Pan-European Channels: The Linear TV Comeback We Need?

[lynxeon]

Hey folks, anyone else noticing this quiet comeback of pan-European TV channels? Like, linear pay-TV might actually have a fighting chance if we lean harder into these shared feeds across the continent instead of everyone doing their own local thing.

Look at the kids' channels. They've been killing it forever with the same signal hitting multiple countries (subtitles/dubs aside). MTV and Comedy Central are already mostly pan-Euro vibes in a ton of feeds. Way cheaper to produce/maintain one version than a dozen, right? Makes surviving the "everything must stream" wave a lot less stressful. Hell, could even help Disney+ if they ever wanna fold in something like Fubo. Boom, instant linear backbone without rebuilding from scratch.

If we're dreaming big, here's a quick lineup of channels that could totally go full pan-Euro (replacing the patchwork locals):

Channel	Germany	Other countries
Star Channel	Replaces Universal TV
Warner TV	Replaces Warner TV Serie
TCM	Replaces Warner TV Film	Replaces Star Movies
13th Street		Replaces Star Crime
Diva	Replaces AXN White	Replaces Star Life
AXN	Replaces AXN Black
Comedy Central		Replaces Star Comedy

And these other too:
Syfy, MTV, Discovery Channel, DMAX, TLC, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, Disney Channel, Disney Jr., Baby TV, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, DreamWorks Channel, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Nicktoons, Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2.

Thoughts? Would you subscribe to a slimmed-down pay-TV pack built around this?

 

[RandomMe]

Technically markets like mine are still part of a lifeline for channels like the STAR network, but such a package of watered-down channels would likely be unviable given conditions in certain markets.

 

[themidnightlore]

I feel that for AXN would be hard to go pan European. You have the Sony-operated ones (Spain and Portugal), the High View duo (AXN Black and AXN White in Germany) and the Antenna Group-operated ones in the CEE zone.

 

[RandomMe]

I feel that for AXN would be hard to go pan European. You have the Sony-operated ones (Spain and Portugal), the High View duo (AXN Black and AXN White in Germany) and the Antenna Group-operated ones in the CEE zone.

That's another reason why the OP's list is unviable

 

[themidnightlore]

That's another reason why the OP's list is unviable

Yeah, sure, Sony owns the AXN brand, but they did decide to leave certain markets and keep it under license...? (And I feel the High View solution in Germany was because there they had Sony AXN and Sony Channel. And they couldn't revert the former to be AXN again?)

 

[Francisque]

Kids channels are much easier to operate as pan-feeds, it has always been the case in many smaller countries.

Anyways, it's not a return of the past: along with the return of "pan feeds" in some cases, the audience for linear TV is going too

 

[RandomMe]

Kids channels are much easier to operate as pan-feeds, it has always been the case in many smaller countries.

Anyways, it's not a return of the past: along with the return of "pan feeds" in some cases, the audience for linear TV is going too

Low-priority feeds, seeing the audience collapse, are merged, it's the only logical option

 

[lynxeon]

Here is my vision for Pan-European channels:

Star Channel
06:00 Abbott Elementary (3×22')
06:44 Modern Family (3×22')
07:28 Elementary (3×42')
09:34 FBI (3×42')
11:40 Bull (3×42')
13:46 Tracker (3×42')
16:00 Abbott Elementary (2 rerun)
17:08 Modern Family (2 rerun)
18:16 FBI (2 rerun)
19:40 Elementary (2 rerun)
21:04 Bull (2 rerun)
22:28 Tracker (2 rerun)
23:52 Abbott Elementary (1 rerun)
00:14 Modern Family (1 rerun)
00:36 FBI (1 rerun)
00:58 Elementary (1 rerun)

Star Crime
06:00 Hawaii Five-0 (4×42')
09:12 Evil (3×42')
11:18 East New York (3×42')
13:24 Found (3×42')
15:30 Hawaii Five-0 (3×42' prime)
18:18 Evil (2 rerun)
19:42 East New York (2 rerun)
21:06 Found (2 rerun)
22:30 Hawaii Five-0 (2 rerun)
23:54 Evil (1 rerun)
00:36 East New York (1 rerun)

Star Life
06:00 Grey’s Anatomy (4×42')
09:12 The Resident (4×42')
12:24 Station 19 (4×42')
15:36 9-1-1 (4×42')
18:48 The Good Doctor (4×42')
22:00 Grey’s Anatomy (2 rerun)
23:24 The Resident (2 rerun)
00:48 Station 19 (2 rerun)

AXN
06:00 NCIS: LA (4×42')
09:12 Chicago P.D. (3×42')
11:18 Blue Bloods (3×42')
13:24 S.W.A.T. (3×42')
15:30 NCIS: LA (3×42' prime)
18:18 Chicago P.D. (2 rerun)
19:42 Blue Bloods (2 rerun)
21:06 S.W.A.T. (2 rerun)
22:30 NCIS: LA (2 rerun)
23:54 Chicago P.D. (1 rerun)

