Christian TV channel Ark2 appoints Saatchi for launch

Ark2, the first Christian channel to be produced in the UK, has appointed Team Saatchi to handle the advertising for its October 14 launch.

The cable channel, based in HTV in Bristol, plans to run ten hours of programming a day, and it says will “entertain, challenge and engage but not preach”.

The station, which will also use 16 regional centres across Britain, has raised 1.8m for its launch. Team Saatchi has been appointed to handle launch advertising, and the channel is looking for a sales house to handle sponsorship and airtime sales.

Ark2 will be competing against the other two Christian satellite channels which broadcast to the UK, Vision and a European Christian channel.

Research conducted by Ark2 showed that 70 per cent of the British population believe in God. However, London Christian radio station Premier has not managed to pick up a significant audience share – gaining only 193,000 listeners a week in the final quarter of last year. This is two per cent of the available audience within the M25.

The radio station has been forced to make staff cuts and has been relaunched as a result of low audience numbers.