TVN (Poland)

Infobox Broadcasting network
name = TVN Network (TVN)

type = Broadcast television network
branding =
airdate =
country = Poland
available = Europe, also distributed in the United States, Canada and Australia
founded =
founder = Mariusz Walter
slogan = "Programowo najlepsza"
motto =
market_share = 18.81%
(March 2008, [http://www.agbnielsen.pl/2008-03-30,1237.html] )
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owner = Grupa TVN S.A.
key_people = Piotr Walter, CEO
foundation =
launch_date = October 3 1997
April 29 2004 (iTVN)
August 28 2007 (TVN HD)
dissolved =
former_names = Telewizja Wisła
digital =
analog =
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website = [http://www.tvn.pl/ www.tvn.pl]
footnotes =

TVN is a major Polish commercial television network, founded by Mariusz Walter and launched on October 3 1997. TVN belongs to the TVN S.A. Group which in turn is controlled by the ITI Group, the largest Polish media company, holding around 62% ownership interest as of September 2008. [http://www.itiholdings.com/pdf/2008_08_12_PressRelease_TVN_Share_Buy-Back.pdf]

TVN is available over the air, through satellite and cable television.

History

In March 1997 TVN obtained a permission from The National Council of Radio Broadcasting and Television to broadcast in central and northern parts of Poland. A few months later TVN was merged with Telewizja Wisła, which had a license to broadcast in Southern Poland.

The channel was launched on October 3 1997. During first four years the network was run by its founder Mariusz Walter. In 2001 Piotr Walter became Chief Executive Officer, replacing his father.

In 2004 TVN was available in 86% of Polish households. Since 2004 TVN is listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange. On April 29 2004 TVN launched TVN International, an entertainment and news channel for Polish viewers living abroad. In 2005 TVN acquired rights to organise and broadcast Sopot International Song Festival until 2010.

In 2007 TVN launched its high definition version, TVN HD.

The network was voted as one of the Polish SuperBrands. TVN broadcasts part of its programmes in Dolby Surround and Dolby Digital 5.1.

The Network

Other television channels in the TVN S.A. Group portfolio include:

* TVN Siedem (general channel)
* TVN24 (news channel)
* TVN CNBC Biznes (business channel produced with CNBC Europe)
* TVN Meteo (weather)
* TVN Turbo (cars and motorsports, primarily for men)
* iTVN (for Poles living in the USA, Germany and Australia)
* TVN Style (lifestyle, primarily for women)
* nSport HD (sports channel in high definition)
* TVN Med (medicine)
* TVN Lingua (language learning)
* TVN Discovery Historia (historical documentaries, a joint venture with Discovery Communications)
* TVN HD (TVN in high definition)
* Religia.tv (religion)
* TVN Warszawa (planned local television channel for Warsaw)
* iTVN West (planned television channel for Western Europe)

Former channels:
* TVN Gra

Programming

Shows

Primetime - Fall 2008

Dramas are in blue; comedies and comedy shows are in green; reality shows are in red; docu-crime dramas are in pink; movies are in yellow; news programming is in gold.

Returning series
*"Teraz albo nigdy!"
*"Twarzą w twarz"
*"Dancing with the Stars"
*"You can dance!"
*"Szymon Majewski Show"
*"Kuba Wojewódzki"
*"W-11 Wydział Śledczy"
*"Niania"
*"Na Wspólnej"
*"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" (weekend afternoons)
*"Supernanny" (weekend afternoons)
*"Teraz My!"

New series
*"Mam Talent" - talent reality show
*"Brzydula" - a Polish adaptation of the Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea (September 2008)
*"Dexter" - Polish Free-TV premiere of Showtime's drama series (in Poland the first season of Dexter was also broadcast by Universal Channel and the second season was available in nScreen VOD on n satellite service)

Coming Soon
*"39 i pół" - the second season of popular drama series (TBA 2009)
*"Naznaczony" - new Polish television series with Piotr Adamczyk in a leading role (TBA 2009)
*"General" - new Polish television series about Władysław Sikorski's death in plane crash after takeoff from Gibraltar on July 4, 1943 (TBA 2008)
*"Californication" - a Polish Free-TV premiere of another Showtime's drama series (in Poland the first season of Californication was also broadcast by HBO, Universal Channel and was available in nScreen VOD on n satellite service) (November 2008)

ee also

List of Polish language television channels

External links

* [http://www.tvn.pl Official Site] pl icon