 The magazine was originally launched as What Satellite by WV Publications in May 1986, as an eight page monthly supplement with What Video magazine

It became a monthly magazine in May 1989, following the launch of the first Astra satellite and Sky TV, and changed its name to What Satellite TV for the October 1992 issue.WV Publications was purchased by Highbury House Communications plc in 1998, which published the title until Summer 2005 when Future Publishing acquired What Satellite TV along with the majority of the Highbury House specialist consumer titles for £30.5 million.What Satellite TV focused exclusively on satellite television, including the Astra and Eutelsat satellites and the Sky Digital platform until June 2002 when it also started to cover digital terrestrial television, including ITV Digital, Freeview and Top Up TV and renamed itself to its current name.