Odisea and Documania channels to merge

Spanish documentary channel Odisea plans to ramp up its involvement in international coproduction following its merger with Documania.

Last month, Chellomedia-owned Multicanal, which operates Odisea, acquired Documania, the documentary channel owned by pay television operator Sogecable. The two channels are being merged into one, combining Odisea’s human interest output with Documania’s natural history and current affairs focus.

Multicanal content director Roberto Blatt says that the channel will now have guaranteed carriage via the Digital+ platform. “Odisea can [now] explore further opportunities such as exporting the brand and developing international coproductions,” he adds. The programming budget for the revamped channel, which launches in April, has not yet been finalised. “My sincere hope is that the budget will increase threefold, but the shareholders have the last word,” says Blatt.