Mňam, Mňau and Hobby TV: remote-operated thematic channels with a business-first operating model

Thematic stations with a clear commercial brief

Mňam TV, Mňau TV and Hobby TV are part of the S&P Broadcasting portfolio, and each of them speaks to a different audience. Mňam TV is built around cooking and gastronomy, Hobby TV focuses on DIY, gardening and home projects, and Mňau TV delivers light, animal-themed clips for everyday relaxation.

From the very beginning, the project was also a business challenge. The task was not just content production, but setting up a simple and reliable way to schedule, distribute and operate these brands across multiple platforms.

Run everything remotely, without a local control room

The client wanted to own the broadcast servers, including a backup unit, but did not want to build its own technical facilities. In the end, even the server environment was hosted by SAT Plus, so planning and playout could be handled entirely online.

• remote playlist and programme metadata management,
• automated playout and broadcast supervision,
• graphics and distributed EPG data flows,
• delivery across cable, satellite, IPTV and terrestrial platforms,
• hosted server operation including backup,
• minimal technical requirements on the client side.

Broadcast Selector, SmartCASTER and hosted servers

For content planning and management we used Broadcast Selector, which handled playlists, metadata and operational sequencing. SmartCASTER then acted as the playout layer and supported layout, graphics and live supervision of what was on air.

The broadcast servers, including the backup server, were ultimately hosted in our infrastructure. That made the operation resilient without forcing the client to build its own broadcast control room, and it created a commercially efficient model with very little internal overhead.

Getting the content onto as many platforms as possible

One of the main goals was to reach as many viewers as possible. That is why distribution across several broadcast platforms was part of the brief, together with EPG data delivery so that programme information stayed consistent across operators and reception types.

The operating model stayed remote from day one. Everything important was controlled online, with remote supervision, integrations and fast operational intervention whenever needed.

A business-friendly model without technical overload for the client

The project shows that thematic channels do not have to be operationally heavy when remote planning, hosted servers, playout and integrations are designed properly. The client got a model it could grow without having to build its own control centre.

The operational layer stayed light on the client side but robust on the SAT Plus infrastructure side, including supervision and backups that keep continuity across several brands at once.