TV 2 Denmark has announced plans to increase the number of basic cable and satellite channels. The move comes as part of a refocusing of the quasi-commercial channel on its core activities after two years of expansion. The broadcaster is closing its new business unit and scaling back investment in TV 2 Radio (the former Sky Radio). Staff numbers will also be reduced after what the company describes as the “extraordinary” growth of recent years. TV 2’s main channel remains unaffected by the cutbacks.
“TV 2 is adjusting to a more moderate international economic pace as is everybody in the industry,” said TV 2 CEO, Merete Eldrup. “This still means using the company brand to expand into non-advertisement business areas, basic cable and satellite channels and our web portal TV 2.net, to name a few, but TV-commercials will still for many years ahead play a pivotal role in the composition of TV 2’s revenues. Broadcast activities are still our primary focus.”
The announcement is timely as Denmark’s DTT platform, and the accompanying analogue switch off, gets into full gear.
There are already four TV 2-branded stations in the Danish market, the youth focused TV 2 Zulu; TV 2 Charlie, targeting an older audience; TV 2 News, TV 2 Film and TV 2 Sport. A fifth channel, TV 2 Sputnik, offers an internet-based streaming service.
