UKTV Discussion

[IanJRedman]

Couldn't see any existing threads for broad discussion of either UKTV or Yesterday, but if I've missed one somewhere, apologies!

RXTV reports that an HD version of Yesterday is testing on Sky. Presumably, in keeping with other UKTV channels, it will be paywalled

https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/five-new-chann...ing-on-sky

[This is UTV]

So 'if' Yesterday HD launches, then I guess Drama will be the only UKTV Channel not to have a HD version.

Also grape vine rumblings that Eden SD/HD will close and move its programming to Yesterday, so a HD version of Yesterday makes sense.

If Eden does close, that will leave UKTV with just 6 Channels then...a rather slimmed down network now UKTV compared to the dizzying heights of 10 different Channels at one pont.

[Dylan2001]

I don’t watch Eden that much. But I remember UKTV Documentary and it had some cracking shows in my opinion

[Brekkie]

Would that just leave Gold and Alibi on the pay-TV side? Can't help but feel they'd be better off solely focusing on free to air TV now, especially if they want to build UKTV Play.

[IanJRedman]

Would that just leave Gold and Alibi on the pay-TV side?  Can't help but feel they'd be better off solely focusing on free to air TV now, especially if they want to build UKTV Play.

Yes, the current pay channels are Alibi, Eden and Gold. I do wish they could open up the HD channels to more people, though - the paywalling feels a bit archaic in 2022.

[Rex]

I wouldn't be surprised if the plug is pulled on Eden, it's the most neglected of the 7 UKTV channels. Clearly the rest of them are performing very well and considering that nature programming has been on Yesterday/UK History for a long time it would easily find a home there to a much wider audience.

[all new Phil]

I wouldn't be surprised if the plug is pulled on Eden, it's the most neglected of the 7 UKTV channels. Clearly the rest of them are performing very well and considering that nature programming has been on Yesterday/UK History for a long time it would easily find a home there to a much wider audience.

I’d rather they made it FTA to be honest. You’d think it would perform well - Attenborough shows in particular are very popular and the environment has never been higher on the agenda as it is now.

[johnnyboy]

I don’t watch Eden that much. But I remember UKTV Documentary and it had some cracking shows in my opinion

Me neither since they got rid of the HD feed.

[London Lite]

I can't see UKTV wholly giving up on paywall tv as they've recently added Alibi to NOW. Clearly Gold and Alibi have the most value behind the paywall, while the rest excluding Eden use a form of either SD delivery on Freesat/Freeview/UKTV Play while adding HD versions to Sky/Virgin.

I for one would welcome a HD version of Yesterday for their own commissions. Secrets of the Underground is a frustrating watch in 544x576 on Freeview.

[Kunst]

Eden is such a missed opportunity, but now Yesterday has become an almost defacto "documentary" channel, not just a history channel.

Eden has become a nature channel, basically

[Rick]

Given its name, I would have thought Eden was best suited to being a nature themed channel from the start.

[dbl]

Eden is such a missed opportunity, but now Yesterday has become an almost defacto "documentary" channel, not just a history channel.

Eden has become a nature channel, basically

Nobody watches Eden, and it's a zombie channel internally.

[Brekkie]

Well in May it had a 1.73% reach and 0.03% share - far lower than other UKTV channels. Gold and Alibi both have a 0.41% share, but Gold has a greater reach of Alibi at 12.32% vs 6.92%. W is only marginally higher with a 0.43% share.

For comparison Animal Planet also has a 0.03% share, with a 1.47% reach and Sky Nature has double that with a 0.06% share and 3.48% reach.

https://www.barb.co.uk/monthly-viewing/

[Mateus Honrado]

I wouldn't be surprised if the plug is pulled on Eden, it's the most neglected of the 7 UKTV channels. Clearly the rest of them are performing very well and considering that nature programming has been on Yesterday/UK History for a long time it would easily find a home there to a much wider audience.

I’d rather they made it FTA to be honest. You’d think it would perform well - Attenborough shows in particular are very popular and the environment has never been higher on the agenda as it is now.

Same. It would be the right thing to do in order to salvage the channel.

[Col87]

I would think merging Eden and Yesterday into a single channel would be the best thing to do. Some of them yesterday originals wouldn’t look out of place on Dave like them old car shows and the documentaries on hornby. The sitcoms can move over to Drama and continue to use the Eden name as a proper documentary channel covering History Science and Nature.