Dutch public broadcasters announce host of new themed digital TV channels
The Dutch public broadcasters on Wednesday officially unveiled a host of new digital TV channels that will be launched next month. The channels will be available to those viewers with digital TV subscriptions via cable, which currently means nearly 2 million households. 17 additional channels will be offered, covering a range of themes such as programmes aimed at children and young people, nature, politics, religion, documentatries, video clips and a lot more.
The Dutch Labour Party PvdA wants all the new channels to be available without extra cost. PvdA spokesman for the media Martijn van Dam says that the Media Law should be changed to ensure this happens. ”Viewers shouldn’t have to pay twice for public TV programmes”, he said during a parliamentary debate. The cable companies are planning to include some of the new channels in an optional paid package, and Martijn van Dam believes this is totally unacceptable.
Source: Media Network Weblog, Radio Netherlands, 25 October 2006
