AB1

AB1 (formally AB Channel 1 until 1995) is a French television channel aimed at young adults. AB1 launched on Eutelsat's Hot Bird satellite and on cable on December 1, 1995, as AB Channel 1 nearly a year before the launch of the AB Sat digital satellite package as that package's premium mini-generalist channel. The first line-up is made up of sitcoms, series and anime from Club Dorothée, of which AB Groupe is a producer. In 1997, the word Channel disappears and the channel takes its current name AB1, including a change of look. In its early days, the channel broadcast American series (new to France) in their original version such as Caroline in the City and Malcolm & Eddie. Among the channel's innovations, it offered a window for African-American sitcoms such as Malcolm & Eddie or the Steve Harvey Show and aired certain seasons of the American talk show, The Jerry Springer Show. In 2000, the channel set up new French programs produced by AB Productions and leaving less room for American productions: T.R.I.K (Trash Ridicule Insolite et Kitsh", Sex Party and Décibels made their appearance, anime also took a more important part and a movie was shown once a week. This slightly more French programming did not appeal to the public and AB1 therefore returned in 2002 to its basics, series, sitcoms and anime. In July 2002, AB1 was given a new look, as that of the Belgian channel AB3. The sitcom and series programmes returned in force in a format intended for 15- to 34-year-olds.