Ginx finds Adriatic home, delays UK debut

Video games network Ginx TV, headed up by former MTV exec Michiel Bakker, is launching in Europe next month but has delayed its UK debut.

The 24/7 channel, which is aimed at both casual and hardcore gamers and airs in Turkey and Indonesia through a deal with Dori Media, will go live across six countries in the Adriatic region on April 18 through cabsat operator Serbia Broadband (SBB).

Ginx CEO Michiel Bakker said: “Bringing the Ginx video-gaming TV channel to SBB subscribers on both satellite and cable across the Adriatic region is a very exciting step in our global roll out.”

Programming will be subtitled in Croatian, Slovenian and Serbian.

However, Ginx added that plans to launch a UK channel would not happen this month, though Britain remains a key territory for the channel.

In August last year, Ginx secured an initial £750,000 (US$1.2m) of venture capital investment to propel a British channel launch. Talks then began with BSkyB and Virgin Media, though these have so far remained fruitless.

“Unfortunately, we won’t be able to launch our UK channel this month, but we are ready to go with our programmes (and) we’re just finding the best home for the UK channel,” the company said in a statement.

Former Extreme Sports Channel executives Udi Shapira and Cosmo Spens founded more than three years ago.