TNT
TNT was a Swedish commercial television channel that evolved from Aftonbladet's TV7 service into a Nordic entertainment and drama channel before closing in 2019.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
TNT was a Swedish commercial television channel whose roots lay in a webcasting service operated by the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet. It began as an attempt to extend the newspaper's digital news and entertainment operation into linear television and ultimately became a pay-TV entertainment channel serving the Nordic region. Aftonbladet sought a licence for a terrestrial channel under the working title Storstads-tv, or City TV, during 2005. In February 2006, the Swedish authorities granted Aftonbladet permission to broadcast on weekdays in the Swedish digital terrestrial network, while Axess TV was allocated weekend broadcasting under an arrangement involving the Ax:son Johnson Foundation. Test transmissions began on 29 May 2006, initially relying heavily on material already produced for Aftonbladet's online video service. The full service launched on 9 October 2006 as Aftonbladet TV7, commonly shortened to TV7. Its early evening schedule combined live news, weather, entertainment news, in-house programming and acquired programmes, including British lifestyle content. The channel was distributed through satellite operators Canal Digital and Viasat and through digital cable provider Com Hem. Sports items were added to the news output in early 2007, but the service struggled to attract viewers and advertising revenue. Aftonbladet's parent group Schibsted decided to sell the channel in 2007. By September 2007, TV7 had incurred a reported operating loss of 71 million Swedish kronor, according to contemporary reporting cited in the channel's reference material. Responsibility was transferred to the venture-capital firm C4 Partners in October 2007. The new ownership reduced the news operation, considered a more entertainment-oriented profile and explored moving the station from free-to-air broadcasting to a paid model. A proposed stronger focus on video games did not replace the channel's acquired entertainment programming entirely. The service also faced distribution difficulties. Changes to Swedish terrestrial licensing reduced its permitted broadcasting hours from April 2008, and a planned restoration of full-day broadcasting was delayed by a dispute and infrastructure problems involving Teracom and the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority. In August 2008, the channel was sold again, this time to NonStop Television, a Nordic pay-TV operator associated with channels including Star!, Showtime and Silver. NonStop repositioned the service as a subscription entertainment channel with ambitions for distribution in Denmark, Norway and Finland. The channel began adding films and programmes from NonStop's existing portfolio and relaunched on 14 February 2009 with a profile aimed at women. It carried imported series and entertainment programmes, including Head Case, Paradise Falls, Second Chance, Plastic Makes Perfect and Lalola. Turner Broadcasting System acquired Millennium Media Group, the owner of NonStop Television. Following that transaction, the service was relaunched as TNT7 on 2 March 2011. The numeral was removed in 2012, leaving the TNT name. In its final phase, the channel was associated with a substantial catalogue of US-produced crime, legal, medical, action and drama series, including The Closer, Falling Skies, Major Crimes, Rizzoli & Isles, The Last Ship, House, Grey's Anatomy and NCIS: Los Angeles. In October 2018, Turner announced that TNT Nordic would cease operating as a conventional television channel and be converted into a subscription video-on-demand platform. The linear channel closed on 1 February 2019. TNT therefore represents a multi-stage media brand history: newspaper-backed web television, a low-rated Swedish terrestrial channel, a privately owned pay-TV service, a NonStop Television entertainment brand and, finally, a Turner-operated Nordic channel whose linear distribution ended during the transition toward streaming.
