Discovery lines up ID Xtra launch

Discovery Networks Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa will launch its new female-skewing crime channel in the region on April 1.

ID Xtra will launch in Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia next month. Further standard definition and high definition launches will follow later in the year.

The channel, first mooted in December, is a spin-off from the successful Investigation Discovery network, which draws a female audience with mystery and crime programming.

Its launch slate has now been revealed and includes Tabloid, fronted by US talkshow host Jerry Springer, which explores bizarre crime stories from around the world.

Redrum, which starts with a crime scene and works backwards to discovery the perpetrator, and investigative programme Crime with Tamron Hall, fronted by the MSNBC host and NBC News correspondent, are also included.

Paul Welling, senior VP and head of channels for Discovery Networks CEEMEA, said: “According to extensive research and based on our experience in Western markets, this type of content is primarily appealing for female audiences and generates one of the longest tune-ins in all television – up to 50 minutes.”

Welling and Springer will be at MipDoc in Cannes next month to showcase the channel and its programming.