Play Media
Play Media is a Flemish media company and Telenet Group subsidiary that operates the Play streaming platform and five linear TV channels, delivering exclusive local Belgian content to consumers and selling cross-media advertising to agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersVilvoorde, Belgium
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Play Media does
Play Media NV is a privately held Belgian media company headquartered in Vilvoorde and operating as part of the Telenet Group. Founded in 1995 with 213 employees, it manages a portfolio of Flemish-language linear TV channels (Play 1 through Play 5) and the Play.tv digital streaming platform, which together aggregate local content such as De Slimste Mens, Komen Eten, De Tafel, and Nonkels under a single 'Play' brand.
The core technology stack centers on a multi-device streaming platform (web, iOS/Android apps, smart TV apps, and set-top boxes) backed by AWS cloud infrastructure, with geo-blocking for territorial content licensing, a viewing-behavior-based recommendation engine, and integration with marketing and analytics partners including Selligent, Gemius, Chartbeat, and Google Tag Manager. The company also operates Play Kinepolis (a transactional VOD service for movie rental and purchase in partnership with the Kinepolis cinema chain) and distributes UFC Fight Pass as a premium sports add-on.
Play Media monetizes through three streams: (1) advertising revenue — TV spots, online ads, sponsoring, product placement, and Smart AD campaigns sold via a sales-led motion through media agencies and the Ads & Data joint-controller arrangement; (2) transactional VOD revenue from Play Kinepolis rentals (30-day access / 48-hour viewing window) and purchases (minimum 2-year availability); and (3) freemium streaming access with optional premium tiers. The company serves Belgian/Dutch-speaking consumers as its primary audience and media agencies plus brands as its B2B customers, operating exclusively within Belgium with EU portability.
Play Media firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Play Media
- Legal name
- Play Media NV
- Website
- https://playmedia.be
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Play Media is a Flemish media company and Telenet Group subsidiary that operates the Play streaming platform and five linear TV channels, delivering exclusive local Belgian content to consumers and selling cross-media advertising to agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Play Media industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Television Broadcasting and Video Streaming
- NAICS
- Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Generalist Live Streaming Platforms (Multi-Category) (MPACACAA)
Keywords
Where Play Media is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vilvoorde
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Play Media business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Advertising Revenue: Play Media generates advertising revenue by selling commercial communication space including TV advertising, online ads, sponsoring, product placement, and Smart AD campaigns to brands and advertisers through media agencies.
- Video-on-Demand (Play Kinepolis): Users can rent titles (30 days access, 48 hours viewing period) or purchase titles (available for at least 2 years) at prices displayed on the platform. Revenue from digital content licensing.
- Streaming Platform Access: Free ad-supported access to linear TV and on-demand content through the Play platform, with premium features available for subscribers.
- GRP Packages and Campaigns: Advertisers can purchase predefined GRP guarantee packages or custom campaign packages with various advertising formats across TV and digital platforms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Rental - Titles available for 30 days, viewing period of 48 hours after starting |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Purchase - Titles available for minimum 2 years from purchase date |
| Freemium | Monthly | Standard streaming access with advertisements |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Multi-year contract | GRP Package - predefined guaranteed rating point packages |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Online Campaign - impression-based pricing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Smart AD Campaign - targeted advertising with audience matching |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Play Media product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Play Media operates multiple Flemish television channels and the Play digital streaming platform, aggregating local quality content (shows such as De Slimste Mens, Komen Eten, De Tafel, and Nonkels) into a single branded destination for Belgian viewers. The platform offers free ad-supported streaming of linear and on-demand content, paid video-on-demand rentals and purchases via Play Kinepolis, and live combat-sports streaming via UFC Fight Pass, with advertising inventory sold across TV and digital channels.
Product overview
Play Media operates as a Flemish media company managing multiple television channels and digital platforms under the unified Play brand. The core offering consists of the Play streaming platform (website and app) which aggregates linear TV channels and on-demand content. The product portfolio includes several branded TV channels (Play 1, Play 2, Play 3, Play 4, Play 5) and the digital Play platform. Premium add-on modules include Play Kinepolis (movie rental/purchase service) and UFC Fight Pass (combat sports streaming), both accessible through the main Play platform for an additional fee.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Play Kinepolis: A service within the Play platform that allows users to rent or purchase movies and series for online viewing.
- UFC Fight Pass
Products and services
- Play Streaming Platform Flemish-language digital streaming platform (Play.tv) aggregating multiple Play Media TV channels and on-demand content, available via web, mobile, smart TV, tablet, and set-top box apps for Belgian viewers.
- Play Kinepolis Video-on-demand service within the Play platform allowing users to rent (30-day access with 48-hour viewing window) or purchase (minimum 2-year access) films and series in SD, HD, and 4K formats, with language and subtitle options.
