Country | Belgium |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Belgium |
Network | Discovery Benelux |
Programming | |
Language(s) | Dutch |
Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to 16:9 576i for the SDTV feed) |
Ownership | |
Owner | Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA (Warner Bros. Discovery) |
Sister channels | Discovery HD Showcase Animal Planet Investigation Discovery Discovery World Discovery Science TLC French Discovery |
History | |
Launched | 1 October 2009 |
Replaced |
|
Links | |
Website | www |
Discovery Channel (often referred to as simply Discovery) is a television channel which broadcasts to the Flemish market.
The channel launched on the analogue network of the major Flemish cable company Telenet on October 1, 2009. [1] Prior to that the Dutch version of Discovery had been available digitally in the area. [2] The launch increased Discovery's reach in the Flemish region to 2.4 million households. [3]
The launch of Discovery Channel on Telenet coincided with a major shift in the Telenet analogue offer, which also saw the launch of EXQI Plus and vtmKzoom. [4] [5]
Advertising sales for the channel was initially handled by the established Belgian channel Vitaya. [6] At launch, hope was expressed that the channel would eventually carry original Flemish content. [7] In 2010, Vitaya was bought by Vlaamse Media Maatschappij, owners of the leading TV channel in Flanders. As a result, Discovery Channel Vlaanderen would handle its own ad sale from January 2011. [8] The ad sales were later taken over by SBS Sales Belgium.
Before the launch of Discovery Channel Vlaanderen, Discovery Channel Nederland was available for digital subscribers. A Flemish version of TLC, TLC Vlaanderen, was launched in 2015. [9]
TLC is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. First established in 1980 as The Learning Channel, it initially focused on educational and instructional programming. By the late 1990s, after an acquisition by the owners of Discovery Channel earlier in the decade, the network began to pivot towards reality television programming—predominantly focusing on programming involving lifestyles and personal stories—to the point that the previous name with "The Learning Channel" spelled out was phased out in favor of its initialism.
Television in the Netherlands was officially introduced in 1951. In the Netherlands, the television market is divided between a number of commercial networks, such as RTL Nederland, and a system of public broadcasters sharing three channels, NPO 1, NPO 2, and NPO 3. Imported programmes, as well as news interviews with responses in a foreign language, are almost always shown in their original language, with subtitles.
The Flemish Region, usually simply referred to as Flanders, is one of the three regions of Belgium—alongside the Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region. Covering the northern portion of the country, the Flemish Region is primarily Dutch-speaking. With an area of 13,522 km2 (5,221 sq mi), it accounts for only 45% of Belgium's territory, but 57% of its population. It is one of the most densely populated regions of Europe with around 490/km2 (1,300/sq mi).
The Music Factory (TMF) was an originally Dutch brand of television and radio channels operated focusing on pop music. It was similar to the American MTV which took over TMF in 2002.
The VRT is the national public-service broadcaster for the Flemish Community of Belgium.
VTM or Vlaamse Televisie Maatschappij is the main commercial television station in Flanders and forms part of a network of channels owned by DPG Media.
Telenet Group N.V. is the largest provider of cable broadband services in Belgium. Its business comprises the provision of analog and digital cable television, fixed and mobile telephone services, primarily to residential customers in Flanders and Brussels. In addition, Telenet offers services to business customers all across Belgium and in Luxembourg under its brand Telenet Solutions.
Proximus TV, subsidiary of the Belgacom Group, provides Digital TV (IPTV) services over its own IPTV Platform in Belgium. It was launched in the summer of 2005.
DPG Media Group is a Belgian media company also active in the Netherlands and Denmark. The exact ownership structure is not clear; it is believed that the group is mainly owned by the Belgian Van Thillo family. The company employs about 6,000 people.
Discovery Channel is a British pay television channel, operated by Warner Bros. Discovery. Its programming is based on programming produced by Discovery Networks Europe, Discovery Channel Canada and Discovery Channel from the US.
History is a European documentary television channel which broadcasts programs related to historical events and persons. There are also reality television, ufology and paranormal programs.
Nickelodeon is a Belgian television channel that is derived from the Dutch Nickelodeon. The channel started in the summer of 2009 when it got its own programming. Via the satellite, the Dutch version is still being broadcast.
The Netherlands now has three major forms of broadcast digital television. Terrestrial (DVB-T), Cable (DVB-C), and Satellite (DVB-S). In addition IPTV services are available. At the end of the first quarter of 2013 almost 84% of the households in the Netherlands had some form of digital television.
Television in Belgium was introduced in 1953 and began with one channel each in Dutch and French. The country is heavily cabled, with 93% of households watching television through cable as of 2003.
Disney Channel is the Dutch version of the same name, owned by the Walt Disney Company. The channel is broadcasting free-to-cable, and all content is dubbed in Dutch. The channel features a mix of original sitcoms, teen drama series, animation movies and original movies. English audio is also available on the operators Ziggo, Canal Digitaal, TV Vlaanderen, Caiway, Proximus and Telenet. There are two different versions with local advertisements. While currently not using a slogan, the tagline 'Dat moet je meemaken!' has been used in the past.
Animal Planet is a Dutch pay television channel broadcasting nature-related documentaries in the Netherlands and Flanders. The channel launched as a Pan-European feed on 1 July 1997. It is operated by Discovery Benelux.
Acht was a Belgian digital television channel, owned by the Concentra group.
The mass media in Belgium is characterized by its diversity due to the linguistic divide in the country.
VTM Kids was a Belgian commercial television channel for youth. The broadcasts of the channel began on 1 October 2009. VTM Kids targeted children. The children's channel was owned by DPG Media.
Disney Channel is the Belgian version of the same name, owned by the Walt Disney Company.