Discovery eyes January FTA launch for Spain

Discovery Networks International has announced plans for a new free-to-air channel for Spain.

Scheduled for launch in January 2012, the as yet unnamed channel will offer news and current affairs programming created by Spanish publishing group Unidad Editorial. It will launch on Spain’s DTT network.

Dee Forbes, president and managing director, Discovery Networks Western Europe, said: “The launch of a free-to-air channel in Spain gives us the opportunity to increase the size of our Spanish business and reinforces our commitment to the Spanish market. We have a predominantly pay TV business across Western Europe, but in some markets such as Spain, where DTT is the dominant TV platform, the addition of a free-to-air channel, gives us an opportunity to share our content with the widest possible audience.”

Discovery mainly operates pay TV channels but has launched a few free-to-air channels in other European markets, including DMAX, which debuted in Germany in 2006, Quest, which launched in the UK in 2009, and Real Time, which has been available in Italy since 2010.