Sky Portfolio Changes

[London Lite]

Worth noting that after Hour of Power, it's followed by a two hour Dreamworks segment of children's shows.

The Sky Cinema slot is at 9pm on Saturdays with the first films to be announced being Fast and Furious 7 (4 Sept), Jurassic World (11 Sept) and The Dark Knight (25 Sept).

[London Lite]

Hour of Power is on YouTube as well. I love the fact that American Christian broadcasters invest in decent production values.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cisTmR5gqLM

[Medianext.MX]

From what is seen, Sky Showcase's schedule looks similar to the programming schedules of the big five channels, a bit watered-down, however, with a focus on scripted content, so, it looks, without any doubt, promising. The thing is that the channel will be available only on Sky, Virgin, BT and other pay TV systems, with no plans to make it available on Freeview and Freesat. However, I wonder if there are plans to make the channel available on these platforms as a replacement for Pick, which has largely become a "pass-through" for archival programming in recent years, way long from its origin in Sky Three (which had a similar remit to that of Sky Showcase). Sky shouldn't waste the slot it was assigned for Pick, better close the channel altogether and place Sky Showcase in that slot. Therefore, Sky can have a larger presence in Freeview, with the channel sitting with Sky News, Sky Arts and Challenge (which IMO should stay as it is, maybe, just maybe, rebranding it as Sky Challenge).

[London Lite]

From what is seen, Sky Showcase's schedule looks similar to the programming schedules of the big five channels, a bit watered-down, however, with a focus on scripted content, so, it looks, without any doubt, promising. The thing is that the channel will be available only on Sky, Virgin, BT and other pay TV systems, with no plans to make it available on Freeview and Freesat. However, I wonder if there are plans to make the channel available on these platforms as a replacement for Pick, which has largely become a "pass-through" for archival programming in recent years, way long from its origin in Sky Three (which had a similar remit to that of Sky Showcase). Sky shouldn't waste the slot it was assigned for Pick, better close the channel altogether and place Sky Showcase in that slot. Therefore, Sky can have a larger presence in Freeview, with the channel sitting with Sky News, Sky Arts and Challenge (which IMO should stay as it is, maybe, just maybe, rebranding it as Sky Challenge).

Pick is purely used as a barker for Sky's pay tv output by either acquiring the cheapest shows possible or really old Sky content, yet it has an audience who enjoy 15 year old episodes of Road Wars which are still being scheduled on the pay tv Sky One and Sky Crime!

The issue with Sky Showcase is that it's very likely that Sky have the Pay TV and VOD rights for the programming they're scheduling, so it's very unlikely that they'd change it into a FTA channel. Sister Freeview channel Challenge also gets away with old repeats on heavy rotation, but again it serves Sky as a promotional tool for their pay tv content.

[Adsales101]

From what is seen, Sky Showcase's schedule looks similar to the programming schedules of the big five channels, a bit watered-down, however, with a focus on scripted content, so, it looks, without any doubt, promising. The thing is that the channel will be available only on Sky, Virgin, BT and other pay TV systems, with no plans to make it available on Freeview and Freesat. However, I wonder if there are plans to make the channel available on these platforms as a replacement for Pick, which has largely become a "pass-through" for archival programming in recent years, way long from its origin in Sky Three (which had a similar remit to that of Sky Showcase). Sky shouldn't waste the slot it was assigned for Pick, better close the channel altogether and place Sky Showcase in that slot. Therefore, Sky can have a larger presence in Freeview, with the channel sitting with Sky News, Sky Arts and Challenge (which IMO should stay as it is, maybe, just maybe, rebranding it as Sky Challenge).

That is simply not going to happen, ever.

Sky Showcase has two purposes.

Firstly it puts high quality Sky programming on page one of the Sky EPG ensuring maximum exposure to subscribers who otherwise would likely never have seen many programmes. This increases VOD traffic.

The second purpose (secondary) is to showcase certain programmes from premium channels (Cinema and Sports) to tempt people to upgrade.

Expect Peacock and Paramount+ programmes to also feature further down the line.

[Rdd]

A big relief as the Hour of Power is staying on Sky Showcase in the usual 6am slot on Sunday mornings.

That was one water tight contract.

It has echoes of the agreement regarding Pat Robertson and The 700 Club, with a contractual requirement for all future owners of The Family Channel (basically Fox and Disney) to show The 700 Club. Although if memory serves Freeform advise their viewers to switch off whilst it’s on.

The Hour of Power has had the Sunday 6:00am slot on Sky One for as long as I can remember. I’d say the agreement to show The Hour of Power must be similar in vein, but you’d have thought closing Sky One would have allowed them to end that agreement. Clearly not if it’s staying on Sky Showcase.

