Discovery plans international expansion of cable channel TLC
Cable giant Discovery Communications is planning an international roll-out for TLC, the female- focused television channel best known in the US for controversial reality show Jon & Kate Plus 8, about a couple with eight children. Its ambitions plans for the network are designed to make it the most widely distributed female lifestyle channel brand in pay-TV.
Kicking off its expansion plans – which will involve more than 75 international markets by Spring next year – with a launch in Norway, the aim is to take the company’s second-biggest network after the Discovery Channel to about 100m additional subscribers within 18 months. It has so far only been seen outside North America in one test market, Brazil.
The roll-out will double TLC’s global viewership and make it the most widely-distributed female lifestyle cable channel. It will also allow the group’s international arm to offer advertisers and affiliates an alternative to the Discovery Channel. TLC currently reaches 107m North American households with shows including What not to Wear and Cake Boss. It will join half a dozen Discovery channels that reach an international audience.
Mark Hollinger, chief executive of Discovery Networks International has described pay-TV as ‘stagnant’ in many mature markets. “What we believe it needs is more big audience delivery vehicles,” he said, adding that TLC would form a vital part of the network’s global advertising portfolio.
The roll-out will involve a rebrand of existing Discovery International channels as well as new distribution deals. Although TLC will include existing programming from its domestic line-up, Discovery plans to step up its local programme acquisitions and co-production efforts in order to fill gaps where domestic American shows will not translate effectively to other country markets. In such instances, the cable company will provide originally-produced programming focused on regional audiences.
The Discovery Channel claims to be the most widely distributed channel in the world. It is present in more than 180 countries through deals with cable and satellite affiliates. Discovery hopes to leverage this global footprint in order to expand the distribution of TLC and to challenge other cable networks aimed at female viewers, such as Bravo.
“TLC has become one of the strongest television networks in the United States,” said Hollinger. “With the extension of this female-driven franchise across the world, we are creating a powerful complement to Discovery Channel in our global brand portfolio.”
TLC is set to launch in the UK next year, where local commissions and co-productions will sit alongside the traditional American programming. “TLC has a lifestyle edge to it which tends to be more local in nature and so there’ll be a combination of acquisitions done as well as commissions and co-productions on a local basis,” explained Hollinger.
The launch in Norway this week sees the channel returning to Europe, where it was last seen in the mid 1990s. The broadcaster has reported a 46 per cent jump in fourth quarter profits, led by growth in its international operations.
Tags: Global Brand
