Das Vierte

Das Vierte was a German-language entertainment television channel launched in 2005 by NBC Universal Global Networks, the international networks business associated with NBCUniversal. Its name means “The Fourth” in German. The service initially positioned itself around American and other Hollywood-oriented drama programming and used the slogan “Wir sind Hollywood” (“We are Hollywood”), presenting itself as a destination for feature-film-inspired entertainment and television series. The channel’s initial business plan called for it to reach approximately a 1% audience share during its first year, with the expectation that its share could double over the following two or three years. Although it achieved its first-year target, the service subsequently struggled financially and commercially. Its programming identity became less exclusively focused on Hollywood material over time, including cooperation with the German network Anixe TV. By 2011, Das Vierte’s reported German market share was approximately 0.2%, illustrating the difficulty of sustaining a standalone entertainment channel in a competitive television market. In 2008, NBC Universal Global Networks sold the channel to Mini Movie International Channel, a company owned by Russian media entrepreneur Dmitri Lesnevsky. The transaction reflected the channel’s weak financial performance and Lesnevsky’s stated intention to improve its position through rebranding before potentially reselling it. A proposed acquisition by Phoenix Media in 2010 did not proceed. These ownership changes left Das Vierte operating as a relatively small free-to-air and satellite service rather than developing into a major German television brand. The Walt Disney Company announced in September 2012 that it had agreed to acquire Das Vierte. Disney completed the transaction by December 2012. The acquisition was ultimately used as the basis for a new German Disney Channel rather than for the long-term continuation of the Das Vierte identity. In April 2013, Disney announced that Das Vierte would close and be relaunched as Disney Channel in January 2014. Das Vierte ceased broadcasting on 31 December 2013, and Disney Channel began operating in Germany in January 2014. During its operating period, the channel was distributed terrestrially in Berlin and Bremen and via the Astra digital satellite platform across Europe. Its terrestrial signal was reported to reach approximately 93% of German television households. The brand is therefore best understood as a defunct German broadcast-station brand whose assets and distribution position were absorbed into Disney’s subsequent German television strategy.

Das Vierte began broadcasting in Germany in 2005 under NBC Universal Global Networks. The channel was conceived as an entertainment service with a strong drama orientation and a programming identity linked to Hollywood productions. Its launch slogan, “Wir sind Hollywood,” expressed the intended brand promise: a German television outlet offering accessible American-style entertainment and film-related programming. At launch, the channel set a first-year audience-share objective of 1%. It reached that target, but the early achievement did not translate into a durable competitive position. Das Vierte operated in a crowded German television environment, where established commercial broadcasters, public-service networks, thematic channels and increasingly fragmented distribution competed for viewers and advertising. The service later broadened its schedule beyond its initial Hollywood-centered profile and developed cooperation with Anixe TV. Despite these efforts, its performance remained weak; its German market share was reported at approximately 0.2% in 2011. NBC Universal Global Networks sold Das Vierte in 2008 to Mini Movie International Channel, a company owned by Dmitri Lesnevsky. The sale took place while the channel was losing money. Lesnevsky viewed the business as a turnaround and resale opportunity, with rebranding intended to improve its commercial prospects. A later plan by Phoenix Media to purchase the station in 2010 was not completed, leaving the channel under its existing ownership. The next major change came in 2012, when The Walt Disney Company agreed to acquire Das Vierte. Disney announced the transaction in September and completed it by December. Rather than maintaining Das Vierte as a permanent independent brand, Disney used the acquisition to establish a German Disney Channel. In April 2013, the company announced that Das Vierte would close and that Disney Channel would take its place in January 2014. Das Vierte ended operations on 31 December 2013. During its lifetime, the channel had been available through terrestrial transmission in Berlin and Bremen and through the Astra digital satellite system, including distribution across Europe. Its terrestrial availability was reported to cover approximately 93% of German television households. The station’s history reflects the consolidation and repositioning of a small entertainment broadcaster: an initial international-network launch, a financially motivated ownership change, an unsuccessful attempted sale, acquisition by a global media company, and final replacement by a stronger and more internationally recognizable Disney brand.

• 2014

  Disney Channel replaces Das Vierte

  [1]Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org

  Disney Channel begins broadcasting in Germany in January, replacing the former Das Vierte service.

• 2013

  Das Vierte is closed

  [1]Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org

  Disney closes Das Vierte on 31 December as part of the transition to Disney Channel Germany.

• 2012

  Disney agrees to acquire the channel

  [1]Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org

  The Walt Disney Company announces an agreement to purchase Das Vierte in September and closes the transaction by December.

• 2011

  Reported German market share reaches approximately 0.2%

  [1]Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org

  The channel’s reported audience share remains substantially below its original growth ambitions.

• 2010

  Phoenix Media acquisition plan fails

  [1]Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org

  A proposed Phoenix Media purchase of Das Vierte does not reach completion.

• 2008

  Ownership transfers to Mini Movie International Channel

  [1]Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org

  The loss-making channel is sold by NBC Universal Global Networks to Mini Movie International Channel, owned by Dmitri Lesnevsky.

• 2005

  Das Vierte launches in Germany

  [1]Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org

  NBC Universal Global Networks launches Das Vierte as a German entertainment channel focused initially on drama and Hollywood-oriented programming.

A German entertainment channel initially positioned around Hollywood and drama programming, later broadened through partnerships and ultimately replaced by Disney Channel.

• Television channel · 2005

  Das Vierte

  The brand’s principal and only major product was a German entertainment television channel. It launched with an emphasis on drama, feature-film-related entertainment and Hollywood productions, supported by the slogan “Wir sind Hollywood.” The schedule later moved away from an exclusively Hollywood-oriented identity and included cooperation with Anixe TV. The service was distributed terrestrially in Berlin and Bremen and through Astra digital satellite transmission across Europe. It operated until 31 December 2013, when Disney closed it and replaced it with Disney Channel Germany.

• 2005Wir sind Hollywood

  Germany

  The launch positioning for Das Vierte used the slogan “Wir sind Hollywood,” framing the channel as a German home for Hollywood-style entertainment and drama.

  Outcome. The channel met its reported first-year audience-share target, but later struggled to maintain commercial momentum.

  Source

• 2013

  Closure and replacement by Disney ChannelStrategy

  Background

  Das Vierte had low audience share and did not become a durable standalone entertainment brand.

  Action taken

  Disney announced the closure of Das Vierte, ending its broadcast on 31 December 2013 and planning a Disney Channel launch in January 2014.

  Aftermath

  The Das Vierte identity disappeared from the German television market and was replaced by Disney Channel Germany.

  Source

• 2012

  Disney acquisition of Das VierteM&A

  Background

  The Walt Disney Company sought a platform for its German television strategy and announced an agreement to purchase Das Vierte.

  Action taken

  Disney announced the acquisition in September 2012 and completed it by December of that year.

  Aftermath

  Disney chose to use the channel’s position and distribution infrastructure for a new Disney Channel service rather than preserve the Das Vierte brand.

  Source

• 2008

  Sale to Mini Movie International ChannelM&A

  Background

  Das Vierte was losing money under NBC Universal Global Networks, creating pressure for a change in ownership.

  Action taken

  NBC Universal Global Networks sold the channel to Mini Movie International Channel, owned by Dmitri Lesnevsky.

  Aftermath

  Lesnevsky pursued a turnaround and possible resale strategy, but the channel continued to operate as a small-market service.

  Source

1. 1Das Vierteen.wikipedia.org