Viceland readies Balkans launch

NEM: Vice Media will launch its linear TV channel in the Balkan region by the end of this year.

Dimitra Kontogianni

Vice was already planning a presence in new territories in Eastern Europe through its strategic alliance with Greece’s Antenna Group, as reported by C21.

Dimitra Kontogianni, MD for Vice Serbia, announced more details to New Europe Market delegates at a party in Dubrovnik this week.

“We first launched vice.com in Greece, followed by Serbia and Romania, with huge success,” she said. “We will now launch vice.com in Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria and Hungary and by the end of the year our cable channel, Viceland, will be operating in the Balkan region with premium and exclusive Vice content.

“That’s all I can tell you at this moment, but one thing is for sure, we are coming to shock you and you will absolutely love it.”

Vice currently operates a network of digital channels featuring award-winning video programming and editorials, with a focus on news, music, culture, technology, sports and fashion.

The news comes after Viceland launched in the US and Canada in February, in conjunction with A+E Networks and Rogers respectively.

The channel is also bound for the UK and Ireland in September as part of a strategy to roll out around a dozen channels in Europe during the next 18 months. It is expected to arrive France by the end of the year, featuring content localised in French.