M1 (Russian TV channel)
{{short description|Russian TV channel for women}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = M1
| logo =
| logo_size =
| country = Russia
| area = Moscow
| picture_format = 4:3 SDTV
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1995|2|13|df=y}}
| closed_date = {{End date and age|2005|3|6|df=y}}
| key_people =
| owner = CTC Media
| former_names = 1995-1999: Channel 31
| website =
(only in Russia)
| terr_serv_1 = Ultra high frequency
| terr_chan_1 = Channel 31
}}
M1 was a former television station in Moscow, which broadcast on the UHF band. The station started test broadcasts in 1994, becoming permanent on February 13, 1995, under the name Channel 31. On December 11, 1999, the channel was renamed M1 (First Moscovite) and was shut down in 2005 in order for STS to launch Domashny.
History
The TV company AOZT "Teleexpress-31-iy kanal" (Телеэкспресс — 31-й канал) was founded in 1994,{{cite book|author=Союз журналистов России|title=Власть, зеркало или служанка? Энциклопедия жизни современной российской журналистики (с. 137-138). Том 2-й|date=1998|quote=31 канал. Телекомпания основана в 1994 году. С 13 февраля 1995 года её программы регулярно выходят в эфир, а еженедельная сетка вещания публикуется в прессе. <...> Эфир „Канала-31” составляют мультфильмы и передачи для детей (около 14% вещания), развлекательные и художественные программы (около 11%), телесериалы, документальные и художественные фильмы (около 60%), музыка (около 10%), а также информационно-публицистические передачи (около 5%)}} in which it started broadcasting test transmissions for the channel of the same name that year. It was conceived by members of the Russian Filmmakers Guild to air non-American movies. One of the planned names was Седьмое небо (Seventh Heaven). The founders were the Main Center for Radio and Television{{cite web|url=https://www.ng.ru/?p=http://www.ng.ru/events/2000-08-29/2_help.html|title=НЕ БЫЛО БЫ СЧАСТЬЯ - НЕСЧАСТЬЕ ПОМОГЛО|publisher=Nezavisimaya Gazeta|date=2000-08-29|access-date=2020-01-18|archive-date=2023-04-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405160220/https://www.ng.ru/?p=http://www.ng.ru/events/2000-08-29/2_help.html|url-status=live}} of the Ministry of Communications, the "Evrosib-Saint Petersburg" company (structure based on the October Railway, owned by the Russian Orthodox Church), as well as the "Studia raz, dva, tri" creative association (V. Sinelnikov) and several other secondary founders.{{cite web|url=http://www.politika.su/media/trk.html|title=ТЕЛЕЭКСПРЕСС (ДОМАШНИЙ)|publisher=Politika.su|access-date=2017-08-15|archive-date=2015-02-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221082944/http://www.politika.su/media/trk.html|url-status=live}}
The channel started broadcasting on February 13, 1995.
In August 1998, GCRT sold its shares to the independent oil company Lukoil.{{cite web|url =http://labyrinth.ru/content/card.asp?cardid=7952|title =ТЕЛЕЭКСПРЕСС, ТЕЛЕКОМПАНИЯ, ЗАО (канал "М1")|publisher =Лабиринт|access-date =2022-01-27|archive-date =2022-01-27|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220127171621/http://labyrinth.ru/content/card.asp?cardid=7952|url-status =live}}
On December 11, 1999, the channel was renamed M1. In line with this, the channel appointed a new general director: former TV6 executive director Sergey Moskvin.{{cite web|url=http://2000.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2000/27n/n27n-s22.shtml|title=Сергей МОСКВИН, генеральный директор телеканала М1: ГЛАВНОЕ – «ВоВРЕМЯ» СКАЗАТЬ "ГОЛУЮ ПРАВДУ".|publisher=Novaya Gazeta|date=2000-07-06|access-date=2019-12-08|archive-date=2003-08-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030830015420/http://2000.novayagazeta.ru/nomer/2000/27n/n27n-s22.shtml|url-status=dead}}