The move is being worked on at a global level and David Lynn, executive vice president and managing director of MTV Networks UK and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, is understood to be involved.
Broadcast understands that VIMN has approached a number of EPG brokers and agents about acquiring an additional Freeview slot, however, an MTV spokeswoman has denied the project: "Like any broadcaster, we have speculative discussions about our content in multiple markets on a regular basis, but we genuinely have no news regarding any collaborations with partners in the UK at this time. And we have absolutely no plans to buy a Freeview channel or slot."
VIMN already operates free-to-air channel Viva on Freeview, which airs series including the Nicktoon "Spongebob Squarepants" and Comedy Central's "South Park":
Viacom eyes second Freeview slot for Nick
Viacom International Media Networks, which owns MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, is exploring the possibility of acquiring a second Freeview channel.
The move would see the company launch a Nickelodeon block on DTT, echoing a wider trend in the international kids’ market, with the likes of Disney launching free-to-air networks around the world.
Broadcast understands that VIMN has approached a number of EPG brokers and agents about acquiring an additional Freeview slot.
The move is being worked on at a global level and David Lynn, executive vice president and managing director of MTV Networks UK and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, is understood to be involved.
However, an MTV spokeswoman denied the project: “Like any broadcaster, we have speculative discussions about our content in multiple markets on a regular basis, but we genuinely have no news regarding any collaborations with partners in the UK at this time. And we have absolutely no plans to buy a Freeview channel or slot.”
The company already operates free-to-air channel Viva on Freeview, which airs series including Spongebob Squarepants and repeats of South Park and 16 And Pregnant. However, it is believed that the terms of this licence preclude the company from airing more kids’ content via DTT, leading it to look for another slot.
The company’s plans are sensitive as a result of its wide-ranging deal with pay-TV platform BSkyB. Viacom International Media Networks UK and Ireland and BSkyB are joint venture partners in Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, and the News Corp-backed firm’s sales arm has been in charge of advertising sales across VIMN’s bouquet of channels since 2010.
A DTT presence would allow Nickelodeon to reach more eyeballs in the UK and would provide a boon for its consumer-products division, which would be able to strike additional licensing
