This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (August 2007)

Canal+ France
Launched	4 November 1984
Audience share	3.6% (April 2008, [1])
Country	France
Formerly called	Canal 4 (1983) Canal Plus (1984)
Website	www.canalplus.fr
Availability
Terrestrial
SECAM	Normally tuned to 4 in France (partially encrypted)
TNT	Channel 4
Satellite
CanalSat	Channel 4
Cable
Noos	Channel 4
IPTV over ADSL
Freebox TV	Channel 4
Neuf	Channel 4
Alice France	Channel 4
DartyBox	Channel 4
Orange TV	Channel 4

Canal+ ("Canal Plus", "C+" meaning "Channel Plus/More" in French) is a French premium pay television channel launched in 1984. It is owned by the Canal+ Group, which in turn is owned by Vivendi SA. The channel broadcasts several kinds of programming and mostly encrypted, but does broadcast some programs without encryption. The un-encrypted programmes can be viewed free of charge on Canal+ and on satellite on Canal+ Clair (Clear).

[edit] History

After the announcement about the launch of the fourth French television channel Canal+ started broadcasting on November 4, 1984. In 1986, the channel had one million subscribers. It has produced numerous auteur films, including David Lynch's The Straight Story, Mulholland Dr., and INLAND EMPIRE.

[edit] "Le Bouquet"

Canal+ Le Bouquet is the brand name used for all the Canal+-branded channels in France. Four additional channels are available since 2006:

• Canal+ Cinéma (previously known as Canal+ Jaune), a dedicated movie channel.
• Canal+ Décalé (previously known as Canal+ Bleu).
• Canal+ Sport (previously known as Canal+ Vert), a sports channel.
• Canal+ Family (beginning October 2007)
• Canal+ Hi-Tech (previously known as Canal+ 16/9 [Broadcast in HD and widescreen])

Those channels are sold as a package on Satellite and DSL TV. On digital terrestrial television, only Canal+, Canal+ Cinéma and Canal+ Sport are available in widescreen with Dolby Digital surround sound.

[edit] European sister channels

As Canal+ was launched in new markets the brand has been used in several countries. When launching additional channels the channels were usually given colour-coded names, such as Canal+ Blue and Canal+ Green. Many of these subsidiaries have been sold, and as of 2007 only the Spanish and Polish Canal+ were partially owned by French Canal+.

• Canal+ Spain, launched in 1990 by Sogecable as an analogue pay channel, similar to the French version.
• Canal+ Flanders, became Canal+ when FilmNet was bought. Later sold and is now known as Prime.
• Canal+ Wallonia, now known as BeTV. It shares many common programs with the French channels.
• Canal+ Netherlands, launched as Canal+ after buying the FilmNet channels. In 2006, the channels were the property of Liberty Global Europe and were rebranded as Sport1 and Film1.
• Canal+ Poland, the channel is called Canal+, the satellite platform Cyfra+
• Canal+ Scandinavia, launched as Canal+ in 1997 with the integration of the FilmNet channels. The company was sold and renamed C More Entertainment, although the Canal+ was still used. It was purchased by the SBS Broadcasting Group in 2005, which was merged with ProSiebenSat.1 Media in 2007. In 2008, an agreement was made to sell the channels to TV4 AB.
• Tele+ Digitale, the Italian branch sold in 2003 to News Corp. and fused with Stream TV, the direct competitor. Now is called Sky Italia.
• Premiere, a German premium television channel and platform launched in 1990, was founded by Canal +, Bertelsmann and Kirch. A few years later, Canal+ sold its share of Premiere.

[edit] Programmes

• American TV Shows : 24 (24 heures chrono) ; 30 Rock ; Big Love ; Cold Case (Cold Case in Canal+ and Cold Case: Affaires Classées in France 2) ; Damages ; Desperate Housewives ; Dexter ; How I Met Your Mother ; The L Word ; The New Adventures of Old Christine (Old Christine) ; The Office ; The Shield ; Two and a Half Men (Mon oncle Charlie) and Weeds ; The Daily Show
• These American TV Shows were shown on Canal + : Boomtown ; Rome ; Six Feet Under ; Spin City ; Surface and Will & Grace.
• American animated TV Shows : American Dad! ; Drawn Together ; Family Guy (Les Griffin) ; South Park and The Simpsons (Les Simpson).
• American reality TV Shows : The Simple Life.
• Japanese animated TV Shows : Fullmetal Alchemist ; Monster ; Noir and Samurai Champloo
• British TV Shows : Skins ; The Tudors (Les Tudors) ; The Office and Spooks (MI-5).
• Canadian TV shows : Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Wikinews has related news:

Canadian television show to debut in French speaking countries

• Original French TV Shows : Les Guignols de l'info ; Groland ; Spiral (Engrenages) ; H ; Mafiosa ; Djihad ; La Commune ; Scalp ; Le Grand Jounal ; La Matinal ; +Clair ; L'édition spéciale ; Jeudi Investigation ; Dimanche+ ;
• Kids Shows : Rugrats (Les Razmokets) ; Teletubbies ; and The Cramp Twins.

[edit] External links

• Official Site (French)
• Canal+ presentation at GenTV.be (French)

v • d • e French television stations Terrestrial analogue TF1 • France 2 • France 3 • Canal+ • France 5 • M6 • Arte Terrestrial digital (free) Direct 8 • W9 • TMC • NT1 • NRJ 12 • La Chaîne parlementaire • France 4 • BFM TV • I>Télé • Virgin 17 • Gulli • France Ô Terrestrial digital (pay) TPS Star • Paris Première • Canal+ Sport • Canal+ Cinéma • AB1 • Planète • TF6 • Canal J • LCI • Eurosport Others France 24 • MCM • Mezzo • TPS Foot • 13ème Rue • France Ô • Planète • RTL9 • Comédie! • XXL - Media holding companies France Télévisions • TF1 Group • Métropole Télévision • Canal+ Group • Lagardère Active • AB Groupe