Fox buys Finnish channel Suomi TV

Fox has acquired Finnish free-to-air broadcaster Suomi TV. The US company’s global channels division, Fox International Channels (FIC), will fold the Finnish service into its Nordic bouquet of channels, which includes Nat Geo, Baby TV and Fox Crime.

Fox has focused on the Nordic market in the last year, rolling out Fox Crime in Norway and shaking up the distribution of its other services in the region.

Suomi is a digital channel and was launched by Canadian investor Jeffrey Royer in 2010, targeting a family audience. Financial details of the Fox deal were not disclosed.

Fox said that under its stewardship, Suomi will be programmed with scripted, factual and factual entertainment content including National Geographic series Mega Factories, Shark Men, Jurassic CSI and Banged Up Abroad. FIC added that it plans to increase the broadcast hours of the channel within months.

“Entering the Finnish market with the strong distribution of Suomi TV provides a unique opportunity to make our high quality factual and entertainment programming available to the Finnish viewer,” said FIC president Jesús Perezagua. “It’s an exciting move that strengthens our presence in the Nordic region.”

Miikka Muurinen, COO, Suomi TV said: “We are so pleased that Suomi TV will be able to regain its vitality and local relevance with FIC’s involvement in the channel. They have tremendous TV experience and a proven track record that we now can benefit from.”