German music channel Viva is planning a major expansion into new business areas. The ambitious plans include a broadband Internet and e-commerce platform for young people, TV- over-the-Internet services and a nationwide Viva-branded radio station. The plans were announced by managing director Dieter Gorny at the media conference Medienforum NRW in Cologne.

Viva is also planning to aggressively challenge MTV outside the German-language markets. The station is widely attributed with forcing MTV into its own regionalisation strategy. After the launch of Viva Polska in Poland and the participation in local Swiss channel Swizz Music Television, soon to be rebranded Viva Swiss, the Cologne-based broadcaster wants to set up tailored music channels in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Hungary.

The flotation on Frankfurt’s stock exchange market Neuer Markt, enabled by a stock increase, is planned for the third quarter with an expected earning of DM150 to 200 million. In 1999, Viva produced a turnover of DM 95.4 million up from DM 89.2 in the previous year. Pre-tax profit rose from DM 6.3 million (1998) to DM 8.6 million last year. According to Gorny, the turnover climbed by around 20 per cent to DM 21.5 million in the first quarter of this year. He expects the positive development to continue during 2000, however high start-up costs for the expansion in foreign countries might cut down the profit.

The launch of Viva’s two-channel suite in analogue on Astra has yet to materialise. The German music channel is thought to have balked at the asking price by the current transponder owners BSkyB.