AXN Black
06:00 CSI: Miami (4×42')
09:12 FBI: Most Wanted (3×42')
11:18 Rizzoli & Isles (3×42')
13:24 Will Trent (3×42')
15:30 CSI: Miami (3×42' prime)
18:18 FBI: Most Wanted (2 rerun)
19:42 Rizzoli & Isles (2 rerun)
21:06 Will Trent (2 rerun)
22:30 CSI: Miami (2 rerun)
23:54 FBI: Most Wanted (1 rerun)
00:36 Rizzoli & Isles (1 rerun)

AXN Movies
06:00 **Taken** (1h33')
07:33 **Transporter** (1h32')
09:05 **John Wick** (1h41')
10:46 **Jason Bourne** (2h03')
12:49 **Mad Max: Fury Road** (2h00')
14:49 **Jurassic Park** (2h07')
16:56 **Guardians of the Galaxy** (2h01')
18:57 **Iron Man 3** (2h10')
21:07 **Godzilla II** (2h12')
23:19 **Dune** (2h35')

Warner TV
06:00 The Big Bang Theory (4×20')
07:20 Two and a Half Men (4×20')
08:40 The Middle (4×22')
10:08 2 Broke Girls (4×20')
11:28 King of Queens (4×22')
12:56 The Big Bang Theory (3 rerun)
14:16 Two and a Half Men (3 rerun)
15:36 The Middle (3 rerun)
16:56 2 Broke Girls (3 rerun)
18:16 King of Queens (3 prime)
19:44 The Big Bang Theory (2 prime)
20:24 Two and a Half Men (2 prime)
21:04 The Middle (2 prime)
21:48 2 Broke Girls (2 prime)
22:32 King of Queens (1 rerun)
22:54 The Big Bang Theory (1 rerun)
23:14 Two and a Half Men (1 rerun)
23:34 The Middle (1 rerun)
23:56 2 Broke Girls (1 rerun)

Warner TV Next
06:00 Leverage (4×42')
09:36 Highlander (4×42')
13:12 The Mentalist (4×42')
16:48 Supernatural (4×42')
20:24 Leverage (3 prime)
22:48 Highlander (2 rerun)
00:12 The Mentalist (2 rerun)
01:36 Supernatural (2 rerun)
03:00 Leverage (1 rerun)
03:42 Highlander (1 rerun)
04:24 The Mentalist (1 rerun)
05:06 Supernatural (1 rerun)

TCM
06:00 **Casablanca** (1h42')
07:42 **Gone with the Wind** (3h58')
11:40 **The Godfather** (2h55')
14:35 **Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom** (1h58')
16:33 **Never Say Never Again** (2h14')
18:47 **A View to a Kill** (2h11')
20:58 **The Long Kiss Goodnight** (2h00')
22:58 **Licence to Kill** (2h13')
01:11 **Casablanca** (rerun)

Comedy Central
06:00 Friends (4×22')
07:28 South Park (5×22')
09:38 The Office (4×22')
11:06 Rick and Morty (4×22')
13:14 Friends (3 rerun)
14:50 South Park (3 prime)
16:26 The Office (3 prime)
18:02 Rick and Morty (3 prime)
19:38 Friends (2 prime)
20:22 South Park (2 prime)
21:06 The Office (2 prime)
21:50 Rick and Morty (2 prime)
22:34 Friends (1 rerun)
22:56 South Park (1 rerun)
23:18 The Office (1 rerun)
23:40 Rick and Morty (1 rerun)

Syfy
06:00 The Walking Dead (4×42')
09:36 Fringe (4×42')
13:12 Star Trek (4×42')
16:48 The Orville (4×42')
20:24 The Walking Dead (3 prime)
22:48 Fringe (2 rerun)
00:12 Star Trek (2 rerun)
01:36 The Orville (2 rerun)
03:00 The Walking Dead (2 rerun)
04:24 Fringe (1 rerun)
05:06 Star Trek (1 rerun)
05:48 The Orville (1 rerun)

13th Street
06:00 Bones (4×42')
09:36 Law & Order (4×42')
13:12 Criminal Minds (4×42')
16:48 CSI (4×42')
20:24 Bones (3 prime)
22:48 Law & Order (2 rerun)
00:12 Criminal Minds (2 rerun)
01:36 CSI (2 rerun)
03:00 Bones (2 rerun)
04:24 Law & Order (1 rerun)
05:06 Criminal Minds (1 rerun)
05:48 CSI (1 rerun)

New TV channel	Current Portugal	Current Germany	Current France	Current Spain
Star Channel	=			=
Star Crime	=
Star Life	=
AXN	=	AXN White		=
AXN Black	AXN White	=
AXN Movies	=			=
Warner TV	Star Comedy	WarnerTV Comedy	=	=
Warner TV Next		Warner TV Serie	=
TCM	Star Movies	Warner TV Film	=	=
Comedy Central		=	=	=
Syfy	=	=	=	=
13th Street		=	=	=

 

[RandomMe]

Realistically, STAR Crime would have more British and French shows. I don't know that's how the Portuguese feed is. And it still has a following on its own. Most people of a certain age prefer watching Midsomer Murders.