Discovery Channel (Flemish TV channel)

Discovery Channel (often referred to as simply Discovery) is a television channel which broadcasts to the Flemish market.

Discovery Channel
CountryBelgium
Broadcast areaBelgium
NetworkDiscovery Benelux
Programming
Language(s)Dutch
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerWarner Bros. Discovery EMEA (Warner Bros. Discovery)
Sister channelsDiscovery HD Showcase
Animal Planet
Investigation Discovery
Discovery World
Discovery Science
TLC
French Discovery
History
Launched1 October 2009; 14 years ago (2009-10-01)
Replaced
Links
Websitewww.discovery.nl/be

The channel launched on the analogue network of the major Flemish cable company Telenet on October 1, 2009.[1] Prior to that the Dutch version of Discovery had been available digitally in the area.[2] The launch increased Discovery's reach in the Flemish region to 2.4 million households.[3]

The launch of Discovery Channel on Telenet coincided with a major shift in the Telenet analogue offer, which also saw the launch of EXQI Plus and vtmKzoom.[4][5]

Advertising sales for the channel was initially handled by the established Belgian channel Vitaya.[6] At launch, hope was expressed that the channel would eventually carry original Flemish content.[7] In 2010, Vitaya was bought by Vlaamse Media Maatschappij, owners of the leading TV channel in Flanders. As a result, Discovery Channel Vlaanderen would handle its own ad sale from January 2011.[8] The ad sales were later taken over by SBS Sales Belgium.

Before the launch of Discovery Channel Vlaanderen, Discovery Channel Nederland was available for digital subscribers. A Flemish version of TLC, TLC Vlaanderen, was launched in 2015.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ "Discovery Networks lanceert Vlaamse Discovery Channel" (PDF) (Press release). Discovery Networks Benelux. August 12, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2011.
  2. ^ "Discovery Channel Vlaanderen vanaf oktober nieuwe afsplitsing van Discovery Channel Nederland". DutchMedia. August 13, 2009.
  3. ^ "Flemish launch for Discovery Channel". C21Media. August 13, 2009.
  4. ^ "METTEZ LES NOUVELLES CHAÎNES SUR VOTRE TÉLÉVISEUR" (PDF). Telenet.
  5. ^ "Discovery adds analogue footprint in Belgium". Broadband TV News. October 2, 2009.
  6. ^ "Vitaya to sell Flemish Discovery airtime". broadbandtvnews. September 22, 2009.
  7. ^ "EXQI Plus, vtmKzoom en Discovery Channel op de kabel". HLN. September 28, 2009.
  8. ^ Discovery Channel neemt regie in eigen handen, MediaSpecs, 8 December 2010
  9. ^ TLC breidt ook naar Vlaanderen uit, TotaalTV, 23 Januari 2015