Television in the Netherlands was officially introduced in 1951. In the Netherlands, the television market is divided between a number of commercial networks, such as RTL Nederland, and a system of public broadcasters sharing three channels, NPO 1, NPO 2, and NPO 3. Imported programmes, as well as news interviews with responses in a foreign language, are almost always shown in their original language, with subtitles.
Pay television, also known as subscription television, premium television or, when referring to an individual service, a premium channel, refers to subscription-based television services, usually provided by multichannel television providers, but also increasingly via digital terrestrial, and streaming television. In the United States, subscription television began in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the form of encrypted analog over-the-air broadcast television which could be decrypted with special equipment. The concept rapidly expanded through the multi-channel transition and into the post-network era. Other parts of the world beyond the United States, such as France and Latin America have also offered encrypted analog terrestrial signals available for subscription.
CanalDigitaal is a provider of digital television via satellite for the Dutch market, using the Astra satellites at 23.5° east.
Canal Digital was a Nordic pay TV and internet service provider in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland that was founded in March 1997 as a joint venture between the French pay TV company Canal+ and the Norwegian telecommunications operator Telenor.
Canais Globo, formerly Globosat, is a Brazilian pay television content service, part of Grupo Globo. Established in 1991, after the creation of subscription television services in Brazil, with 29 channels and over 1,000 employees, it is the largest pay television content provider in Brazil, as well as of Latin America, comprising a domestic audience of 45 million viewers distributed among more than 15 million households.
Groupe Canal+ (Canal+) is a French film and television studio and distributor. It is owned and controlled by Vivendi and has a film library in excess of 5,000 films. Vivendi has sold some parts of Canal Plus to private investors which are still using the name of Canal Plus. It is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux, in the suburbs of Paris.
History is a European documentary television channel which broadcasts programs related to reality programming, historical events and persons.
Ziggo Sport Totaal is a Dutch premium television service operated by Ziggo and owned by VodafoneZiggo, a joint venture between Liberty Global and Vodafone. Ziggo Sport Totaal launched as Sport1 with its sister service Film1 on 1 February 2006 and replaced the Canal+ Netherlands channels. Film1 was sold to Sony Pictures Television on 21 July 2015, while Sport1 remained Liberty Global-owned. At launch the service consisted of two main channels, six extra channels and one HD simulcast of the first main channel. On 2 February 2009 the number of extra channels was reduced to four. The extra channels only broadcast when necessary to live broadcast multiple sport events at the same time. The service was rebranded to Ziggo Sport Totaal on 12 November 2015.
The Netherlands now has three major forms of broadcast digital television. Terrestrial (DVB-T), Cable (DVB-C), and Satellite (DVB-S). In addition IPTV services are available. At the end of the first quarter of 2013 almost 84% of the households in the Netherlands had some form of digital television.
Film1 is a Dutch premium television and video on demand service that replaced Canal+ and is owned by SPI International.
FilmNet was the name used for several premium television channels in Europe during the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. It was launched on 9 March 1985, broadcasting with a focus on Scandinavia, the Netherlands and the northern part of Belgium (Flanders). Filmnet channels were later launched in Poland and Greece.
Film1 Action is a Dutch premium television channel owned by SPI International. Its main focus is on thriller, action and horror films. Film1 launched together with its sister service Sport1 on 1 February 2006 and replaced the Canal+ Netherlands television channels. Film1 offers multiple channels with Dutch and international film and television series productions. On 1 October 2008 Film1 launched Film1 Action.
Film1 Family is a Dutch premium television channel owned by SPI International. Its main focus is on comedy and children films. Film1 launched together with its sister service Sport1 on 1 February 2006 and replaced the Canal+ Netherlands television channels. Film1 offers multiple channels with Dutch and international film and television series productions. Film1.2 rebranded into Film1 Family on 25 February 2011. Film1 Family changed into Film1 Comedy & Kids on 6 September 2013 but on 1 September 2016 it changed back to Film1 Family.
Film1 Festival, formerly known as Film1.3, was a Dutch premium television channel owned by Chellomedia, the European content division of Liberty Global. On 1 March 2012 the channel was replaced by Film1 Sundance. Its main focus was on arthouse films and international productions. Film1 launched together with its sister service Sport1 on 1 February 2006 and replaced the Canal+ Netherlands television channels. Film1 offers multiple channels with Dutch and international film and television series productions. On 25 February 2011 Film1.3 was rebranded into Film1 Festival. On 31 January 2012 Film1 announced that Film1 Festival would be replaced by Film1 Sundance on 1 March 2012.
Film1 Drama is a Dutch premium television channel owned by SPI International. Every night the programming is dedicated to a theme, such as a director or a genre. Film1 launched together with its sister service Sport1 on 1 February 2006 and replaced the Canal+ Netherlands television channels. Film1 offers multiple channels with Dutch and international film and television series productions. Initially Film1 Drama started as Film1 Series on 17 January 2012 when it replaced the 1 hour timeshift channel Film1 Premiere +1, focusing on television series. It changed into Film1 Spotlight on 6 September 2013. On 1 September 2016 Film1 Spotlight got renamed by Film1 Drama.
Play More is a Belgian premium television service owned by Telenet, the Belgian content division of Liberty Global. Prime launched together with its sister service Prime Sport on September 3, 2005 and replaced the Canal+ Flanders television channels. The service offers multiple film channels with Belgian and international productions many of which are television premières.
Ziggo Holding B.V. is the largest cable operator in the Netherlands, providing digital cable television, Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers.
Joyne was a provider of digital television via satellite for the Dutch and Flemish market, using the Eutelsat's 9B satellites at 9°E east. Joyne is a combination of the words Joy and Join. For most channels a smartcard was required to decrypt the Conax signal. On 9 April 2021 Joyne went bankrupt. Bankruptcy was requested by Eutelsat. On 19 April 2021 it was announced Canal+ Luxembourg took over certain assets. Customers will be offered to move to Canal Digitaal and TV Vlaanderen's offer. Some channels offered formerly by Joyne will continue broadcasting on Eutelsat 9B at least till 31 july 2021. Some other channels including channels owned by Discovery have ceased broadcast on 19 April 2021.
Fox Life is an international pay television network, launched by the Fox Networks Group in 2003, which aired across Southeast Asia. The network's scheduling varied with each version, ranging from traditional entertainment programming, including television series, sitcoms and movies, among others, original programming in certain regions, and instructional and aspirational reality television on some other variations; in North America for instance, the network carried mainly Spanish language dubbed versions of American reality shows.