It may not be 1982 any more, but it was nearer to 1982 than 2021 when Hour of Power first appeared - it was on the pre-Astra Sky Channel, that is how long it is running. Not sure when it first appeared though.

[Neil Jones]

It may not be 1982 any more, but it was nearer to 1982 than 2021 when Hour of Power first appeared - it was on the pre-Astra Sky Channel, that is how long it is running. Not sure when it first appeared though.

The programme first started in February 1970.
I can't say how long its been on TV though, though apparently Rupert Murdoch paid for it to appear on Sky One:

[As of 2008] Every Sunday morning, just after dawn, The Hour of Power is broadcast all over Europe on Sky One for free, courtesy of Rupert Murdock. [sic] According to Schuller Snr, when the channel was first launched, Murdock [sic] phoned him and told him that he wanted the 6am slot on Sunday's to be given to "religious programmes," and he insisted that The Hour of Power would be that chosen broadcast. Schuller informed Murdock [sic] he couldn't afford the fee, so Murdock [sic] offered to pay the cost and has done so ever since. One doesn't have to wonder who ultimately benefits from this.

Of course since Murdoch now has nothing to do with BSkyB (having sold his share to Comcast in 2018) its probably one of those multi-year deal/agreements business people like to do. Wouldn't be surprised if it was baked into the company paying for it for rather than Murdoch personally, though he's not short of a bob or two himself.

[Kunst]

Sky Showcase is like the French Canal+, full of premium content.

It's not a simple free window, but the "main" channel for showcasing the premium offer

Would Canal+ be so "stupid" to give Canal+ content for free all the time? I don't think so, aside from a small FTA window

[Adsales101]

Sky Showcase is like the French Canal+, full of premium content.

It's not a simple free window, but the "main" channel for showcasing the premium offer

Would Canal+ be so "stupid" to give Canal+ content for free all the time? I don't think so, aside from a small FTA window

Exactly this.

Sky UK's FTA channels solely exist because of Sky's involvement in Freeview following the ITV Digital collapse. The channels bring in advertising revenue, in other words they are a bonus on Sky Media's balance sheet. At the same time, Sky loads them up with advertising for its own channels, usually highlighting new subscriber deals or key programming with the aim to entice new subscribers. Of course there are also plenty of ads for NOW, targeting those who would not consider taking out a Sky contract.

Making premium content available FTA would be counterintuitive and bad business.All it would do is to devalue the content without much to gain.

[caseyref]

Looking back at the earlier post of Sky Showcase having a 2 hour strand of Dreamworks kids shows, does this channel allow for Sky to have a Sky Kids strand and promote the Kids app?

I know Sky aren't allowed to launch a dedicated kids tv channel but I doubt they are banned from having a kids block on a channel in the mornings and afternoons?

[Ash101]

If Sky Showcase is about getting some Sky shows/brands higher up the EPG, would it not make sense to simulcast Kay Burley every weekday morning? Puts them within touching distance of GMB & BBC Breakfast then..

[Rob]

I know Sky aren't allowed to launch a dedicated kids tv channel

Is that true? Can I be silly and ask why that is?

[Ash101]

I know Sky aren't allowed to launch a dedicated kids tv channel

Is that true? Can I be silly and ask why that is?

Something to do with the carriage deal for Nickelodeon I think I've read somewhere before.

Which is a shame as seeing the channels they've bulked up the main section with featuring the Sky name, a Sky Kids channel does seem quite logical.

[caseyref]

I know Sky aren't allowed to launch a dedicated kids tv channel

Is that true? Can I be silly and ask why that is?

Something to do with the carriage deal for Nickelodeon I think I've read somewhere before.

Which is a shame as seeing the channels they've bulked up the main section with featuring the Sky name, a Sky Kids channel does seem quite logical.

Sky are a 50:50 partner with Viacom in the UK. This is a historical partnership with Viacom so Nickelodeon could be brought to the UK when Sky was launching channels in the past to bulk up their list of channels.

I imagine there is a clause that Viacom could buy out Sky if they wanted to launch their own kids channel. I doubt a full Sky Kids channel would happen as there isn't enough content to fill a channel (unless Pop was bought by Sky and rebranded).

[all new Phil]

If Sky Showcase is about getting some Sky shows/brands higher up the EPG, would it not make sense to simulcast Kay Burley every weekday morning? Puts them within touching distance of GMB & BBC Breakfast then..

If they can’t get within touching distance of GMB and Breakfast via their existing free-to-air news channel, what difference do you suppose putting it onto a new premium pay channel will make?