Portugal Television to start June 2008
August 20, 2007
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Portugal Channel Television, a project aimed at the international promotion of the Iberian country as a tourist destination, plans to launch regular broadcasts in the first half of 2008.
The channel, which was officially presented at this year's Lisbon Tourism Market (BTL), is a project of production company Tele 7, which is headed by former RTP journalist Paulo Lavadinho. According to him, broadcasting tests will initiate by the end of the year and broadcasts should start, in phases for each distribution platform, in the first half of 2008.
With a potential of more than 200 million consumers world wide, the channel will be transmitted via five distribution platforms: Internet, Satellite, European IPTV platforms, Mobile TV and Cable.
Most of the programming will be aired in English, as well as in German, French and Spanish. Portugal Channel Television will be free-to-air, as it will be financed by sponsorships.