Play5

Play5 started in October 2004 as SBS Belgium's second channel and a sister channel to VIER (formerly VT4).

History

On 1 October 2004, the first broadcast was that of a soccer game, even though women are the channel's target audience. By doing that the station made sure that men also would set their TV up to view VIJF.

In 2005, its first full year of operation, VIJFtv gained a 5% market share in Flanders, almost matching Kanaaltwee (now 2BE) and VT4.

In January 2006, VIJFtv doubled its programming hours and began broadcasting 24 hours every day.

VIJFtv began broadcasting the American daytime soap opera ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (in Dutch ''Mooi en Meedogenloos'') on 4 January 2006. It was first shown on public TV, then on VTM, but the rights were sold to SBS Belgium. That also caused an increase of the market share in the early evening.

During the Soccer World Championship, broadcast on Kanaaltwee and VT4, VIJFtv broadcast "women-friendly" programs. They did this using the slogan ''Vrouwen weten waarom'' ("Women know why"), referring to the popular Jupiler beer slogan ''Mannen weten waarom'' ("Men know why"). The formula was a success and VIJF's market share grew even further.

On 27 August 2007, VIJF relaunched with 15 new station idents. On the same day, the channel introduced in-vision continuity. Prior to the change in presentation, VIJFtv used Now/Next/Later visuals and voice overs.

On 3 September 2012, VIJFtv's name changed to VIJF, along with new programming and new TV shows.

On 7 June 2019, it was announced that the channel would be eventually rebranded as "Five" and shift to a more general entertainment format as part of the rebranding under the "Play" name. The following year, it was decided that the channel would instead rebrand as Play5 on 28 January 2021.

Internet television

In 2007, VIJF struck a deal with Zattoo so that Belgian residents can watch the channel using their online television service for free. With the closure of the Belgian Zattoo service in early 2009, VIJFtv disappeared from the platform.

Programming

* '' Accidentally on Purpose''
* ''America's Next Top Model''
* ''Army Wives''
* ''Astrid in Wonderland''
* ''Bizarre ER''
* ''Body of Proof''
*Charmed
* '' Close to Home''
* ''Cold Case''
* ''Cougar Town''
* ''Columbo''
* ''Dallas''
* ''Dance Moms''
* ''Days of Our Lives''
* ''Dawson's Creek''
* ''Debbie Travis' Facelift''
* ''Dr. Phil''
* ''Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman''
* '' ER''
* ''Everwood''
* '' Extreme Makeover: Home Edition''
* ''Fairly Legal''
* ''Falcon Beach''
* '' For Love or Money''
* '' Friday Night Lights''
* ''Friends''
* ''Gilmore Girls''
* ''Gossip Girl''
* ''Greatest American Dog''
* ''Grey's Anatomy''
* ''Harley Street''
* ''How to Look Good Naked''
* ''I Shouldn't Be Alive''
* ''Judging Amy''
* ''Life's Little Miracles''
* '' Lipstick Jungle''
* ''Location, Location, Location''
* ''Love Island''
* ''Made''
* '' Matlock''
* ''Medium''
* ''Melrose Place''
* ''Men in Trees''
* ''Miami Medical''
* ''Monk''
* ''Moonlight''
* ''Murder, She Wrote''
* ''My Restaurant Rules''
* ''Mystery ER''
* ''Nanny 911''
* ''Notes from the Underbelly''
* ''One Tree Hill''
* ''Pan Am''
* ''Poor Little Rich Girls''
* ''Pretty Little Liars''
* ''Private Practice''
* ''Providence''
* '' Rescue Me''
* ''Revenge''
* ''Rizzoli & Isles''
* ''Rookie Blue''
* ''Samantha Who?''
* ''Seinfeld''
* ''Sex and the City''
* ''Strong Medicine''
* ''Stylista''
* '' Summerland''
* ''Swingtown''
* ''Supernatural''
* ''Taggart''
* '' Te Nemen Of Te Laten (Deal or No Deal)''
* '' The Bachelor''
* '' The Block''
* ''The Bold and the Beautiful''
* ''The Client List''
* ''The Closer''
* '' The Dead Zone''
* ''The Dog Whisperer''
* '' The Filth Files''
* ''The Flying Doctors''
* ''The Good Wife''
* ''The Hotel Inspector''
* ''The L Word''
* ''The Love Boat''
* ''The Nanny''
* ''The Oprah Winfrey Show''
* ''The Real Housewives''
* ''The Vampire Diaries''
* ''The X-Files''
* ''The Young Doctors''
* '' Three Rivers''
* '' Three Wishes''
* ''Tim Gunn's Guide to Style''
* ''Toddlers & Tiaras''
* ''Ugly Betty''
* ''Unforgettable''
* '' What Not to Wear''
* '' What Not to Wear USA''
* ''Will & Grace''
* ''Without a Trace''

References

{{Television in Belgium

Television channels in Flanders
Television channels in Belgium
ProSiebenSat.1 Media
Television channels and stations established in 2004