Free-TV Lifetime launching in Turkey

Lifetime is launching as a free-to-air channel in Turkey at the end of next month.

The A+E Networks female-skewing service will be run locally as a joint venture with MCD Medya. Fox Media will handle ad sales for the new service.

A+E said the new net will be programmed with shows from the US and international Lifetime services as well as local programming. The Turkish content line-up will include a daily morning talk show, hosted by well-known local personality Özge Uzun.

“The channel’s program schedule draws from a rich library of content and formats that are well-localized to match Turkish viewing habits,” said Oflaz Guvenkaya, president, MCD Medya.

She added: “The live morning show aims to be informative, inspiring and interactive for female and male viewers alike. Lifetime will be a pioneer in the Turkish market, filling a gap across the Free TV landscape from the viewers’ perspective and in the industry from the advertisers’ perspective.”

A+E said the free-TV move would take it into almost 20 million Turkish TV homes.

“Lifetime Turkey represents a key element of our growth strategy to extend A+E Networks’ portfolio across EMEA,” said Dean Possenniskie, managing director, EMEA, A+E Networks.

He added: “The channel will collectively give us the ability to reach over 19 million households and deliver to advertisers a high-value, upscale audience with real scale.”

Internationally, Lifetime is in 110 territories, and along with History and Crime + Investigation is one of the channel operator’s key nets.