The Portuguese cable and satellite platform Zon TV Cable has said it will exclusively launch the 24 hour news channel TVI 24 on February 26. However, its competitor Meo from the telecom incumbent PT claims it is also in negotiations with the channel about carriage on its platform.
TVI 24 is a new venture from Media Capital, a division of the Spanish media group Prisa, and aims to broadcast news around the clock on the hours supplemented by a variety of magazine programmes (sports, economy, culture, lifestyles, science, fashion, nature), debates and interviews. Alongside TVI 24, there will be the www.tvi24.pt news portal.
Following the announcement by Zon TV Cabo, Portugal Telecom executive president Zeinal Bava said on the sidelines of a press conference for the presentation of results of 2008: “We are in negotiations with TVI. The Meo customers will have access to TVI 24, and I want that to happen later this month.”