Chello Zone is a leading international
broadcaster and creator of bespoke thematic
television channels. Since its creation
more than 15 years ago, it has built a dynamic
and innovative business primed to respond
to gaps in the media market with the flexibility
to react locally.
With a growing portfolio of nine channels,
Chello Zone offers audiences a captivating
choice of television’s most popular
genres. Broadcast in more than 126 countries
and 23 languages, the appeal of its global
brands crosses national and cultural boundaries.
Chello Zone is a business unit of international
media company, Chello
Media, the European content division
of the Liberty
Global, Inc.
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| YEAR |
INTERNAL
GROWTH |
ACQUISITIONS |
CORPORATE |
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| 1991 |
Zone Vision Networks founded by Chris
Wronski to provide satellite links for
events throughout Central and Eastern
Europe |
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| 1994 |
Chris Sharp joins and
forms a programme sales and channel
representation division |
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| 1996 |
Zone Vision Networks
expands to include a languaging studios
division |
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| 1998 |
Launch of first homegrown
thematic channel; Romantica in Poland
and Hungary |
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Launch of european film
channel Europa (Le Cinema) in Poland
and Hungary |
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| 1999 |
Launch of Reality TV
across Europe |
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| 2000 |
Expansion of Romantica
across the rest of Central and Eastern
Europe |
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| 2001 |
Launch of Europa in Latin
America (now operated by sister Liberty
Global, Inc. company Pramer) |
|
Dermot Shortt
appointed CEO |
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Advent Capital
finance |
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| 2002 |
Launch of Reality TV
in the UK |
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| 2003 |
Launch of Reality TV
in Asia |
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Launch of Reality TV
in Latin America (now operated by sister
company Pramer) |
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| 2005 |
Launch of channel Reality
TV Japan - a joint venture with Jupiter
TV |
Acquisition of Club from
Chellomedia (3 channels) |
Chellomedia
acquires 87.5% of Zonevision |
|
Launch of Reality TV
+ 1 in the UK |
Acquisition of the The
Horror Channel in the UK |
|
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Launch of second Reality
TV channel in Europe |
Acquisition of the Everyday
Jiayi block in China (an international
programming block on popular television
channel CCTV-8) |
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Launch of The Horror
Channel in the UK |
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| 2006 |
Launch of Fantasy channel
in Italy |
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Rebrand of
Zone Vision Networks to Zonemedia |
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Launch of Reality Extra
in the UK |
|
Rebrand of
channels under the Zone banner |
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Launch of Zone Europa
in Hungary |
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Launch
of Zone Thriller channel in the UK |
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| 2007 |
Launch of Romantica in
Romania - a joint venture with Realitatea |
Acquisition of the Extreme
Sports Channel from Chellomedia (4 channels) |
Chellomedia
acquires remaining 12.5% of Zone |
|
Launch of Zone Romantica
in the UK |
Acquisition of Italian
pre-school channel JimJam and joint
venture with HIT Entertainment |
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Launch of JimJam in Italy |
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Launch of JimJam in Central
Europe |
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| 2008 |
Launch of dedicated Zone
Reality feed for Poland |
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Launch of JimJam in the
Middle East, Russia, Bulgaria, The Netherlands,
Asia and Portugal |
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Launch of the Hollywood
Channel in the Middle East |
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Transfer of Zone Europa,
Zone Romantica Poland, Zone Romantica
Hungary, Romantica in Romania, Zone
Club Poland and Zone Club Hungary to
sister company Chello Central Europe |
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| 2009 |
Transfer of Europa, Romantica Pol/Hu;
Romantica Romania and Club Poland and
Club Hungary to CCE |
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Launch of JimJam service on Air New
Zealand |
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Launch of JimJam in Indonesia, Belgium,
Israel, Indonesia and Thailand |
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Relaunch of Chello Zone's UK entertainment
portfolio as CBS Chello Zone UK Channels
- a joint venture with CBS Studios International |
|
Rebrand
of Zone Reality, Zone Romantica and
Zone Thriller UK channels under the
CBS banner |
| |
Launch of Zone Club in Africa |
|
Joint venture
formed with Scripps Networks International
to launch lifestyle channels across
Chello Zone's EMEA footprint |
| |
Launch of Food Network in the UK -
a joint venture with Scripps Networks
International |
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Extreme Sports Channel forms partnership
with Freecaster.tv for relaunch of extreme.com |
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Launch of Food Network EMEA feed in
the Middle East - a joint venture with
Scripps Networks International |
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