- UFC Fight Pass Premium live and on-demand combat-sports streaming service available through the Play platform, providing access to UFC events on multiple devices for users in Belgium.
- Play App Mobile, tablet, smart TV, and set-top box application for accessing Play streaming content, with personalized recommendations and account management.
Companies that use Play Media
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Play Media technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability3 records
Feature4 records
Play Media partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Ads & DatacoreAds & Data is an organization that brings together Belgian providers of advertising space. Play Media and Ads & Data (Harensesteenweg 226, 1800 Vilvoorde) act as joint controllers for processing user personal data to build advertising audience segments and deliver personalized ads on digital media and television.
- KinepoliscoreKinepolis is a cinema chain partner for Play Kinepolis, a video-on-demand service within the Play platform that allows users to rent or purchase movies and series. The partnership provides access to theatrical content through the streaming platform.
- Telenet GroupcorePlay Media is part of the Telenet group. Telenet provides IT infrastructure support including hosting the vacancy platform and assisting with recruitment administration. The group coordinates content availability so that video content is only accessible from Belgian IP addresses.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Play Media competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RTL Belgium (RTL Play): Belgian RTL subsidiary operating linear channels and RTL Play streaming platform; competes with Play Media for both French-speaking Belgian audiences and advertiser budgets.
- VRT (Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie): Flemish public broadcaster operating linear TV channels and the VRT Max streaming platform, targeting the same Flemish-speaking audience as Play Media with comparable local content and digital distribution.
- DPG Media (VTM / Streamz): Belgian media group operating VTM linear channels and the Streamz streaming platform; direct competitor to Play Media for Flemish audiences, advertisers, and premium content rights.
- SBS Belgium (VTM/VIER/VIJF): Belgian commercial broadcaster (now part of DPG Media) operating Dutch-language entertainment channels — direct overlap with Play Media's local content and advertising inventory.
Regional players
- Viaplay Group: Nordic-focused streaming and broadcasting group with similar local-language content strategy and multi-channel + streaming model; useful comparable for European local-streaming economics outside Benelux.
- Joyn (ProSiebenSat.1 / Discovery): German free-to-consumer streaming aggregator combining linear and on-demand with advertiser support; structurally similar to Play.tv as a local-market streaming-plus-TV hybrid in a larger European market.
- VOO (operated by Orion): Belgian cable operator in Wallonia/Brussels offering TV and streaming bundles; overlaps with Play Media in Belgian pay-TV and connected-TV distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Proximus (Pickx): Belgian telecom operator offering Pickx TV/streaming service; competes for connected-TV distribution and bundled entertainment in the same Belgian households as Play Media.
- Telenet (parent streaming / Yelo TV): Parent company of Play Media and Belgian cable operator offering its own Yelo TV streaming service; comparable operating model (linear + streaming) with broader telecom distribution scale.
Others
- Ads & Data: Belgian advertising inventory aggregator and joint controller with Play Media for targeted ad delivery; not a competitor but a structural counterpart that defines how Play Media monetizes cross-media inventory.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Play Media social profiles
Digital presencePlay Media financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Play Media leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Play Media funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Play Media M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Play Media
What does Play Media do?
Play Media operates multiple Flemish television channels and the Play digital streaming platform, aggregating local quality content (shows such as De Slimste Mens, Komen Eten, De Tafel, and Nonkels) into a single branded destination for Belgian viewers. The platform offers free ad-supported streaming of linear and on-demand content, paid video-on-demand rentals and purchases via Play Kinepolis, and live combat-sports streaming via UFC Fight Pass, with advertising inventory sold across TV and digital channels.
Is Play Media a public or private company?
Play Media is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Play Media founded?
Play Media was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Play Media based?
Play Media is headquartered in Vilvoorde, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Play Media make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Advertising Revenue is the primary driver. The others are video-on-Demand (Play Kinepolis), streaming Platform Access and GRP Packages and Campaigns.
Who are Play Media's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RTL Belgium (RTL Play), VRT (Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie), DPG Media (VTM / Streamz) and SBS Belgium (VTM/VIER/VIJF). Regional players are Viaplay Group, Joyn (ProSiebenSat.1 / Discovery) and VOO (operated by Orion). Broad incumbents are Proximus (Pickx) and Telenet (parent streaming / Yelo TV). Ads & Data is listed as an others.
Does Play Media have an API?
No public API is recorded for Play Media.
What industry is Play Media in?
Play Media's product category is Television Broadcasting and Video Streaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACACAA, Generalist Live Streaming Platforms (Multi-Category). Its NAICS code is 516 and its SIC code is 4841.