Austrian public-service broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) is closing its sports channel ORF Sport Plus because it can no longer afford it.
The Rapid TV News website reports that ORF information director Elmar Oberhauser said the channel’s budget had been cancelled and sports rights-owners informed of the decision. Oberhauser said the €7 million per year required to run the channel was too much for what was a service dedicated to niche sports.
ORF was launched in May 2006 to cover smaller sports, and events for which there was no space on the schedule on main channels ORF 1 and ORF 2. It was available on satellite, cable and DTT in Austria.
