Berlin’s local broadcaster closes down



Berlin city channel FAB (Fernsehen aus Berlin – Television from Berlin) has terminated transmissions.

The step was necessary due to the broadcaster’s inability to find new investors, explained insolvency administrator Christian Köhler-Ma. The 27 employees and 5 apprentices have been made redundant. Köhler-Ma said that he is now looking for a “small solution” to rescue part of the company.

FAB filed for insolvency in January. Debts of around €1.7 million had been accumulated by the commercial broadcaster, mainly in conjunction with the new business premises it moved to last year. The channel, which was launched in 1990, reached around 4.7 million inhabitants in the Berlin-Brandenburg area via cable and DTT.

Competing city channel TV.Berlin also had to register for insolvency in 2005, but managed to find new investors, including publishing house Axel Springer. According to managing director Mathias Adler, TV.Berlin is considering the possibility of taking over some of FAB’s programmes.