Super Channel was a satellite pioneer in the field of true pan-european broadcasting.
Available to most audiences via cable, Super Channel was to be the forerunner of many "Classic Television" stations, such as UK Gold and Granada Plus. Perhaps it was ahead of it's time.
Things didn't go to well, and following financial difficulties the station was taken over by American broadcaster NBC in 1993. The channel renamed NBC Super Channel still featuring a fair mix of european programming aswell as exclusive programmes from NBC in the US.
Later in 1996 the channel dropped Super Channel from its name and became simply 'NBC Europe'.
Super Channel Ident1987
A wonderful ident from Super Channel in 1987.
Guess who the announcer is - yes that's right, it's former LWT continuity announcer Trish Bertram!
Super Channel Clock1987
The time in Europe is 10 O'clock.
Super Channel, being primarily a channel for Central Europe used European time for it's shedules.
Super Time1987
Super Time was a morning show produced by Music Box showing a mix of music videos and childrens entertainment. On weekends there was a special edition called Super Time Club from 10am to 11am.
This is a great CG sequence.
Weather1987
The Super Channel weather forecast was produced by the BBC and presented from both the daytime studio (above) and from the weather map.
It utilised the usual BBC weather forecasters of the time.
Eclipse1987 Even cable channels are broadcast by satellite to the cable provider. The ECS 1 satellite from which Super Channel was beamed would be eclipsed twice a day!
Even this break was sponsored!
Super Channel Promo1987 Super Channel broadcaster of many quality programmes such as Blakes 7, Spitting Image, ITN World News, The Benny Hill Show, The Muppet Show, Shoestring and Doctor who to name but a few!
Super Channel Ident1988
Promo and ident feature in this clip with early DVE effects for this ident. Super also had a new 'S' symbol, inspired from the Superman logo? which was often used as the channel bug.
Weather1989
The Super Channel weather still from the BBC, now with a jazzy new theme tune, that makes you feel warm and fuzzy!
News & Newsflash1989
The closing titles for the news, featuring a compass theme with the type. The right clip is from a news flash.
Super Channel Ident1993
A new look for Super Channel in 1993, just prior to the takeover by NBC.
Left Clip is the ident, and the right a break bumper
NBC Super Channel
In 1993, the American broadcaster NBC steps in. the channel was rebranded NBC Super Channel.
The channel now featured NBC entertainment programming including The Tonight Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien and Saturday Night Live. NBC News from the US was also shown including Today and NBC Nightly News.
NBC Super Channel Promo1994
This promo explains, NBC's broad range of business and news and entertainment programmes aimed at European professionals.
NBC Super Channel Promo1995
So what is NBC Super Channel all about? All of NBC's Europe and US personalities tell you.
Break Bumpers1995
during 1995, there were many creative break bumper animations, here's 2 different ones..
NBC (Super Channel)1996
By 1996 the NBC brand was far more prominent than Super Channel, being relegated to very fine print adjacent to the C!
Where the stars come out at night1996
NBC came up with the slogan "Where the stars come out at night" to remind viewers most of its US chat shows were shown live after 11pm CET
NBC Promo Caption1996
Even though you could watch the NBC Nightly News from the States, NBC Europe's domestic news was provided by ITN.
NBC Weather1996
Gone were the familiar BBC weather forecasters, now the weather forecast came directly from NBC in the States, utilising their meteorologists.NBC Europe shuts down
By 1998 NBC Europe had stopped broadcasting to much of Europe, and turned to Germany with German programmes.
By 2005 NBC was no more and was taken over by Das Vierte