Norwegian TV channels could end up in Germany after Brexit

An anti-Brexit demonstrator shelters under an umbrella in the pattern of the European Union flag outside parliament in London, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, is rejecting the possibility of putting a time limit on the "backstop" option for the Irish border, saying it would defeat the purpose. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth7

TV Norge owner, Discovery, has applied to move its TV channels from the UK to Germany, where they can continue to bypass the Norwegian ban on gambling advertising.

The Broadband TV News industry site reported that Discovery Communications Deutschland has applied for German broadcasting licenses for 19 international TV channels at BLM, the media oversight organisation in Bavaria. Several of the relevant channels are aimed at Scandinavian viewers: TVNorge, Max, Fem, Vox, and Norwegian Eurosport. The decision is likely to be taken on February the 14th.

‘’Due to the uncertainty in the UK, we consider Germany as an option for licensing some of our major European television broadcasting networks. We have applied for licenses but will continue to monitor the situation in the UK. We will therefore not make any further comments on these applications at this stage’’ said Nordic Communications Director, Espen Skoland, of Discovery Networks to Dagens Næringsliv newspaper.

The channels are being broadcast today from the UK, which is scheduled to leave the EU on March the 29th, and it is uncertain what will be the situation for the US television company. Discovery risks losing hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising revenue from foreign gaming companies if they cannot continue to send broadcasts abroad and bypass the Norwegian advertising ban.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today