TV3+ Norway

TV3+ Norway is a Norwegian television channel owned and operated by Viaplay Group. The channel began broadcasting on 8 September 2007 under the Viasat 4 name, replacing ZTV Norway. Its launch formed part of Viasat’s effort to establish a broader Norwegian television portfolio as ZTV’s audience declined and the country prepared for the expansion of digital terrestrial television. It was distributed through cable, satellite and terrestrial television platforms, although the original plan for unrestricted free-to-air availability on RiksTV was affected by the commercial multiplex operator’s decision to make its television offering encrypted and subscription-based. The channel was initially designed as a general-entertainment service with a particularly important sports component. Its opening broadcast was the European Championship qualifying football match between Moldova and Norway, and Viasat 4 assumed TV3’s football segments, which had been broadcast on TV3 since 1988. Sports programming later included UEFA Champions League matches and, in 2010, 16 FIFA World Cup matches from South Africa, including the third-place match between Germany and Uruguay. The World Cup rights had been obtained from NRK. Outside sport, the channel’s schedule has included imported drama, science fiction, comedy, animation, factual entertainment and documentaries. Referenced programming includes Stargate Atlantis, The 4400, Star Trek, The Simpsons, Family Guy, The Riches, Futurama, Cheers, Married... with Children, 8 Simple Rules and Most Shocking. The mix positioned the service as a complementary entertainment and sports outlet within the wider TV3 and Viasat channel family rather than as a specialist sports-only network. The channel’s naming history reflects both regulatory and portfolio considerations. It was originally planned to use the TV4 name, but Swedish broadcaster TV4 AB objected at the Norwegian Patent Office. The proposed name was consequently changed before the service launched as Viasat 4. In June 2020, Viasat 4 was shortened to V4 during a broader Viasat channel rebranding. In August 2022, the channel became TV3+ Norway, a name intended to underline its relationship with TV3 Norway. TV3+ Norway also carried short weekday evening news updates supplied by P4 for part of its early schedule. Those updates were discontinued on 29 October 2010 as the channel pursued a greater emphasis on Norwegian content. The current channel brand remains part of Viaplay Group’s Norwegian television offering, with its public-facing distribution and channel information linked to Viafree. Available reference material does not establish a separate corporate entity, headquarters, current executive roster or independently reported financial profile for the channel itself.

TV3+ Norway originated in Viasat’s Norwegian television portfolio during a period of transition from analogue and predominantly subscription-based distribution toward digital terrestrial broadcasting. Before the channel was created, ZTV Norway had experienced declining viewership. Viasat therefore replaced it with a broader service intended to combine entertainment, sports and documentary programming. The new channel launched on 8 September 2007 under the name Viasat 4. The channel’s proposed identity changed before launch. It was initially intended to be called TV4, but Swedish broadcaster TV4 AB objected to the proposed name at the Norwegian Patent Office. The service consequently adopted the Viasat 4 name. Its distribution strategy was also shaped by Norway’s digital-terrestrial rollout. Viasat originally envisaged free-to-air carriage through RiksTV, but the operator of the commercial multiplexes planned a pay-television structure, meaning the channel became part of an encrypted RiksTV package rather than an unrestricted free-to-air service. Viasat 4 opened with a football match between Moldova and Norway in European Championship qualifying. Sport became one of the channel’s defining areas: it took over TV3’s football segments, a role TV3 had held since 1988, and carried UEFA Champions League matches. In 2010, Viasat 4 also showed 16 matches from the South Africa FIFA World Cup, including the match for third place between Germany and Uruguay. Viasat obtained those rights from NRK. The broader schedule was deliberately varied. It included imported science-fiction and drama series such as Stargate Atlantis, The 4400 and Star Trek; animated and comedy series including The Simpsons, Family Guy and Futurama; and programmes such as The Riches, Most Shocking, Cheers, Married... with Children and 8 Simple Rules. This mixture allowed the channel to serve as a general entertainment outlet while retaining a differentiated sports proposition. For part of its early operation, Viasat 4 carried short news bulletins from P4 on weeknights. Those updates were removed on 29 October 2010 as the channel sought to invest more heavily in Norwegian programming. The change illustrates the balance between imported entertainment, sports rights and locally oriented content in the channel’s programming strategy. The brand was subsequently revised twice. In June 2020, Viasat 4 became V4 during a wider rebranding of Viasat’s television channels. In August 2022, it was renamed TV3+ Norway to make its relationship with TV3 Norway more explicit. The service is owned by Viaplay Group and remains a Norwegian television channel. The available reference material does not provide a separately reported headquarters, corporate financials, executive list or independent legal-company structure for the channel.

