Play4 (TV channel)

Play4

Country	Belgium
Programming
Language(s)	Dutch
Picture format	1080i HDTV
Ownership
Owner	Play Media
Sister channels	Play5, Play6, Play7, Play Crime
History
Launched	1 February 1995; 29 years ago (1995-02-01)
Former names	VIER (2012–2021) VT4 (1995–2012)
Links
Website	goplay.be
Availability
Streaming media
Yelo TV	Watch Live (HD)
TV Overal	Watch Live (HD)

Play4 is a Belgian-Flemish commercial television channel. It is part of Play Media and production company Woestijnvis.

As of 2010, the channel has a market share of more than 7%.^{[citation needed]}

The channel was formerly known as VIER from 17 September 2012 to 27 January 2021. On 28 January 2021, the channel was rebranded to Play4.

Its owner also operates sister stations Play5, Play6 and Play7. Broadcast entertainment, series, cartoons, movies, sports programmings.

History

The channel began broadcasting on 1 February 1995 under the name VT4. The channel initially had no Belgian broadcasting license and was transmitted via London (actually from NTL's transmission station at Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire).

Today, VIER broadcasts legally from Zaventem in Belgium. It is available on the cable network in Brussels as well as in Flanders. It's also available throughout Belgium on the IPTV network of Belgacom, who offers triple play everywhere in Belgium where VDSL is available.

On 17 September 2012, VT4 was rebranded as Vier.

On 7 June 2019, it was announced that the channel would be eventually rebranded as "Four" as part of the rebranding of the three channels under the "Play" name. The following year, it was decided that the channel would instead rebrand as Play4 on 28 January 2021.

HD broadcast

VT4 HD was launched as a temporary high-definition channel on June 7, 2008, to coincide with the kick-off of UEFA Euro 2008. It was merely a simulcast of VT4's schedule, but the Euro 2008 matches and all related talk shows were broadcast in HD. VT4 HD was available exclusively to Telenet Digital TV subscribers and was shut down on June 29, 2008.

On September 1, 2012, VT4 HD, along with sister channel VijfTV HD, launched as a HD simulcast. The channel was made available to Belgacom TV subscribers. On September 17, the day of the relaunch, both VIER HD and VIJF HD were made available for Telenet Digital TV subscribers.

Programming

(simulcast of channels of USA (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, The CW, among others) and others).

Video on demand

C-More was the VOD service of SBS Belgium. The name and logo are the result of the C More Entertainment group which delivers pay-TV, C More Entertainment was a part of the SBS Broadcasting Group which was bought by the ProSiebenSat.1 Media group which sold it to TV4 Gruppen. After the rename of the channel the service has been renamed to MEER (MORE). The service was available through Telenet Digital TV & Belgacom TV and was available on its own website MEER.be. MEER closed on 31 December 2014.

On 28 January 2021, SBS Belgium relaunched a VOD platform, GoPlay.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to VIER.

• (in Dutch) Play4 on GoPlay
• (in Dutch and French) The Belgian Television Audience Measurement Company