Portuguese private broadcaster SIC has bought a 60% stake in pay-TV news channel Canal de Noticias de Lisboa (CNL) from telco Portugal Telecom subsidiary PT Multimedia. The channel is carried by pay-TV operator TV Cabo.

The deal marks SIC's first move into the production of thematic channels. Last year SIC launched subsidiary SIC Filmes with backing from the national film institute, ICAM, to produce ten made-for-television movies per year.

SIC plans to produce two other thematic channels for TV Cabo. The first of these, SIC Gold, will replay SIC's most popular programmes and series and is set to launch in June. Also launching this year, SIC Radical will target a youth audience with sports, music and entertainment shows. Other new channels are understood to be in negotiation.

SIC and PT Multimedia will also jointly create on-line content. PT Multimedia manages Portuguese Internet provider Telepac and web portal Sapo.com, and recently bought out Brazil's third largest Internet portal, Zip.net, for an estimated $365m.