[1] With VT4 planning for a local licence in Flanders in December 1998, the hypothesis of launching a second channel were still slim.
[5] The launch of SBS's second Belgian channel was repeatedly delayed due to accumulated debt and leadership changes.
[10] The 1 October launch was pushed back to 30 September, where the first broadcast was that of a soccer game, a UEFA Club match between Bochum and Standard Liège, even though women are the channel's target audience.
[11] This was seen as an advertising strategy to encourage mass tuning of the new channel on cable, under the grounds that sporting events were also seen by women.
[12] In 2005, its first full year of operation, VIJFtv gained a 5% market share in Flanders,[citation needed] almost matching Kanaaltwee and VT4.
VIJFtv began broadcasting the American daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful (in Dutch Mooi en Meedogenloos) on 4 January 2006.
When the campaign started on 1 June, VIJFtv hadn't received confirmation from Jupiler regarding a possible advertising response.
[18] In 2007, VIJF struck a deal with Zattoo so that Belgian residents can watch the channel using their online television service for free.