Programming
 | This section is empty.You can help by adding to it.(August 2017) |
| AB4 | |
|---|---|
| Launched | 28 October 2002 |
| Closed | 13 September 2017 |
| Owned by | AB Groupe |
| Picture format | 576i (16:9 SDTV) |
| Country | Belgium |
| Language | French |
| Broadcast area | Belgium |
| Headquarters | Brussels, Belgium |
| Replaced by | ABXplore |
| Sister channel(s) | AB3 |
AB4 was a Belgian broadcast television station owned and operated by BTV, a subsidiary of AB Groupe. It targeted the French community in Belgium. On September 13, 2017, at 20:30 it became ABXplore.
Claude Berda, CEO of the French AB Groupe, launched AB4 in October 2002 without authorization from the French Community of Belgium to broadcast its new channel over its territory. He had obtained the authorization of the French Superior Audiovisual Council on 24 September 2002 to activate a dormant operating license existing since 26 March 1996 (amended 24 March 1998) on the AB30 service. On the basis of the European Television Without Borders Directive, a channel which has been granted a license to operate in a European State may be broadcast unhindered in all other Member States, provided that the content broadcast is the same as in the origin.
The AB4 signal was transmitted from France to the Eutelsat satellite system which forwards it to the headquarters of the association of Belgian French-speaking teledistributors who then provides it to contracted networks.
AB4 has been licensed by the Higher Audiovisual Council of the French Community of Belgium since 23 September 2003. [1]
Since the beginning of 2007, the AB3 and AB4 content have been broadcast from the headquarters of AB Groupe in La Plaine Saint-Denis in the Paris suburbs where it creates greater synergy between groups and reduce staff costs in Belgium in the face of an average audience. The diffusion is made between the two countries via digital technologies. [2] This decision would not be foreign to the entry of the TF1 group into the capital of AB Group.
Since May 2009, the TF1 Group has grown from 33.5% to 49% in the Holding WB, which manages the AB3, AB4, and Vidéoclick3 channels. [3]
Philippe Zrihen, Program Director, said in 2010 at tuner.be: "It is under study. It was necessary to go through a hierarchy of priorities, and quite naturally AB3 imposed itself in the recasting. AB4 has not changed its editorial line. This is something we are also considering."
Since March 22, 2010, AB4 shares its antenna with "AB shopping" devoted to tele-shopping. Subsequently, from October 8, 2011, the latter takes a greater place in the AB4's schedule by being broadcast from 8:00 pm to 4:00 pm: AB4 only broadcasts 4 hours of programs.
On April 28, 2011, at 1:00 pm, AB4 switched to 16:9 format. On August 11, 2015, the channel ceased satellite broadcasting (Hotbird 13).
On September 13, 2017, the AB group decided to rename the AB4 chain by becoming ABXplore, and reformat it into a channel devoted to documentaries and entertaining content. [4]
| | This section is empty.You can help by adding to it.(August 2017) |
TF1 is a French free-to-air television channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network. Flagship series broadcast on the channel include CSI, The Voice and House M.D.
France 24 is a French state-owned international news television network based in Paris. Its channels broadcast in French, English, Arabic, and Spanish and are aimed at the overseas market, similar to BBC World News, DW, RT, TRT World, PTV WORLD and VOA.
TF1 Group is a French media holding company, the owner of channel TF1, the largest European private TV channel.
TFX is a French free television network. It is a subsidiary of TF1 Group.
AB1(formally AB Channel 1 until 1995) is a French television channel aimed at young adults.
AB3 is a private commercial television channel of the French Community of Belgium.
Television in Belgium was introduced in 1953 and began with one channel each in Dutch and French. The country is heavily cabled, with 93% of households watching television through cable as of 2003.
AB Sat is a package of digital terrestrial television channels offered by the satellite companies Hot Bird and Astra and marketed in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Germany. The channels are all run by the cable operators and certain networks ADSL. ABSAT has a stake on two digital terrestrial television channels. The company is chaired by Michele Cotta.
Sport+ was a French pay television channel on cable and satellite owned by Canal+ and is devoted to live sports broadcasting.
Toute l'Histoire is a French television channel based on historical documentaries.
Action is a French television channel which shows action films.
AB Moteurs is a French television channel dedicated to motorsports.
Mangas is a French television channel dedicated to anime.
RTL9 is a Luxembourg television channel shown in Luxembourg, France, Monaco, Africa and Switzerland.
Vidéoclick was a commercial television channel shown in the French Community of Belgium.
The mass media in Belgium is characterized by its diversity due to the linguistic divide in the country.
Eutelsat 5 West A, formerly Atlantic Bird 3 is a communications satellite belonging to the operator Eutelsat. Situated at 5° West, it broadcasts satellite television, radio and other digital data. Developed for France Telecom it transferred soon after its launch to the operator Eutelsat. It entered operational service in early September 2002. Its current anticipated working life is 17 years.
Ciné Box is a former French television channel of AB Groupe devoted to cinema, which was broadcast from September 2002 to 24 August 2004.
Golf Channel France is a television channel broadcasting from Luxembourg devoted to golf since September 2010. It belongs to AB Groupe.
ABXplore is a private commercial thematic television channel of the French Community of Belgium operated by Mediawan Thematics.
 | This Belgian television-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
