Mini Movie acquires NBCU’s Das Vierte

NBC Universal Global Networks Deutschland has announced the sale of its German series and movie channel Das Vierte to Mini Movie International Channel.

According to NBC Universal, the sale was made so that it could concentrate on the expansion of its international pay-TV channels. The company wants to more than double its turnover in international markets over the next three years. “We are pleased that we have made this agreement so that we can introduce our international media group to the German market”, said Mini Movie’s owner Dmitri Lesnevski.

Das Vierte will continue as an entertainment service screening German films and shows as well as Hollywood movies. Additionally, Mini Movie plans to produce its own TV series, programmes and shows for the channel. “With our experience in the introduction and development of free-to-air television channels we want to increase Das Vierte’s viewer ratings in Germany,” said Lesnevski. Assuming the media authorities approve, the deal should be closed by the end of June.

Das Vierte was launched in September 2005. The channel, which reaches around 90% of German households via cable, satellite and ADSL, currently has a viewer market share of around one per cent. In November 2007 it became known that NBC Universal was considering a sale of the channel.

Mini Movie International Channel is a new international media company headquartered in Luxemburg with subsidiaries in Moscow, Paris and Beverly Hills. The company is owned by television and film producer Dmitri Lesnevski, who founded commercial Russian broadcaster Ren TV. The company makes short films and web productions, owns an archive of short films and operates a short film web portal under www.minimovies.com.