CNBC Europe is to version its satellite feeds on a regional basis across Europe. A five minute hourly opt-out, branded as CNBC Nordic, will launch in the spring. The UK feed from Astra 2A will carry more entertainment programming possibly from as early as March.

Sources familiar with the situation told Interspace that CNBC Nordic would be run by Copenhagen-based Nordic TV Business News (NBN). The company will be responsible for versioning the channel, from distribution through to the production of dedicated Nordic news bulletins in the English language. Managing director at NBN is Thomas Dodd, a former head of news at TV3 and consultant to MTG in the Nordic and Baltic regions, who has worked on the project for some 18 months. The project is being supported by the region’s business dailies including Denmark’s Borsen.

The famous CNBC ticker, showing the latest stock market prices, will also be versioned for the Nordic market. Later national websites will be added in the local languages.

The versioning has been made possible by the introduction of local digital satellite feeds. These in turn have been offered to local cable operators who are now using their local satellite feed as the main distribution point in their region. The distribution strategy, which includes the continuation of the existing free to air analogue feed, also allows for the regionalisation of commercials. In return for the local versioning, CNBC is anticipating a rise in the per subscriber carriage fee.

CNBC Nordic will take the feed from London and add its own content before uplinking to the Thor satellites at 1 degree West where CNBC is part of the Canal Digital package.

In the UK evening programming, currently a relay of the US service, will include more entertainment programming including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The popular NBC shows are already shown on CNBC Europe at weekends.