The Ten Network is teaming up with US television network, CBS, to launch a new digital channel for viewers aged between 13 – 29 years. It will be Ten’s second digital channel, after the company introduced an all-sports digital channel on One last year.
Known as Eleven, the new channel will include shows which are currently aired on Ten, including long time favourites such as ‘The Simpsons’.
According to Bloomberg, CBS will own one third of the new channel, and will also provide content to Eleven. CBS has a library of more than 70,000 hours of programming, and currently allows Ten to broadcast shows including The Good Wife and NCIS.
However, there is some concern amongst analysts that the new channel will confuse Ten’s existing viewers. Ten’s strategy is already youth oriented, according to Justin Diddams at Citigroup, and the Channel Eleven is likely to cannibalise Ten’s existing audience, he told Bloomberg. Shares in Ten fell 5.5 percent on the news.
Eleven will start broadcasting in 2011.
