▁and ▁originally ▁operated ▁by ▁Star stream ▁who ▁were ▁back ed ▁by ▁British ▁Tele com , ▁DC ▁Thom son , ▁Th ames ▁Television ▁and ▁Th orn ▁E MI . ▁▁▁▁▁ ▁The ▁channel ▁shared ▁its ▁slot ▁with ▁The ▁Entertainment ▁Network , ▁before ▁sharing ▁with ▁Mir ror vision . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁it ▁started ▁broadcast ing ▁on ▁satellite ▁from ▁ 0 5 0 0 ▁for ▁ 1 0 ▁hours . ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁Central ▁Independent ▁Television ▁acquired ▁a ▁ 2 2 % ▁st ake ▁in ▁Star stream , ▁within ▁days ▁of ▁bu ying ▁Film F air , ▁allowing ▁the ▁channel ▁to ▁add ▁new ▁programming ▁including ▁P adding ton ▁Bear . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁the ▁channel ▁started ▁air ing ▁free - to - air ▁on ▁A stra ▁ 1 A ▁( owned ▁by ▁S ES ▁S . A . ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁now ▁a ▁communic ations ▁satellite ▁operator ), ▁air ing ▁between ▁ 0 5 : 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 0 : 0 0 ▁on ▁week days ▁and ▁between ▁ 0 5 : 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 2 : 0 0 ▁on ▁week ends , ▁time - sh aring ▁with ▁L ifest yle . ▁Following ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁the ▁A stra ▁ 1 B - s at ellite ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁the ▁channel ▁expanded ▁to ▁broadcast ▁until ▁ 5 pm ▁each ▁day , ▁time - sh aring ▁with ▁J ST V . ▁In ▁ 1