HD suisse

HD suisse was a Swiss high-definition television channel operated by SRG SSR, the country's public-service broadcasting organization. It was notable as the first Swiss television channel to broadcast in high definition and as the eighth channel introduced by SRG SSR. The service began broadcasting on 3 December 2007 at 20:00 Central European Time, during an early period of consumer and broadcaster migration from standard-definition television to HD. Rather than operating as a conventional single-language network, HD suisse reflected Switzerland's multilingual media structure. Its programming was assembled from the four television services associated with SRG SSR's national language regions: Schweizer Fernsehen, Télévision Suisse Romande, Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana and Radio Television Rumantscha. As a result, the channel carried programming in German, French, Italian and Romansh. Its schedule included selected television programs from those networks, alongside music concerts and documentaries. Some documentary programming was produced by or associated with National Geographic Channel. The channel's main strategic role was to establish high-definition distribution within SRG SSR's portfolio and to make HD programming available nationally across Switzerland. Its multilingual approach allowed SRG SSR to provide a shared HD showcase rather than creating separate high-definition channels for each linguistic region at the outset. This made HD suisse both a technology-transition service and a cross-regional public-service channel. HD suisse was ultimately a transitional platform. SRG SSR closed the channel on 31 January 2012 while preparing the launch of high-definition versions of its principal regional services. On 29 February 2012, SRF 1, SRF zwei, RTS Un, RTS Deux, RSI La 1 and RSI La 2 began HD broadcasting. The transition replaced the dedicated HD suisse model with HD simulcasts or versions of established services, allowing viewers to receive high-definition programming while retaining the familiar language-specific channel brands. HD suisse therefore represents an early phase in SRG SSR's broader migration to high-definition broadcasting rather than a continuing television network.

HD suisse was created by SRG SSR as a dedicated high-definition television service for Switzerland. It was the broadcaster's eighth channel and the first Swiss television channel distributed in high definition. The service launched on 3 December 2007 at 20:00 CET, placing SRG SSR among broadcasters responding to the industry's transition from standard-definition television to HD production and transmission. The channel was designed around Switzerland's multilingual public-service broadcasting system. Its schedule combined material from Schweizer Fernsehen, Télévision Suisse Romande, Radiotelevisione svizzera di lingua italiana and Radio Television Rumantscha. Programming was therefore available in German, French, Italian and Romansh, rather than being organized around only one regional audience. In addition to selected programming from SRG SSR's existing television networks, HD suisse carried music concerts and documentaries, including documentary material produced by National Geographic Channel. This structure gave HD suisse a dual purpose. It was a technical showcase for high-definition television, but it also served as a shared national channel capable of presenting content from the broadcaster's separate language regions. The service provided an interim way to expand HD availability before each established regional channel received its own high-definition version. SRG SSR ended HD suisse on 31 January 2012. The closure was part of a planned restructuring of high-definition distribution, not a reported scandal or bankruptcy. On 29 February 2012, SRF 1, SRF zwei, RTS Un, RTS Deux, RSI La 1 and RSI La 2 launched in HD. This replaced the standalone national HD channel with high-definition versions of familiar language-region services. HD suisse consequently became a discontinued transitional brand whose principal legacy was its role in introducing and normalizing HD broadcasting within SRG SSR's Swiss television portfolio.

• 2012

  Dedicated channel closes

  [1]HD suisseen.wikipedia.org

  HD suisse stops broadcasting on 31 January as SRG SSR prepares to distribute its major regional channels in HD.

• 2012

  Regional SRG SSR channels move to HD

  [1]HD suisseen.wikipedia.org

  SRF 1, SRF zwei, RTS Un, RTS Deux, RSI La 1 and RSI La 2 launch high-definition versions on 29 February.

• 2007

  HD suisse launches

  [1]HD suisseen.wikipedia.org

  SRG SSR begins broadcasting HD suisse at 20:00 CET on 3 December, establishing the first Swiss television channel available in high definition.

A national, multilingual public-service HD showcase and transitional distribution platform for SRG SSR programming.

• High-definition television channel · 2007

  HD suisse

  A former national Swiss television channel operated by SRG SSR. It offered programming assembled from the broadcaster's German-, French-, Italian- and Romansh-language networks, supplemented by music concerts and documentaries. The service was created as a shared HD platform and later replaced by HD versions of SRG SSR's established regional channels.

• 2012

  Replace HD suisse with HD regional servicesStrategy

  Background

  SRG SSR moved from a shared standalone HD channel toward high-definition versions of its established language-region networks.

  Action taken

  HD suisse was closed on 31 January, followed by the launch of HD versions of SRF, RTS and RSI channels on 29 February.

  Aftermath

  The standalone HD suisse brand was discontinued, while high-definition broadcasting continued under the established regional channel identities.

  Source

• 2007

  Launch a dedicated national HD channelProduct launch

  Background

  SRG SSR needed a platform for introducing high-definition television while serving Switzerland's multiple language regions.

  Action taken

  The broadcaster launched HD suisse as a multilingual channel drawing content from its four regional television networks.

  Aftermath

  HD suisse became the first Swiss television channel to broadcast in high definition and operated until the transition to HD versions of established regional services.

  Source

1. 1HD suisseen.wikipedia.org
2. 2SRG SSR television informationsrgssrideesuisse.ch