Discovery Channel has launched with a localised version on both analogue and digital tiers of the Telenet cable network in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium.
The new channel complements Discovery’s existing digital distribution, increasing reach in the Flemish market to over 2.4 million households, the total of the Telenet footprint. At the same time, Discovery has started to version its programmes with a special Belgian edition.
“The programmes are now focused on the Flemish viewer”, according to programme director Alco De Jong. In the future, he hopes to add original Flemish programming as well. The Belgian commercial broadcaster Vitaya has taken on the sales activities (see Broadband TV News passim).
The addition of Discovery comes at the same time as Telenet reshuffles it analogue tier. The cabler has also added the new Exqi Intro and kids channel VTM Kzoom to analogue. Exqi Intro is a channel introducing the new Exqi Plus, which will launch in February, 2010.
Telenet also added new channels to its digital one-up. They are RTL, Sat.1 and ProSieben from Germany, an Italian channel from Mediaset and TRT INT from Turkey.
