SX3

SX3 is a Catalan-language public children’s and youth media brand operated by Televisió de Catalunya, within the Corporació Catalana de Mitjans Audiovisuals and the wider 3Cat public media group. The channel began broadcasting on 18 October 2009 under the Super3 identity, continuing a children’s programming tradition that had begun with the Club Super3 strand on TV3 in 1991. In 2022, the service was renamed SX3 and reorganized conceptually around two audience-oriented identities: S3 for preschool children and X3 for school-aged children and preteens. The brand’s principal role is to provide entertainment, educational content and cultural representation in Catalan. Its schedule combines animated series, live-action programs, films, locally produced formats and acquisitions from different countries, including Japanese animation. Content is adapted or presented in Catalan, supporting the language among younger audiences while also addressing subjects relevant to childhood and adolescence. The service is distinct from the former K3 model, which covered a broader children’s and youth remit; SX3 has generally concentrated on viewers below approximately fourteen years of age. SX3’s roots lie in Club Super3, a long-running television club and programming identity launched on TV3 on 11 February 1991. The format later appeared on Canal 33 and became the foundation for a dedicated children’s channel. K3 began broadcasting in 2001 as a channel sharing frequencies with Canal 33. After further changes to the digital schedule, the 2009 Festa dels Súpers helped establish Canal Super3 as the unified television expression of the Club Super3 brand. This transition brought together the channel and its highly recognizable fan-club ecosystem, which was reported to have more than 1.5 million members. For much of its linear history, SX3 shared digital terrestrial capacity with El 33. The terrestrial service traditionally operated during daytime and evening hours, while the online service offered continuous access and, in some cases, programs not shown on the linear channel. This hybrid arrangement reflects CCMA’s attempt to follow children’s migration from scheduled television to on-demand and online viewing. The service has therefore functioned both as a conventional television channel and as a broader digital catalogue, with its website organizing content by the S3 and X3 audience labels. The Super3 identity faced significant audience pressure during the late 2010s and early 2020s. In October 2019, the channel reportedly reached a record-low monthly share of 0.6 percent. The decline was linked to changing viewing habits, competition from national children’s channels and digital platforms, difficulties in acquiring suitable content, and the fact that a substantial share of the intended audience no longer watched traditional television. CCMA cancelled the long-running La família dels Súpers in June 2021 as part of the wider restructuring. CCMA announced the SX3 rebrand in September 2022. The new architecture separated preschool content under S3 from material for older children under X3, with X3+ used for some preteen-oriented programming. S3 emphasizes discovery, music, learning and developmental values, while X3 addresses interaction, entertainment and topics such as games, social networks and bullying. The distinction was more visible on digital platforms than in the linear schedule. In early 2025, the linear channel appeared to return to a unified SX3 presentation, although the website continued to classify programs using the two-world model. The channel has continued to face strategic questions about the future of linear broadcasting, the level of investment in original production and how best to reach younger audiences. Reported management changes in 2026 included a reorganization of children’s-content leadership, with Àlex Marquina associated with a transversal coordination role and Rosa M. Torres with the department leadership. These developments indicate that SX3 remains an evolving public-service project rather than simply a fixed television channel. Its current identity combines Catalan-language broadcasting, children’s media production and online distribution, while its long-term balance between terrestrial television and digital-only delivery remains under review.

SX3 developed from one of Catalonia’s longest-running children’s television traditions. Club Super3 began as a programming strand on TV3 on 11 February 1991 and later appeared on Canal 33. As the amount of children’s and youth programming on Canal 33 expanded, Televisió de Catalunya created K3 on 23 April 2001. K3 shared a channel arrangement with Canal 33 and was intended to give children’s programming a more clearly defined television home. The service underwent further scheduling and distribution changes in 2006, when its digital position shared capacity with Canal 300 while El 33 received broader digital availability. In 2009, the Festa dels Súpers provided the setting for a major brand consolidation. K3 was renamed Canal Super3, linking the television channel more directly to Club Super3 and its established membership and character-based identity. The renewed channel emphasized viewer participation, including requests for children to send drawings or present their pets, and introduced a stronger interest in international programming alongside Catalan-language content. The analog television era ended for the service on 15 February 2010. Thereafter, the channel’s terrestrial distribution operated through digital broadcasting arrangements, sharing capacity with other public channels. Its standard terrestrial schedule occupied much of the day but did not necessarily run continuously, whereas the online service could provide access around the clock. This combination became increasingly important as children shifted toward online video and on-demand consumption. Super3 encountered growing structural difficulties during the late 2010s. Its audience declined as children watched less scheduled television and faced competition from commercial children’s channels, streaming services and internet platforms. The channel recorded a reported 0.6 percent share in October 2019, described as a historic low. CCMA also faced pressure over budgets, content acquisition and the need to make Catalan-language programming relevant across changing platforms. The long-running La família dels Súpers was cancelled in June 2021, reflecting the broader effort to rethink the brand rather than preserve its earlier television model unchanged. In September 2022, CCMA announced the transformation of Super3 into SX3. The new brand was organized around S3, aimed primarily at preschoolers up to about six years old, and X3, aimed mainly at children from roughly seven to fourteen. X3+ was used for some preteen content, although its application was not entirely consistent across television and digital presentation. S3’s editorial emphasis includes learning, discovery and music. X3 places greater emphasis on interaction and on subjects that affect older children, including video games, social networks and bullying. Although the two identities remained visible on the website, the linear channel appeared to return to a single SX3 presentation in early 2025. The service also reportedly stopped using its X/Twitter account for news communication and faced criticism concerning irregular promotion of new programs. Later in 2025, terrestrial broadcasting was shortened to end at 9 p.m., while online access remained available continuously. Public discussion subsequently raised the possibility that the linear channel could eventually be closed in favor of a predominantly digital service. A further management reorganization was reported in January 2026. The changes involved the children’s department and a parallel strategic unit whose responsibilities had overlapped with existing management. Laia Servera was among the leaders relieved of their duties, while Àlex Marquina and Rosa M. Torres were identified with replacement coordination and department roles. These developments underscore the continuing challenge of maintaining a strong Catalan children’s-media presence while adapting the SX3 brand to digital viewing, constrained production spending and changing audience expectations.

