Walter Presents and chill? Channel 4’s foreign language, Netflix-style service to launch in US
A Channel 4-backed online streaming service for foreign-language dramas is to launch in the United States.
Walter Presents, a subscription-video-on-demand (SVOD) service, launched in the UK last year. It was founded by Global Series Network’s Walter Iuzzolino and is majority-owned by Channel 4.
For $6.99 (£5.60) a month, US customers will have access to 34 series from 12 different countries from its launch in March.
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Programmes available on Walter Presents include Valkyrien, a Norwegian thriller set in an illegal underground hospital, and Spin, a House of Cards-style French political thriller.
The service also has programming from Brazil, France, Argentina, Germany, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
“Our partnership with GSN making Walter Presents a phenomenal success in the UK has proved there is a significant market for exceptional non-English subtitled drama and I’m sure US viewers will be equally attracted to its rich content offerings from across the globe,” said Channel 4 chief executive David Abraham.
“The US launch of Walter Presents in SVOD represents Channel 4’s first major investment outside of the UK and the first step in a planned global roll out.”
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Iuzzolino said:
For years America has led the way with a string of iconic titles to become the undisputed home of great TV drama. But the rest of the world hasn’t stood still.
Inspired by the quality of the very best US drama, countries all over the globe are now producing extraordinary TV series, unforgettable stories which are becoming global smash hits. I am excited at the chance to introduce US viewers to this TV treasure trove.
The announcement by Channel 4 comes shortly after the BBC and ITV announced plans to launch their own on-demand service in the US, BritBox, taking shows such as EastEnders, Cold Feet and Holby City across the Atlantic.