History
TNT began as an extension of Aftonbladet's online video activity rather than as a conventional television network. The newspaper had operated webcasts on Aftonbladet.se and sought to build a linear service around that material. In 2005 it applied for a Swedish digital terrestrial broadcasting licence using the working title Storstads-tv. A February 2006 licence decision gave Aftonbladet weekday broadcasting rights, while Axess TV was associated with weekend broadcasting. Test transmissions began on 29 May 2006 under the Aftonbladet TV name. The early schedule consisted largely of webcast material and repeats. On 9 October 2006, the full channel launched as Aftonbladet TV7, generally known as TV7. Its evening schedule initially centred on live news, weather and entertainment news, followed by other programming. Aftonbladet-produced shows were mixed with acquired content, including British lifestyle programmes. The channel obtained carriage on Canal Digital, Viasat and Com Hem, giving it satellite and digital cable distribution in addition to terrestrial availability. TV7 added sports elements to its news output in January 2007, but its commercial performance remained weak. Chief executive Stephen Mowbray left in April 2007 and Helena Westin replaced him. Later that year, Schibsted decided to sell the channel. Low audience figures and insufficient advertising sales had generated substantial losses, and Aftonbladet chose to focus more heavily on web television at its newspaper website. On 24 October 2007, responsibility for TV7 was transferred to C4 Partners, a venture-capital firm associated with Hans Linder. Contemporary reporting cited an operating loss of 71 million Swedish kronor through 30 September 2007. The news department was closed immediately, with short news updates replacing the hosted news output. C4 Partners considered moving TV7 from a free-to-air model to pay television and explored a video-game-oriented identity, while retaining much of the imported entertainment schedule. The channel's terrestrial position became more complicated in 2008. A revised licence allocation reduced TV7's terrestrial hours to daytime broadcasting from April, with Canal 7 using the evening slot. A planned return to all-day broadcasts was delayed by a dispute involving Teracom and the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority and by the absence of the necessary network infrastructure. These distribution problems occurred while the channel was changing ownership and commercial strategy. NonStop Television acquired TV7 in August 2008. The buyer operated several Nordic pay-TV channels, including Star!, Showtime and Silver, and intended to transform TV7 into a paid entertainment service distributed in Denmark, Norway and Finland. The schedule gained films and programmes from the buyer's existing channels. On 14 February 2009, the service relaunched with a women's-channel positioning and programming such as Head Case, Paradise Falls, Second Chance, Plastic Makes Perfect and Lalola. Turner Broadcasting System later acquired Millennium Media Group, the owner of NonStop Television. On 2 March 2011, the channel was relaunched as TNT7, bringing it into Turner's broader branded television portfolio. The numeral was removed in 2012. In its final identity as TNT, the channel offered a broad collection of acquired drama, crime, action and medical series, including The Alienist, Animal Kingdom, The Closer, Falling Skies, House, Major Crimes, Rizzoli & Isles and The Last Ship. The service ultimately followed the wider industry shift from scheduled television toward streaming. In October 2018, Turner announced that TNT Nordic would cease as a linear channel and be converted into a subscription video-on-demand platform. Linear broadcasting ended on 1 February 2019. The channel is therefore defunct as a conventional television service, although its final strategic direction was intended to preserve the TNT brand in a digital subscription format.
- 2019
Linear channel closes
[1]TNT Nordic ended linear broadcasting on 1 February after Turner announced a planned SVOD conversion.
- 2012
TNT7 becomes TNT
[1]The channel dropped the numeral from its name.
- 2011
Relaunch as TNT7
[1]The service adopted the TNT7 name after Turner's acquisition of the NonStop Television owner.
- 2009
Women's-channel relaunch
[1]TV7 relaunched on 14 February with a women's entertainment profile.
- 2008
NonStop Television acquires the channel
[1]NonStop Television bought TV7 and began repositioning it as a Nordic pay-TV entertainment service.
- 2007
C4 Partners takes responsibility for TV7
[1]Aftonbladet transferred responsibility for the loss-making service to C4 Partners.
- 2006
Test broadcasts begin
[1]Test transmissions began on 29 May using the Aftonbladet TV name.
- 2006
TV7 launches
[1]The full commercial channel launched as Aftonbladet TV7 on 9 October.
- 2005
Aftonbladet applies for a terrestrial television licence
[1]Aftonbladet applied for a Swedish digital terrestrial licence under the working title Storstads-tv.
Products and positioning
A Nordic commercial entertainment channel focused on acquired television drama, crime, action and lifestyle programming, with a later transition toward subscription video on demand.
Commercial television channel · 2006
Aftonbladet TV7
The original linear service launched by Aftonbladet in October 2006. It combined live evening news, weather, entertainment news, newspaper-produced programming, repeats and acquired shows, and was distributed through Swedish terrestrial, satellite and cable platforms.
