Fox strikes Boxer deal ahead of Swedish launch

Fox International Channels (FIC) has extended the reach of its flagship channel Fox in Sweden by concluding a deal with digital-terrestrial pay TV operator Boxer. 

The deal follows an earlier agreement with Swedish cable operator Com Hem that will see the channel launch to all subscribers later this summer.

Fox has secured a DTT licence valid until 2020, enabling it to extend its subscriber base by a further 500,000 homes across the country. The two deals together will give the channel a reach of over 2.3 million homes in Sweden, or 52% of the overall market.

The Swedish channel will be tailored to the local audience. Shows will include new Fox series Wayward Pines featuring Matt Dillon and Juliette Lewis.

Fox has been broadcast in Finland since April 2012 and Norway since 2011, and is available in a number of other European countries.

“We are very happy to continue to expand our good working relationship with Boxer. Boxer has been our partner since 2011, when we were first granted a DTT licence for Nat Geo HD. We consider the new licence for Fox as a sign of approval for our plans, and we are looking forward to working with Boxer to establish Fox as one of the leading entertainment brands in Sweden,” said Ase Ytreland, managing director of FIC’s Nordic Region.

As we have already proven in Norway and Finland, Swedish viewers will be offered the very best of the Fox experience, which we see as a natural step in our growth here. We expect Sweden to become one of our most important markets so we are already hiring many new staff to be located in the beautiful new Fox offices in Drottninggatan, Stockholm. We intend to build a great new entertainment channel for the Swedish viewers.”

“The agreement with Fox is another important step in providing high-quality content to our customers in Sweden. We know that many titles available under the Fox brand are popular among our viewers and nothing pleases us more than to be able to expand our channel mix with this sought-after channel,” said Gunilla Berg, acting CEO Boxer Sweden.