Discovery Shifting European Channels Out of the U.K. Ahead of Brexit

Discovery, one of the major international channel operators and with a raft of services in Britain and Europe, is shifting its channel licenses for services in the European Union from the U.K. to the Netherlands. The U.S. firm said it wanted to ensure its license were valid post Brexit.

Channel licenses registered in the U.K. with the media regulator Ofcom are valid throughout the European Union. But as Britain prepares to exit the E.U. on March 29, and with an E.U.-U.K. deal still not agreed, channel operators are concerned about their U.K.-registered services.

The U.K. is the largest single international market for Discovery, which has a major base in west London. It confirmed the channels move, Friday.] “Given Brexit, Discovery is now applying for new broadcast licences in the Netherlands for its EU payTV channel portfolio,” the company said.

Discovery’s move will send a Brexit chill through the British TV business as it grapples with the implications of the U.K. uncoupling from the E.U. Turner and NBCUniversal have already applied for channel licenses in Bavaria, Germany, and several other international channel operators have handed back licenses in recent months.

Discovery has shed jobs in the U.K. recently but said said it remains committed to the market. “Discovery is retaining a large hub in the UK and has renewed on a long-term, the lease for its main London office in West London, which houses more than 1000 people,” it said.

It added: “The company is retaining its Ofcom licences for its 16 channels in the UK and holds significant investments in the market, including stakes in UKTV, All3 Media and PlaySports Group.”

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