Viceland to launch in the Netherlands in 2017

Vice’s linear TV channel, Viceland, will launch via Liberty Global-owned operator Ziggo in the Netherlands next year.

Vice said that the youth lifestyle and culture channel will go live in the first quarter of 2017 – initially via Ziggo, but with “further distribution” due to follow later in the year. 

Viceland NL will air a mixture of international programming and original, local content produced in the Netherlands and Belgium. All content on the 24-hour channel will be programmed, produced and developed in-house.

‘’The arrival of Viceland ensures that we will be present with our content on all screens – digital, mobile en linear – and as such, is a logical step for us in the evolution of Vice,” said the CEO of Vice Media Benelux, Thijs Boon.

“We have the ambition to tell the most remarkable stories in fresh and innovative ways to millennials, and this step ensures that we raise the bar for ourselves even higher.’’

Filmmaker and Viceland co-president Spike Jonze will oversee the development of the new channel – from show creation, to production, to brand identity.

The Netherlands launch will follow the rollout of Viceland in France, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand later this year.

Viceland first launched in the US earlier this year and is now also available in Canada, the UK and Ireland. Its early ratings have been poor, with UK and US viewing numbers both underwhelming.