Gay TV comes out in France

The first gay and lesbian TV channel has hit the small-screen in France.

15:05 27 October 2004

The first gay and lesbian TV channel has hit the small-screen in France.

PinkTV marked its first transmission with a celebrity party in Paris, attended by politicians, media figures and stars.

Around 2,500 celebrated in the capital on Monday evening, the city where the popular mayor, Bertrand Delanoe, is openly gay.

Indeed, France's culture minister, Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres said he hoped the channel could help people "respect one another".

He added: "I hope that PinkTV becomes a broad space of freedom and culture."

In recent years France has seen a more open atmosphere, with gay couples now being allowed the right to a legal partnership contract. Also, recently a lesbian couple gained equal parental rights over their child - the first occasion of such a case in France's history.

The boss of PinkTV believes there may be as many as 3.5 million gay people in France.

On its viewing schedule will be anything from porn films to cult shows like Wonder Woman.

There will also be comedy programmes from French and Saunders and the show Metrosexuality. Documentaries on subjects such as Aids and the life of rock star Freddie Mercury will also feature, as will sport.

The subscription for the channel will be nine euros a month and it hopes to have at least 180,000 subscribers within two years - straight as well as gay.

PinkTV has received mainly positive coverage in the French media, being promoted as a hip, urban channel.

However, similar gay channels in other countries, such as Pridevision in Canada and Gay TV, which started in Italy in 2002, have not done so well financially and subsequently are struggling.