Discovery’s HGTV to Launch in Italy, 11 Central European Countries

Discovery said Thursday that it would launch home and lifestyle channel HGTV in Italy and 11 Central European markets this quarter. (THR)

HGTV will go live in Italy as a free-to-air channel on Feb. 2, while it will be a pay-TV proposition in the other countries—including Romania, Hungary and Serbia—in Q1, increasing its reach to more than 100 million people across EMEA. (Deadline)

HGTV, which according to Discovery has been the top network for “upscale” women aged 25-54 for 12 consecutive years in the U.S., launched last year in Germany and South Africa. In the U.K. the Home channel will be rebranded as HGTV later this month. (Variety)