Premiere cuts Planet

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Leading German pay TV platform Premiere said Monday that it will drop nature documentary niche channel Planet from its schedule, effective June 30. A Premiere spokesman said Planet's parent company -- the Munich-based production house multiThematiques -- failed to live up to contract obligations, including supplying new programming on time and at an acceptable broadcast quality. Planet's pay TV prospects have also been hurt by multiThematiques recent deal with German cable giant Kabel Deutschland to carry the documentary channel free-to-air in direct competition to Premiere's pay offering. Kabel Deutschland started airing Planet on April 1. MultiThematiques has filed an injunction with the Munich state court to prevent Premiere from knocking Planet off the air. "In our opinion, the cancellation is invalid," multiThematiques managing director James Wells said in a statement. "The ratings for Planet (have enjoyed) uninterrupted growth, which is evidence of (the channel's) high program quality."