• 2022

  Rebranded as TV3+ Norway

  [1]TV3+ (Norwegian TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The V4 brand is replaced by TV3+ Norway in August to strengthen the channel’s association with TV3 Norway.

• 2020

  Rebranded as V4

  [1]TV3+ (Norwegian TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The channel changes its name from Viasat 4 to V4 in June as part of a broader Viasat television-channel rebrand.

• 2010

  P4 news bulletins discontinued

  [1]TV3+ (Norwegian TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  The channel removes short P4 news updates from its weeknight schedule while increasing its focus on Norwegian content.

• 2010

  World Cup coverage expands the sports profile

  [1]TV3+ (Norwegian TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  Viasat 4 broadcasts 16 matches from the South Africa World Cup after Viasat acquires the rights from NRK.

• 2007

  Channel launches as Viasat 4

  [1]TV3+ (Norwegian TV channel)en.wikipedia.org

  Viasat 4 launches on 8 September, replacing ZTV Norway and beginning service with a Moldova–Norway European Championship qualifying football match.

A Norwegian general-entertainment channel with a strong sports tradition, positioned within Viaplay Group’s TV3 family and combining live and recorded sports with acquired series, comedy, animation, documentaries and other entertainment.

• Television channel · 2007

  TV3+ Norway linear channel

  The core offering is a Norwegian linear television service distributed through cable, satellite and terrestrial platforms. Its schedule combines entertainment, sports, documentaries, acquired drama and science-fiction series, comedy, animation and factual programming. The channel has operated under several names, including Viasat 4, V4 and TV3+ Norway.

• Sports broadcasting · 2007

  Sports programming

  Sports has been a central part of the channel’s identity since launch. TV3+ Norway inherited TV3’s football segments and has carried UEFA Champions League matches and selected major football events. Its 2010 coverage included 16 FIFA World Cup matches from South Africa.

• Television programming · 2007

  Entertainment and acquired series

  The entertainment schedule has included imported drama, science fiction, comedy, animation and factual entertainment. Referenced examples include Stargate Atlantis, The 4400, Star Trek, The Simpsons, Family Guy, The Riches, Futurama, Cheers, Married... with Children, 8 Simple Rules and Most Shocking.

• 2022

  Align the channel with TV3 NorwayGeneration change

  Background

  The Viasat television-channel portfolio was being presented through a more connected brand architecture.

  Action taken

  V4 was renamed TV3+ Norway in August 2022.

  Aftermath

  The new name made the channel’s relationship with TV3 Norway more explicit while preserving its established Norwegian sports and entertainment role.

  Source

• 2020

  Adopt the V4 nameGeneration change

  Background

  Viasat undertook a broader rebranding of its television channels.

  Action taken

  Viasat 4 was shortened to V4 in June 2020.

  Aftermath

  The channel operated under the V4 identity until the subsequent TV3+ Norway rebrand.

  Source

• 2010

  End P4 news updatesStrategy

  Background

  The channel carried short P4 news bulletins on weeknights during its early years.

  Action taken

  On 29 October 2010, the updates were removed as the channel aimed to invest more in Norwegian content.

  Aftermath

  The schedule placed less emphasis on the externally supplied news inserts and more emphasis on the channel’s own programming mix.

  Source

• 2007

  Replace ZTV Norway with a broader channelStrategy

  Background

  ZTV Norway was experiencing declining viewership, while Viasat was preparing its Norwegian portfolio for the country’s digital-terrestrial television expansion.

  Action taken

  Viasat launched Viasat 4 as a new general-entertainment and sports channel on 8 September 2007.

  Aftermath

  The new service became the successor to ZTV Norway and established a continuing sports role within the TV3 and Viasat channel family.

  Source

1. 1TV3+ (Norwegian TV channel)en.wikipedia.org
2. 2TV3+ Norway channel pageviafree.no