Pay-TV entertainment channel · 2011
TNT7
The name adopted by the channel in March 2011 after the Turner-related acquisition of Millennium Media Group. TNT7 represented the service's integration into Turner's branded television portfolio and carried acquired entertainment and drama programming.
Nordic television channel · 2012
TNT
The channel's final linear identity, used from 2012 until closure in 2019. Its schedule included US and international drama, crime, medical, action and legal series, alongside films and other acquired entertainment content.
Subscription video-on-demand service
TNT Nordic SVOD
A planned digital successor announced by Turner in 2018 as part of the decision to end TNT Nordic's linear television operation. The available reference material does not establish the platform's subsequent launch or operating history.
Brand decisions
2018
Conversion from linear television to SVODStrategyBackground
Turner announced a digital transition for TNT Nordic as scheduled television faced increasing competition from subscription streaming services.
Action taken
Turner announced that the linear channel would close and that TNT Nordic would become a subscription video-on-demand platform.
Aftermath
Linear broadcasts ended on 1 February 2019. The available reference material does not confirm the subsequent operation of the planned SVOD service.
2009
Relaunch as a women's entertainment channelStrategyBackground
NonStop Television sought to turn the acquired service into a paid channel with broader Nordic distribution.
Action taken
The channel relaunched on 14 February with a women's-channel profile and added films and imported series.
Aftermath
The service subsequently adopted the TNT7 and then TNT identities under Turner ownership.
2007
Shift from newspaper-backed free television toward pay entertainmentStrategyBackground
TV7 had low ratings and advertising revenue had not covered its costs. C4 Partners took responsibility for the service after Aftonbladet decided to concentrate on online video.
Action taken
The new operator closed the hosted news department, retained short news updates and considered a paid-channel model with a more entertainment-oriented profile.
Aftermath
The channel later changed ownership again and was repositioned by NonStop Television as a Nordic pay-TV entertainment service.
Reported operating loss. 71 million Swedish kronor (Through 30 September 2007)
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
TNT wins Smarties Philippines gold award[2]
Reported:
TNT won a gold award at the Smarties Philippines in the Creator/Influencer/Celebrity Marketing category for its network campaign.
Smart introduces GigaHello subscriber freebies[3]
Reported:
Smart introduced GigaHello, offering new Smart Prepaid and TNT 5G-ready SIM subscribers up to 9 GB of free data, calls and texts through successive subscriber steps.
TNT app streaming issues disrupt AEW Dynamite opening[4]
Reported:
The TNT app had streaming issues during the opening of AEW Dynamite, preventing some fans from seeing the show's opening; Tony Khan said TNT fixed the issue and got the app working again.
TNT launches Big Bente promo[5]
Reported:
TNT launched the Big Bente promo, offering subscribers an instant 20% ‘balik load’ on Giga offers.
PLDT Global and SyncShop partner to offer services to Filipinos in the UAE[6]
Reported:
PLDT Global Corporation and UAE-based SyncShop LLC entered an agreement enabling Filipinos in the UAE to top up Smart, TNT, and Sun SIM cards and access other services, including bill and fee payments.
TNT partners with Traverse conference[7]
Reported:
TNT announced that it was partnering with Traverse for the travel blogging conference in Brighton, describing its involvement in the inaugural event.
Sources8 sources
- 1TNT (Swedish TV channel)en.wikipedia.org
- 2TNT获得Smarties Philippines金奖philstar.com
- 3Smart推出GigaHello新用户福利technology.inquirer.net
- 4TNT 应用程式串流故障影响 AEW Dynamite 开场411mania.com
- 5TNT推出Big Bente促销活动technology.inquirer.net
- 6PLDT Global与SyncShop合作，为阿联酋菲律宾人提供服务gadgetsmagazine.com.ph
- 7TNT与Traverse会议合作tntmagazine.com
- 8TNT celebrates 20th anniversary with 20% ‘Balik Load’ on Giga offersgadgetsmagazine.com.ph
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