TV3 (Sweden)

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TV3 Sweden

Launched	December 31, 1987
Owned by	Modern Times Group
Audience share	9.5 % (Nov '06, MMS)
Country	United Kingdom
Broadcast area	Sweden
Sister channel(s)	TV6
Website	http://www.tv3.se/
Availability
Terrestrial
Boxer TV Access
Satellite
Viasat
Cable
Com Hem	Only available in analogue form

TV3 is a television channel targeted at a Swedish language audience owned by Modern Times Group (MTG). It was founded on December 31, 1987 by entrepreneur Jan Stenbeck as joint Scandinavian channel, but Denmark and Norway soon got their own versions of TV3. It was one of the first channels on the Astra 1A satellite.

The channel was broadcast from London in order to avoid the tight Swedish advertising rules. It is located in Middlesex, along with the other Viasat channels.

The programming output is mixed and several kinds of programs have been shown on the channel over the years. In 2006, it has settled as a channel mostly for entertainment with an outspoken slight female approach. In addition to imported series and sitcoms, TV3 does also show many major sporting events, factual programs, news updates, reality series, game shows and morning children's programs.

Acquired programming on TV3 include The Simpsons, Navy CIS, The Nanny, Weeds and My Name Is Earl. Original programming includes reality and game shows like Expedition: Robinson (Bought from SVT after Season 7) as well as some factual and news programs.

TV3 is available in virtually all cable networks, as well as from MTG's own satellite platform Viasat. It is not available on the competing Canal Digital satellite platform, however.

Although MTG applied for analogue terrestrial licences several times, they never received one. When digital terrestrial television (DTT) started in 1999 TV3 did get a license and started broadcasting in 2000, but they decided to withdraw their terrestrial broadcasts in August 2001. In 2003, they applied for a licence again and started broadcasting in the DTT network again in March 2004. This time they decided to broadcast free-to-air, but the signal got scrambled in September, being only available to Boxer subscribers.