The sports channel Sportkanal plans to launch into the German market this autumn, according to Ralf Manthey, MD of the IKO Media Group and also be responsible for the new channel. Programming of the 24/7 channel will include football, motor sports, basketball and boxing.
The channel is already active in a number of countries in Central and Eastern Europe and now plans expansion in the German speaking market with distribution via cable, satellite and IPTV, reports the German news service Medienbote.
“In contrast to other sports channels, who bring tele shopping and erotic videos, we will broadcast 24 hours of sports a day,” according to Manthey, “and a big chunk of our programming will be live.”
The IKO Media Group is owned by the Hungarian media entrepreneur Tamás Rákosi and operates 22 channels in nine countries with approximately 25 million subscribers.
