German newspaper giant launching TV channel

Europe´s best selling newspaper BILD announced that it is launching a TV channel with daily live program and broadcast it on free TV/News unit at WeltN24. Bild is owned by Axel Springer Verlag. The plan is to launch the channel before the upcoming Federal election on September 26 that is expected to be the biggest news event in Germany and of huge importance outside as it will decide who will govern Europe’s biggest economy.

”The core of the channel’s schedule will be a live program of up to six hours daily, starting in the morning”, the company said in a press release. ”The new studios in Axel Springer’s new building will be used for this purpose. The live broadcasting slot with news and current affairs is also scheduled to be transmitted simultaneously on N24 Doku, WELT’s timeshift channel.”

”The focus is on politics, sports, celebrities, crime, and service topics, among others. The running program can be interrupted at any time for live coverage of breaking news stories and other current topics.”

The new TV channel is intended to be receivable under the BILD brand free-to-air via cable, satellite, IPTV and OTT. Advertising sales are handled by the TV marketer VISOON.

BILD will be produced of a new TV unit in WeltN24 GmbH, in which Axel Springer is bundling television activities for WELT, BILD and N24 Doku in future.

The content for the live program comes from the BILD editorial department. Responsible Managing Directors of WeltN24 GmbH are Frank Hoffmann as chairman of the TV unit as well as Claus Strunz, who in this position will also be responsible for the program of the BILD channel. Claus Strunz is also Managing Director TV/Video at Axel Springer and a member of BILD’s chief editorial team.

Julian Reichelt, who as editor-in-chief at BILD is to be overall responsible of content for BILD Live, said: “We want to make television that doesn’t lecture people, but shows what actually is.”