Customers on Denmark’s YouSee cablenet are now able to select which channels make up their TV bouquets following pressure from the authorities.
A total of 70 channels are being made available within the new Ekstrakanaler (Extra channels), which will sit alongside the existing bouquets.
“We’ve been forced to renegotiate our agreements to acquire the rights so that we can also sell channels individually. There are a couple of Danish channels, I would have liked to have seen included under the scheme, but overall I am very pleased that we managed to get 70 channels,” says YouSee CEO Niels Breining.
The three major channels, TV 2, TV3 and Kanal5 are not included because they are already in the basic package. However, TV 2 Film, TV 2 Sport and TV3 +, which for various reasons have refused to be sold outside the main channel packages.
“If you see only a few channels or just interested in specific issues, our new concept will certainly be a good offer. It is not completely free television choices, but it is a good step in the right direction, and the best we could reach an agreement with broadcasters on at the moment, “says Niels Breining.
The 70 channels are divided into four price categories and costs DKK 10 to 40 per month.
A draft report from the competition authorities, leaked to the Danish press during the summer, suggested parliament might be persuaded to consider legislation forcing platforms to introduce an a la carte choice.
The Danish TV sector has warned against legislation and stated that the industry itself will be able to offer a la carte within a few years once business models and prices have been adjusted step by step. There is a fear that legislation will disrupt the process and lead to a lack of investment.
Broadband TV Views: Arguably those channels outside the Ekstrakanaler package have done YouSee a favour. It means the absence of TV 2 Film, TV 2 Sport and TV3 + will encourage viewers to stick with the established channel bundles.