Viasat 4 is a television channel broadcasting to Norway owned by the Modern Times Group. The channel was launched on 8 September 2007, a week after the launch of the digital terrestrial television network in Norway, replacing ZTV which ceased broadcasting shortly before.
The channel opened with the European Championship qualifying match between Moldova and Norway. Its main focus is on entertainment, sports and documentaries, sending series such as Most Shocking, Stargate Atlantis, The 4400, Star Trek, The Simpsons, Family Guy, The Riches, UEFA Champions League matches and Futurama, with short news bulletins from P4 on weeknights. Viasat 4 is also sending a lot of comedy series, such as Cheers, Married... With Children, 8 Simple Rules, and many more.
The channel was originally to be named TV4, but after complaints from Swedish TV4 AB at the Patent Office, the channel was renamed 4 before becoming Viasat 4.
The original intention was that the channel would broadcast free-to-air via RiksTV. The operator of the commercial muxes was however intending to broadcast pay television, so the channel would be a part of the encrypted RiksTV package. In 2010, this channel boardcasted 16 World Cup matches from South Africa. Viasat4 boardcasted also the bronzefinal between Germany vs Uruguay. Viasat got the rights from NRK.
Read more about Viasat 4: Programming