audiovisual production.

The National Assembly adopted the amendment to the 2027 Finance Bill on October 30, though the change remains subject to the wider budget process and has not yet become law.

Qualifying platforms currently benefit from a 66% allowance against the advertising revenue used to calculate France’s video advertising levy, known as TSV-G. This means only 34% of the relevant revenue enters the tax base.

The government had proposed increasing that taxable proportion to 67%. The amendment adopted by MPs goes further, removing the allowance altogether. With the tax rate and revenue unchanged, this would almost triple the liability compared with the existing arrangement.

The levy supports the Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée (CNC). The allowance was introduced to reflect the importance of amateur content on video-sharing platforms, but parliamentary scrutiny has questioned whether that distinction remains justified.

A National Assembly Finance Committee review argued that platforms now compete directly with television channels for viewing time and advertising revenue. YouTube’s expansion into professionally produced programming, live events and broadcaster partnerships has strengthened calls for a more comparable contribution to production funding.

The French debate has parallels in the UK. Giving evidence to MPs in June, Demos Digital proposed a 5% levy on video-sharing platforms generating revenues of at least £25 million, including YouTube. Proceeds would support an independent public-interest content fund.

France’s proposed change adds to the debate over how platforms benefiting from television audiences should help finance the content they distribute.

Virgin Media O2 is nearing an agreement to use Openreach’s full-fibre network to serve customers outside its existing coverage, according to the Financial Times.

The proposed wholesale arrangement would allow the operator to expand into areas where it does not have its own network. The FT, citing people familiar with the discussions, also reported that VMO2 was pausing its programme to replace cable infrastructure with full fibre as part of a broader cost-cutting drive.

The report comes as VMO2 increases speeds over its existing cable network. In its recent Gig2 announcement, the operator said it had upgraded around three million hybrid fibre-coaxial premises to support average download speeds of 2Gbps and upload speeds of 100Mbps.

VMO2 said the upgrade required no civil engineering and would expand to the majority of its network during 2027. Including its full-fibre coverage, the company said more than 10 million households could access Gig2.

The Openreach discussions also come amid reports of substantial job cuts. Sky News reported that thousands of positions could be affected, although the final number had not been determined. VMO2 declined to comment on the redundancy plans.

Broadband TV News has approached Virgin Media O2 for comment.

Telia and Ericsson have launched outdoor 6G field trials in Sweden, testing network performance ahead of an expected commercial rollout around 2030–2032.

The trials use Ericsson’s pre-standard 6G technology in the upper 6 GHz band. Engineers are assessing coverage, signal performance, uplink capacity, reliability and latency to inform future network design and deployment.

The work forms part of a joint Swedish 6G roadmap covering technology development, industry collaboration, security and spectrum planning. Initial capabilities are expected to become available to partners in the companies’ NorthStar innovation programme from 2029.

Anders Olsson, Head of Telia Sweden, said: “Our investments in robust, secure and comprehensive 5G networks serve as a natural stepping-stone towards the next generation of connectivity: 6G.”

The companies envisage applications including autonomous transport, industrial robotics and critical infrastructure monitoring. Combining connectivity with AI, distributed computing and integrated sensing could enable networks to detect and respond to their physical surroundings.

Businesses, researchers and public-sector organisations will be able to explore potential applications through initiatives including NorthStar and Digital Arena Sweden.

Telia and Ericsson will also assess future spectrum requirements, including the 6 GHz and 600 MHz bands, to address anticipated capacity and coverage needs. Telia plans to convene stakeholders to help define a national 6G security architecture, incorporating cybersecurity and resilience from the outset.

Patrick Johansson, Ericsson’s Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Sweden and the Nordic region have a proud tradition of being early adopters of mobility. Today’s announcement indicates our companies’ intention to continue that tradition.”

The renewed agreement covers the unencrypted transmission of the SD channel N24 Doku and the distribution of WELT HD as part of the HD+ platform. Both channels will therefore remain available to DTH satellite households via the Astra orbital position.

“SES has been a reliable partner in distributing our programmes for many years. With the contract extension, we are ensuring that our quality journalism and documentaries reach a broad audience without barriers. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership, which guarantees WELT HD and N24 Doku reliability at the highest technical level,” said Thorsten Prohm, Chief Technical Officer at WELT TV.

Christoph Mühleib, Managing Director of SES Germany and HD Plus, added: “There are some types of content that viewers do not want to do without. News, reports and documentaries are undoubtedly among them. I am therefore particularly pleased about the extension of the partnership between WELT TV and SES Germany. The new agreement will ensure that N24 Doku and WELT HD continue to enjoy reliable reach via Astra at 19.2° East, and that the channels are available where they reach many people: in millions of households in Germany.”

The agreement underlines the continued importance of satellite distribution as a platform for linear television in Germany.