Brussels, 16/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - Over 6,500 television channels were available in the European Union and candidate countries (Croatia and Turkey) in 2008, 5,068 of which were active, explains the European Audiovisual Observatory. Its survey was carried out using the MAVISE database and research is still continuing. Some 1,500 small local TV channels active in the EU will gradually be added to the database, explains the Observatory. Of the 5,068 channels identified, 4,663 are established in one of the 27 member states, Croatia or Turkey. These are national channels available on cable, satellite or IPTV-Internet Protocol TV (2,473), regional and local channels (1,809) and nationwide terrestrial channels (381). The other 405 channels are based outside the EU, Croatia and Turkey. The United Kingdom has the greatest number of TV channels (883), well ahead of Germany (300), Italy (284), France (252) and Spain (199). The UK's poll position is due to a large number of channels for the UK and a large number of channels registered in the UK but targetting other countries in Europe. MAVISE explains that of the channels available in 2008, most are general channels (376), followed by specialist film channels (333), sports TV (324), entertainment channels (269) and music channels (238). The MAVISE database is freely accessible online (http: //mavise.obs.coe.int) set up on request from DG Communication at the European Commission to provide an overview of all television channels in the EU, Croatia and Turkey. (I.L./trans.fl)