DR2

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.

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 " TV-Avisen" 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.

Logos and identities

DR2 logo (1996-2002).png, DR2's first and former logo used from its launch in 1996 to November 2002
DR2 logo (2002-2005).png, DR2's second and former logo used from November 2002 to June 2005
File:DR2-Logo (Dänemark).svg, DR2's third and former logo used from 1 June 2005 to 31 August 2009.
File:DR2 logo 2009.svg, DR2's fourth and previous logo used from 1 September 2009 to 31 January 2013.
File:DR2 2017 logo.png, DR2's fifth and current logo since 1 February 2013.
File:DR2 2013.png, DR2's vertical version of the fifth and current logo used until 17 January 2018.

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.
* '' Columbo''
* '' Waking the Dead''
* '' Above Suspicion''
* ''Hamish Macbeth''
* '' Wycliffe''
* '' Spooks''
* '' The Body Farm''
* '' Cato Isaksen''
* '' Génesis, en la mente del asesino''
* '' Engrenaves''
* '' Flying Doctors''
* ''The Daily Show''

Travel series

* '' Pilot Guides''

References

{{Greenlandic television channels

Television stations in Denmark
Television channels and stations established in 1996
1996 establishments in Denmark