DR2

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DR2
DR2 logo used since 2017
CountryKingdom of Denmark
Broadcast areaDanish Realm
HeadquartersDR Byen
Copenhagen, Denmark
Programming
Language(s)Danish
Picture format16:9 720p (HDTV)
Ownership
OwnerDR
Sister channelsDR1
DR3
DR K
DR Ramasjang
DR Ultra
History
Launched30 August 1996; 25 years ago (1996-08-30)
Availability

DR2 (DR To) is the second television channel operated by the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) in Denmark. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more "highbrow" programmes than the more mainstream and popular DR1. Like DR's other TV and radio channels, it is funded by a media licence, and is therefore commercial-free.

History[]

It was launched in 1996 as a satellite-/cable-only channel. This was highly controversial at the time, as it was considered close to a breach of public service principles that the new station did not reach all viewers. Adding to the critics' cause was the fact that DR did in fact have broadband spectrum available for terrestrial broadcasts. However, this was being reserved for digital broadcasting tests. The less-than-100%-coverage coupled with a "highbrow" reputation resulted in low ratings which in turn earned it the nickname "the secret channel" to the regret of the director general who had been pushing the line "my channel" (in the sense of programmes appealing to individuals, not the whole family as DR1 supposedly). This was finally remedied on 31 March 2006, when terrestrial digital broadcasts started.

It most resembles the British BBC Four in that its main output is experimental comedy, documentaries and in-depth news programmes. It has earned much praise for high quality shows, especially in the first category, with series like Casper & Mandrilaftalen and Drengene fra Angora. Den 11. time was a talk show on the channel. It also broadcasts many British productions, e.g. crime dramas such as Prime Suspect.

Every Saturday DR2 broadcasts the Greenlandic language News bulletin Nyheder fra Grønland produced by KNR.[1]

Between 8 and 10:30 pm Wednesdays, various European thriller series are aired. And every Friday at 8 pm, a rather recently produced film is aired. At late Sunday afternoons (ending at 8 pm), a classic film is broadcast; typically from the late 1960s until the mid 1990s.

The news, called "Deadline" (in Danish) is on at 10:30 pm, and differs from DR 1's "" in just giving a brief overview of today's events, the followed by (usually) two news that is treated more deep. DR2 is sometimes used as "Breaking News", but only when really called for. The channel also covers society issues and various types of society-related debates.

Following the introduction of digital television (and closing down of all analogue channels with exception of cable-TV) in Denmark, on 1 November 2009, the channel is broadcast free-to-air via a public DVB-T and MPEG-4 system. It now reaches the whole country and also the nearby east side of Øresund sea to southernmost Sweden. (Swedish channels reaches the Copenhagen metropolitan area as well)

In 2013 the channel was rebranded and converted to a 24-hour channel with the inclusion of hourly news and current affairs programming. DR Update previously aired some of the programming before the channel was closed to make room for DR Ultra. DR2, unlike DR Update will however not interrupt any programmes for breaking news.

The channel switched from SD to 720p HD broadcasting on 28 February 2017.[2][3][4][5]

Logos and identities[]

Examples of programmes on DR2[]

Original programming[]

  • Vesterbro - comedy
  • Deadline - news
  • So ein Ding - about new technical products
  • Filmperler - quality film from all countries
  • TV TV TV - television about television
  • Rytteriet - Danish comedy
  • Bonderøven - Later moved to DR1 following the big success of the show
  • Jul på Vesterbro - Danish Christmas comedy (broadcast between 1 and 24 December, a Scandinavian TV-tradition.)

Imports[]

As is the practice with most other TV channels in Denmark, foreign programmes are shown in their original language but with Danish subtitles.

References[]

  1. ^ DR2
  2. ^ Brinch, Ulrik (28 February 2017). "DR2 opgraderer kvaliteten på antenne-tv". Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  3. ^ Kjærgaard, Bo (30 January 2017). "Alle DR kanaler i HD hos Stofa fra i dag". Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  4. ^ Kjærgaard, Bo (21 February 2017). "Waoo tilføjer DR kanaler i HD 28. februar". Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  5. ^ Kjærgaard, Bo (17 January 2017). "Alle DR kanaler på vej i HD hos YouSee". Retrieved 15 March 2017.
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