NBC Universal has said it has sold the German general entertainment channel Das Vierte to the Luxembourg based Mini Movie Channel International. The new owner is backed by Dmitri Lesnevski, founder of Russian independent broadcaster Ren TV.
The sale of Das Vierte in Germany comes as no surprise, as NBC Universal said earlier that it was looking for a a buyer in order to concentrate on its pay-TV channels. Das Vierte was launched in September 2005 as a general-entertainment service showing Hollywood movies and TV series reaching around 90% of households. It was the only free-to-air offering in the European portfolio of channels of NBC Universal.
Lesnevski said he planned to keep Das Vierte as a general entertainment channel but that Mini Movie would supplement its schedule of licensed movies and sitcoms with in-house productions.