• 2025

  The linear service moves toward a single SX3 identity

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  The separate S3 and X3 presentation is apparently unified on linear television, while the digital service continues to use the classifications.

• 2022

  SX3 launches

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  The Super3 channel is rebranded SX3 and divided editorially into S3 and X3 audience worlds.

• 2021

  La família dels Súpers is cancelled

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  The cancellation forms part of a wider effort to address the Super3 brand’s audience and platform challenges.

• 2019

  Audience share reaches a reported low

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  The channel records a reported 0.6 percent share in October amid competition from other television and digital services.

• 2010

  Analog broadcasting ends

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  The channel ceases analog transmission as Catalonia’s television distribution moves to digital terrestrial broadcasting.

• 2009

  K3 becomes Canal Super3

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  Following the Festa dels Súpers, the channel adopts the Canal Super3 identity and aligns more closely with Club Super3.

• 2006

  Digital distribution is reorganized

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  The service’s digital position is rearranged in conjunction with Canal 300 and the distribution of El 33.

• 2001

  K3 begins broadcasting

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  K3 launches as a dedicated children’s and youth television service sharing channel capacity with Canal 33.

• 1991

  Club Super3 launches

  [1]SX3en.wikipedia.org

  The Club Super3 children’s programming strand begins on TV3, establishing the brand lineage later associated with the dedicated channel.

A public-service Catalan-language media brand combining linear television, online video, children’s entertainment, educational programming and cultural-language support for audiences from preschool age through early adolescence.

• Preschool programming · 2022

  S3

  S3 is the preschool-oriented editorial world within the SX3 brand. Its programming is designed for younger children, generally up to around six years old, and emphasizes discovery, music, learning and positive developmental values. It may include animated series, songs, educational formats and other content intended to support early childhood engagement in Catalan.

• Children’s and youth programming · 2022

  X3

  X3 is the SX3 editorial world for school-aged children and younger teenagers, broadly covering audiences from about seven to fourteen. Its content includes animation, live-action series, films and interactive formats. Topics can include games, online life, social relationships and bullying, alongside general entertainment and international programming adapted into Catalan.

• Preteen programming · 2022

  X3+

  X3+ is an occasionally used classification for content aimed at the older part of the X3 audience, approximately ten to fourteen years old. Its use has varied between television and digital presentation, and it has also appeared in connection with age-oriented film listings.

• Children’s media club and programming brand · 1991

  Club Super3

  Club Super3 is the foundational children’s brand from which Canal Super3 and later SX3 developed. Beginning as a TV3 programming strand in 1991, it combined television content with a membership and fan-club system. Its identity helped connect programming, viewer participation and live events such as the Festa dels Súpers.

• 2022SX3 rebrand

  Catalonia

  CCMA repositioned Super3 as SX3 and introduced the S3 and X3 identities to organize programming by developmental and age-related audience groups.

  Outcome. The brand moved toward a more segmented and digital-oriented children’s media structure.

  Source
• 2009Festa dels Súpers brand consolidation

  Catalonia

  The 2009 Festa dels Súpers was associated with the renaming of K3 as Canal Super3, consolidating the channel with the Club Super3 identity and its established fan community.

  Outcome. The television service adopted the Canal Super3 name and strengthened the connection between its channel, programming and club ecosystem.

  Source

• 2025

  Reduce linear broadcast hoursStrategy

  Background

  The service continued to prioritize online access while sharing terrestrial capacity with El 33.

  Action taken

  The linear channel was reported to end at 9 p.m., allowing El 33 to begin an additional hour earlier.

  Aftermath

  The change reinforced the perception that SX3’s future strategy was increasingly digital-oriented.

  Source

• 2022

  Launch the SX3 audience architectureStrategy

  Background

  Changing viewing habits, weak linear ratings and the need to maintain Catalan-language content led CCMA to rethink Super3.

  Action taken

  The channel was renamed SX3 and divided conceptually into S3 for preschoolers and X3 for older children, with X3+ used for some preteen material.

  Aftermath

  The separate identities remained particularly visible on the website, while the linear presentation later moved back toward a unified SX3 model.

  Source

• 2021

  Cancel La família dels SúpersStrategy

  Background

  The Super3 service was experiencing audience decline and pressure to rethink its content and distribution model.

  Action taken

  CCMA cancelled the long-running La família dels Súpers program in June 2021.

  Aftermath

  The cancellation formed part of the transition toward a redesigned, more digital-first children’s service.

  Source

• 2009

  Unify K3 with the Super3 brandStrategy

  Background

  CCMA sought to connect the dedicated children’s channel with the established Club Super3 programming and membership identity.

  Action taken

  K3 was renamed Canal Super3 and the channel placed greater emphasis on viewer interaction and brand continuity.

  Aftermath

  The channel became more closely associated with the Super3 fan-club ecosystem.

  Source

1. 1SX3en.wikipedia.org
2. 2SX3 official websiteccma.cat