Best channel launches

[nwtv2003]

I would say that ITV2 had a decent launch programme . But the funny thing was that almost nobody watched it, apart from me, I’m lucky that I was able to tape it. Apparently the figures were at about 700, but I’m not sure how you’d be able to record that rating.

https://youtu.be/lfkOLQADe8s

[KK!]

Apparently the figures were at about 700, but I’m not sure how you’d be able to record that rating.

That’s bizarre. Was it overlapping with something very successful on the main channels?

I agree, from the video, it’s not half bad!

[TheMike]

I would say that ITV2 had a decent launch programme . But the funny thing was that almost nobody watched it, apart from me, I’m lucky that I was able to tape it. Apparently the figures were at about 700, but I’m not sure how you’d be able to record that rating.

https://youtu.be/lfkOLQADe8s

Funny to think that more people have watched your recording of ITV2's launch than those who watched it being broadcast

[nwtv2003]

I would say that ITV2 had a decent launch programme . But the funny thing was that almost nobody watched it, apart from me, I’m lucky that I was able to tape it. Apparently the figures were at about 700, but I’m not sure how you’d be able to record that rating.

https://youtu.be/lfkOLQADe8s

Funny to think that more people have watched your recording of ITV2's launch than those who watched it being broadcast

It is odd to think about it that way. But to put it into perspective, the channel launched a little over 3 weeks after On Digital did and one would presume the uptake was low at that point. The only other platform it was available on was Cable & Wireless, who I think about 2,000,000 subscribers at the time, but for us they put the channel on the prominent slot of Channel 46. As it launched on a Monday night, simulcasting with ITV wasn’t an option unlike the launches of FilmFour and BBC Three, and both STV/Grampian and UTV were someway from launching their respective versions.

[RegularCapital]

Although they've only launched very recently, Sky Comedy and Sky Documentaries had a nice promo loop introducing the channel.

Sky Comedy:

https://youtu.be/irxqLIzzzrU

Sky Documentaries:

https://youtu.be/bRLuz2c8260

[ChipperBird]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KTZFlaAeZ4

I also think the Disney Channel UK launch was quite good, for such a small channel.. there actually was a lot of creativity in the idents of the channel in general, especially before 2003, but the fact that it was a premium channel, did not help its visibility

I remember that Sky was in talks for ages trying to get Disney on board, pretty sure Disney was touted to launch a few years earlier but then had a coming soon placeholder for yonks in the Satellite and Cable mags. There was also going to be a Warner Bros channel at one point which never launched.

Also while we're on launches, the BBC2 one also didn't make it to air thanks to Battersea Power Station. Heres a doc about the launch (pre-the aborted launch footage found) - it does have the Southend fireworks at least (I'm actually sort of impressed by the display for 1960's standards?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kowFs5jOR6g

The launch footage is out there too but not shown publicly in full, maybe with good reason if this BBC article is correct.

A lean man in a shirt, tie and pullover, (Gerald Priestland) could have been mistaken for John Cleese in a Monty Python sketch. But a sound fault meant it was two minutes before his voice could be heard.

Unaware of the audio problem, he read his news summary regardless until the sound was fixed. So the first words heard on BBC Two were from a story about a bus conductress who had been sacked for insulting Pakistani passengers, including the very phrase she had used.

Priestland continued with stories about a pay rise for chemists, a decline in the collection of trading stamps, football match-fixing and a court hearing for Nelson Mandela.

Unlike modern newsreaders, he had no earpiece with which to receive messages from producers and directors

[channelbox]

Apparently the figures were at about 700, but I’m not sure how you’d be able to record that rating.

That’s bizarre. Was it overlapping with something very successful on the main channels?

I agree, from the video, it’s not half bad!

ITV2 launched on the same night as the last edition of World In Action, maybe it was that?

[RegularCapital]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KTZFlaAeZ4

I also think the Disney Channel UK launch was quite good, for such a small channel.. there actually was a lot of creativity in the idents of the channel in general, especially before 2003, but the fact that it was a premium channel, did not help its visibility

I remember that Sky was in talks for ages trying to get Disney on board, pretty sure Disney was touted to launch a few years earlier but then had a coming soon placeholder for yonks in the Satellite and Cable mags. There was also going to be a Warner Bros channel at one point which never launched.

Regarding Disney Channel, did anyone actually paid for it standalone? It was more worth it with the Sky Movies bundle, I also remember the free weekends they used to do.

There was a disagreement on funding and decision making when Disney Channel was supposed to launch in 1989, it led to a lawsuit and Sky having Disney movie rights (Touchstone and Hollywood Pictures) for a few years. https://regularcapital-audiovisual-resea...ober_1995)

It was believed that Warner Channel never launched due to an internal dispute between Turner and Warner Bros. on who should run Time Warner's international channels, Turner won out in the end, but in exchange, WB gained Turner's international television distribution business. Another reason is that could've been revenge from Rupert Murdoch as Time Warner Cable refused to carry the newly launched Fox News at the time and the fact that Time Warner now owns CNN. https://regularcapital-audiovisual-resea..._In_The_UK

[IndigoTucker]

I do! The launch was a massive deal with the retuners moving peoples VCR channels away from Ch 35/37, back when people connected with RF. Early C5 really put effort into shows aswell.

[VMPhil]

The launch footage is out there too but not shown publicly in full, maybe with good reason if this BBC article is correct.

The unedited launch footage is still on YouTube, but the videos have been unlisted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pWsFamLgjU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HrMPxZVQkk

It is worth reading this webpage about the discovery of this recording, it's a miracle that it was able to be recorded in the first place, let alone survive forty years without being thrown out or wiped.

https://www.hywel.org.uk/bbc2launch/

[nwtv2003]

It was believed that Warner Channel never launched due to an internal dispute between Turner and Warner Bros. on who should run Time Warner's international channels, Turner won out in the end, but in exchange, WB gained Turner's international television distribution business. Another reason is that could've been revenge from Rupert Murdoch as Time Warner Cable refused to carry the newly launched Fox News at the time and the fact that Time Warner now owns CNN. https://regularcapital-audiovisual-resea..._In_The_UK

That’s quite interesting. Not a lot is said about that version of the Warner Channel. It must have been very last minute as I recall seeing it in TV Listings back in 1996, so it was clearly ready to go in some form. I’m sure even Sky ran some promos for it too. What Transponder/Frequency was it meant to have been on? The only free ones that spring to mind were the evening slots for Granada’s Good Life and Talk TV? (Computer Channel and Sky Scottish aside.)

[RegularCapital]

That’s quite interesting. Not a lot is said about that version of the Warner Channel. It must have been very last minute as I recall seeing it in TV Listings back in 1996, so it was clearly ready to go in some form. I’m sure even Sky ran some promos for it too. What Transponder/Frequency was it meant to have been on? The only free ones that spring to mind were the evening slots for Granada’s Good Life and Talk TV? (Computer Channel and Sky Scottish aside.)

According to this, Warner Channel was supposed to be on 10.832GHz (aka Transponder 57 on Astra 1D) airing between 7am and 9pm.

http://www.sat-net.com/listserver/sat-no...00257.html
http://www.sat-net.com/listserver/sat-no...00284.html

[nwtv2003]

n 10.832GHz (aka Transponder 57 on Astra 1D

Thanks for that, it looks like Sky had the transponder for a year before using it as the UKTV Preview Channel.