TV 2 Direkte

TV2 Direkte (or just TV2) is a Norwegian Over-the-air television channel with headquarters in the Norwegian city of Bergen.

## Channel description

Norway's largest commercial TV channel with news, current affairs programmes, sports and broad entertainment for the whole family.

## Channel history

### The beginning

In 1990, the Storting opened the way for an advertising-financed alternative to NRK to be established. The license was announced on 31 January 1991, with the requirement that no owner could own more than 20 per cent of the shares in the channel. There were many interested parties for the concession, and among others Schibsted, Egmont, Orkla, a grouping around Rolf Wesenlund and Arne Fjørtoft and an investor group called NTN went with plans to apply for the license. The license as won by TV 2 AS in 1991. The company was a consortium owned by Schibsted, Vital Forsikring, Gutenberghus, NTN, Selvaag, Bergens Tidende and Sissel Ditlevsen.

TV 2 had its official start on 5 September 1992 with the show For første gang (For the First Time), led by Dan Børge Akerø. The King and Her Majesty the Queen opened the TV 2 channel for the first time. The first test transmissions of the network with regular broadcasts starting the following day, breaking almost 58 years of NRK's monopoly as a result, and becoming the first-ever commercial TV broadcaster in Norway. The show was a simulcast with NRK, and was seen by 1.7 million viewers.

Normal broadcasts started the following day with the broadcast of an elite series match between Viking and Rosenborg, a concert with the Oslo Gospel Choir in addition to news, sports and a documentary. In addition, the American series Flipper and Et vilt liv had been given a place on the broadcast schedule.

In the first week on the channel, viewers saw premieres of the channel's own productions such as VTV, Askeladden and Holmgang, in addition to foreign series such as Cheers, The Naked Gun and A Country Practice.

In 1993, TV 2 is struggling with low advertising revenues. The investment in Norwegian drama with "Mot i brøset" is a success. In 1994, TV 2 gets its first positive operating result. The broadcasting platform is expanded with "Good morning Norway" (God morgen Norge). In 1995, TV 2 hit stronger focus on news with nine daily broadcasts. TV 2's market share in the national network exceeds 30%. The commitment to Norwegian drama continues with "Familysagaen De Syv Søstre". Since the Alpine WC in Sestriere, TV 2 is making a serious mark as a sports channel.

In 1998, "Hotel Cæsar" makes TV history as the first Norwegian daily TV soap. In 2001, TV 2 is awarded a new license with a duration from 2003-2010. Investing in reality TV with "Farmen" brings viewership success, and in 2003, "Idol" was the TV event of the year.

Since 2004, Exclusive rights to the European Football Championship in Portugal set new viewing records, and TV 2 secures the rights to all Norwegian top football in the coming years. The year is also the launch of the sports and entertainment channel TV 2 Zebra. As of 2006, TV 2 produces 222 football matches. Also in the same year, TV 2 converse to a fully digitized TV house. Broadcasts in the digital terrestrial network start in 2007. Since 2010, TV 2 buys the rights to the Premier League for the Norwegian market. in 2011, The final between Norway and France in the women's handball World Cup in Brazil in December was the most watched program on TV 2 in history with 1.6 million viewers on average and a market share of 68.9%.

In 2014, TV 2 breaks NRK's ​​monopoly on Olympics, as For the first time, TV 2 had rights to the Winter Olympics. 2016 was an extraordinary sports year for TV 2, with ongoing rights to Norwegian football, the Premier League, as well as major events such as the European Football Championship and the Olympic Games in Rio.

TV 2 goes live with a new logo and visual identity on 31 May 2021.

## Services

### TV 2 Direkte HD

TV 2 started broadcasting in high-definition on June 25 June 2009. Initially, the channel was only available on the terrestrial RiksTV platform. The first programme broadcast in HD was Allsang på grensen. Other broadcasts in HD during 2009 include Tour de France, Friday and Saturday movies, Sunday night football, Jakten på kjærligheten, Skal vi danse and American series such as Grey's Anatomy, Cleaners, Scrubs, Brothers & Sisters, Modern Family and Criminal Minds. TV2 also produces original programming, including the award-winning show Gylne tider.

TV 2 Direkte HD is transmitted in 720p50.

### Teletext

TV 2 Direkte and all channels subtitles all pre-produced programs on all linear channels and programs on TV 2 Play, regardless of whether it is in Norwegian, English or other languages. For live broadcasts on linear TV between 18:00 and 23:00, TV 2 Direkte has direct subtitles on Teletext page 222. Other major live broadcasts - preferably sports - outside this time slot are occasionally subtitled.

## Programs

### Current

* God morgen Norge - morning talk show
* Tid for hjem (2004-) - design show
* Sommerhytta (2017-) - reality show
* Dyrepasserne - animal show
* Lothepus Camping - documentary series
* Sofa - entertainment show

### TV 2 Nyheter

The news service of TV2 has three bulletins (Nyhetene) in TV2 Direkte, 6h30, 18h30, and 21h. Weather and sports news came after those bulletins in the latter two.

### International

* Hela Sverige bakar - Reality show produced by TV4 Sweden
* Gull eller gråstein (Bytt är bytt) - Show produced by TV4 Sweden
* Mandelmanns Gård - Show produced by TV4 Sweden
* The Rookie - American series produced by ABC