Multishow launched in 1991 with an 18-hour schedule. Niche programming from ZDF, NHK and Antenne 2 was carried to cater to their respective ethnic minorities, subtitled. The channel also aired cult series such as The Simpsons and The Addams Family. In its earliest phase, the channel was aiming towards an increase in original productions and imported specials. The channel aired the successful Venezuelan telenovela Cristal in at 7pm timeslot, without competing against TV Globo's telenovelas. The producers of Telecurso were also creating a program for the channel aimed at topics of interest for the subscribed elite, such as how to ride a jet ski. Around May 1992, Multishow had an investment of US$40 million for a subscriber base of 16,000.[2]
On October 1, 2009, Multishow launched its HDTV channel, Multishow HD. Like other HD channels owned by Globosat at the time (such as Globosat HD, Telecine HD and Premiere FC/Combate HD), instead of being a simulcast of the main channel, it featured a separate, mostly music-oriented lineup, with concerts, documentaries and other music-related programming, but most concerts also air in SD on the main channel. Until the launch of Multishow HD, all of Multishow's HD content aired on Globosat HD, which still broadcasts Multishow's non-music high-definition programming, and some music programs.
On August 27, 2012, in anticipation to the launch of a high-definition simulcast of Multishow, Multishow HD was renamed provisionally Bis Multishow HD ("bis" is the Brazilian term for "encore") and later, in November 2012, renamed as simply Bis. The music-oriented programming of the channel remained mostly unchanged.
Trivia
All foreign-language songs featured on foreign programming and on music videos are subtitled in Portuguese.
