Viacom to launch new channels in the Netherlands

By
Jonathan Broughton

August 15, 2011

Viacom is to launch a selection of new channels in the Netherlands and extend the reach of existing channels starting from the beginning of September. All deals are expected to be completed and the channels launched by the end of the year. A wide range of channels are to be launched via digital cable services provided by market leaders Ziggo and UPC. New channel Comedy Central Extra will be made available on Ziggo, with existing channel MTV Live HD (known previously as MTVN HD) also extending its reach to the cable company. MTV Music 24 will extend its service to both UPC and Ziggo, having existing carriage deals with other operators in the market, including satellite provider Canal Digitaal. Existing channels MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and Kindernet will be duplicated as HD simulcasts. A selection of MTV content will also be accessible via VoD on both Ziggo and UPC.

MTV's current HD provision reaches an estimated 200,000 homes in the Netherlands. Operators Ziggo and UPC are the major players in the Dutch HD market, accounting for over 400,000 HD households, approximately 80% of the market's total HD subscriber uptake. This makes gaining HD carriage on these operators essential for expansion into the market. With MTV Live HD confirmed to have gained carriage on Ziggo, IHS Screen Digest estimates that the channel will reach 90,000 homes at launch. Based on tiering of similar channels, IHS Screen Digest estimates that Comedy Central Extra will at launch be able to reach most of the digital subscriber base of Ziggo; around 1m households, while MTV Music will likely be launched into extended basic packages of both Ziggo and UPC, reaching an estimated 1.2m.

Tags:

Countries: Netherlands
Companies: MTV Viacom Ziggo UPC Comedy Central