Histoire TV
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | July 14, 1997 |
| Founder | France Télévisions, INA, La Sept-Arte, Pathé, Wanadoo, Suez |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Television channel specializing in historical subjects |
| Owner | Groupe TF1 |
Histoire TV is a French television channel under the ownership of Groupe TF1, dedicated to broadcasting content centered on historical subjects.
History
The channel Histoire began broadcasting on 14 July 1997, created through a collaboration between public organizations (France Télévisions, INA, La Sept-Arte) and private investors (Pathé, Wanadoo, Suez).
In June 2004, Histoire became fully privatized when Groupe TF1 acquired all shares.
Starting 2 January 2012, Histoire, along with other pay-TV channels owned by TF1, broadened its availability by joining optional packages offered by internet service providers; prior to this, access to Histoire was limited to TPS, Canalsat, and available for €0.49 on the Free platform.
In December 2012, Discovery Communications purchased a 20% interest in TF1’s thematic pay-TV channels portfolio—including Histoire—for €14 million, as part of larger investments that included Eurosport (€170 million) and additional channels.
On 17 July 2015, TF1 divested its remaining 49% stake in Eurosport to Discovery for €492 million and concurrently reacquired Discovery’s 20% ownership in its pay-TV channels (TV Breizh, Histoire, Ushuaïa) for €14.6 million.
From 2007 until 2018, Patrick Buisson held the position of managing director; during this period, his son Georges was employed at the channel but left following internal conflicts.
On 4 December 2019, Histoire rebranded by adding "TV" to its name, aligning with sister channels TV Breizh and Ushuaïa TV.
Its primary rival within the historical content segment is Toute l'Histoire.