Walter Presents Plans U.S. Launch

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LONDON: The U.K. streaming service Walter Presents, dedicated to foreign-language dramas, is planning to launch in the U.S. this March.

A joint venture between the U.K.’s Channel 4 and Global Series Network (GSN), Walter Presents will deliver a range of exclusive and original first-run drama series from around the world to U.S. audiences. For $6.99 per month, the ad-free offering will launch with 34 series, among them the Norwegian thriller Valkyrien and the French political drama Spin. The service will continue to premiere two new series each month, and all the series will feature customized subtitling.

Walter Presents launched in the U.K. on Channel 4’s on-demand service All 4 in January 2016. Coming soon, the SVOD service will be available in the U.S. on a variety of platforms and at WalterPresents.com. Walter Presents aims to host more than 500 hours of premium television in its first year, available for binge-viewing by U.S. audiences on all Walter Presents and partner platforms.

Walter Iuzzolino, co-founder and curator of Walter Presents, 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 U.S. 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 U.S. viewers to this TV treasure trove.”

David Abraham, the chief executive at Channel 4, added: “Channel 4 has always been at the forefront of breaking new ground in creating and distributing award-winning content. Our partnership with GSN making Walter Presents a phenomenal success in the U.K. has proved there is a significant market for exceptional non-English subtitled drama and I’m sure U.S. viewers will be equally attracted to its rich content offerings from across the globe. The U.S. launch of Walter Presents in SVOD represents Channel 4’s first major investment outside of the U.K. and the first step in a planned global rollout.”

Jason Thorp, CEO of GSN International, said: “The niche SVOD market has huge potential for growth and the U.S. is the perfect starting place for Walter Presents’ international rollout. We’ve developed a strong, smart, standout brand, cleverly curated with a proven performance track record and we’re confident it will strike a chord with U.S. audiences.”