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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 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 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 Zone Reality
(Reality TV)†
- a joint venture with Chellomedia
(UPC) 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 |
|
Dermot
Shortt appointed CEO |
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Advent
Capital finance |
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2002 |
Launch of Zone Reality
(Reality TV) in the UK |
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2003 |
Launch of Zone Reality
in Asia |
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Launch of Zone Reality
in Latin America |
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Launch of Zone Reality
in USA |
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2005 |
Launch of Reality
TV Japan†
- a joint ventuer with Jupiter
TV (Liberty Global Inc) |
Acquisition of Club
from Chellomedia (3 channels) |
Chellomedia
acquires 87.5% of Zonevision |
|
Launch of Reality
TV + 1 in the UK |
Acquisition of the
Horror Channel in the UK |
|
|
Launch of second
Reality TV channel in Europe |
Acquisition of the
Jiayi block in China (an international
broadcast block on CCTV) |
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2006 |
Launch of Fantasy
channel in Italy |
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Rebrand
of company to Zonemedia |
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Launch
of Reality Extra in the UK |
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Rebrand
of channels under the Zone banner |
|
Launch of Zone Thriller
channel in the UK |
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Launch
of the Zone Horror in the Netherlands† |
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2007 |
Launch of Romantica
Romania -†
joint venture with Realitatea |
Acquisition of the
Extreme Sports Channel from Chellomedia
(4 channels) |
Chellomedia
acquires remaining 12.5% of Zone |
|
Launch of Romantica
in the UK |
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Launch of JimJam
in Europe |
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Acquisition of
Italian pre-school channel JimJam and
joint venture with HIT Entertainment |
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2008 |
Launch of dedicated
Zone Reality Polish feed |
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Launch of JimJam
into the Middle East and Russia |
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Launch of the Hollywood
Channel in Middle East |
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Launch of JimJam
in Asia |
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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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