When did Wowow start broadcasting in Japan?
Wowow ran its first test broadcast on the 29th of November 1990, began pre-launch programming the following day at 12 to 14 hours per day, and launched regular analog broadcasting on the 1st of April 1991.
Questions about Wowow
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How many subscribers does Wowow have?
When digital broadcasting began on the 1st of December 2000, Wowow had 207,753 subscribers. That figure grew to 2,667,414 two years later, and as of December 2011 the digital subscriber count stood at approximately 2.56 million.
What anime series has Wowow produced or co-produced?
Wowow has co-produced and assisted in the production of original anime including The Big O, Cowboy Bebop (complete uncut version), Paranoia Agent, Ergo Proxy, Berserk, Brain Powerd, Overman King Gainer, Trinity Blood, Ghost Hound, Crest of the Stars, and the Anime Complex block, among others. The studio Madhouse has a partnership deal with Wowow for distributing mature series.
What sports does Wowow broadcast?
Wowow has broadcast all four tennis Grand Slam Championships since 2008: the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. It also covers UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Super Rugby, the LPGA Tour, and boxing under the "Wowow Excite Match" banner.
Why did Twin Peaks become so important to Wowow's early growth?
By July 1992, Wowow had aired several full cycles of all 28 episodes of Twin Peaks, and the cult US series was responsible for nearly 30% of the channel's new subscriptions during that period.
How many channels does Wowow operate?
Wowow expanded from a single channel to four high-definition services on the 1st of October 2011: Wowow Prime (general entertainment), Wowow Live (sports, documentaries, movies, live performances), Wowow Cinema (24-hour movies), and Wowow Plus, formerly known as Cinefil Wowow, which broadcasts on channel 250 under its current name since the 1st of December 2020.