Launched January 31, 2000 Country Canada Broadcast area National | Owned by Bell Media Language French | |
Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV) | ||
Z is a Canadian French language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. Z focuses on programming primarily from the science fiction, fantasy, and technology genres consisting of dramas, films, and documentaries.
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History
In May 1999, Radiomutuel Inc. was granted approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for a television broadcasting licence for a channel called Canal Z, aux limites du savoir, described as "a national French-language television specialty service that is dedicated entirely to science and technology, the earth and its secrets, space exploration, the paranormal and science fiction, lifestyles and computer science."
Before the channel was launched, in June 1999, Astral Media announced its intention to purchase Radiomutuel, which was approved by the CRTC on January 12, 2000 and closed shortly thereafter.
The channel launched on January 31, 2000 as Canal Z (often referred to as simply Z). The channel was renamed Ztélé in 2005 and a new logo was introduced.
Astral Media was acquired by Bell Media in 2013, making Ztélé a sister channel to the English-language science-fiction channel, Space.
As of August 25, 2014, the channel has been renamed Z.
Z HD
On October 30, 2006, Astral Media launched "Ztélé HD", a HD simulcast of Ztélé's standard definition feed.