Sky Portfolio Changes

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

So it's finally happened, huh.
I was suspecting something like this would happen ever since they said Sky Two was becoming Sky Replay, it only made sense.

[Kunst]

The Simpsons' is clearly a far far far cry from what it used to be.

But Sky shows a lot of older episodes too (and at least here on Italy, older episodes seem even more frequent than newer seasons are, on TV), and these are obviously at risk too

Yep - The Simpsons still dominates a lot of the top slots on the ratings for the channel for bog standard repeats. It's so intertwined with Sky One's identity that it makes a lot of sense as I think to lose The Simpsons whilst Sky One still exists would really expose the channel for what it now is (or is not).

Also makes sense why they aren't moving it to Sky Comedy or Mix. At the moment it looks like it will be the only show to air on Sky Showcase but not elsewhere on the Sky network

Someone at the other place, who claims to be some sort of insider, seems to think that The Simpsons will ultimately disappear from Sky. If that is the case, I wonder if it will stay on Channel 4, or if it will disappear from linear TV completely? Either way, it’d be pretty big, considering it’s been on Sky since the very beginning. Indeed, I’d argue Sky One is The Simpsons.

Channel 4 will probably keep it, they still likely need a FTA outlet (and appetizer) for the Simpson , and to still make it relevant

[paul_hadley]

Is this (or should I say was this) the longest-running satellite channel discounting the likes of the BBC?

[nwtv2003]

My understanding is that Channel 4’s right to show The Simpsons was extended last year, so I don’t see it disappearing from there any time soon. You get the feeling that Disney are still happy to have a free to air outlet for some of their bigger series and big family films. At the end of the day the big Disney films still get shown on the BBC, The Simpsons on Channel 4, some children’s programmes they have associations with such as Bluey or PJ Masks also get on FTA. I can’t see Disney wanting to lose that shop window.

Given the recent closures of their kids channels, FOX and the rumoured Nat Geo closure when that deal expires, I’d say it’s clear that Disney want to walk away from mid-tier pay TV and companies such as Sky.

On Sky’s part it’s probably a stroke of genius to ditch Sky One as a brand, if the programme most associated with it, won’t be part of the schedule for much longer.

[London Lite]

Is this (or should I say was this) the longest-running satellite channel discounting the likes of the BBC?

It launched in April 82 as Satellite Television, rebranded as Sky Channel in Jan 84, which were both pan-European, in July 89, it again rebranded as Sky One focusing on the UK and Ireland only.

[RegularCapital]

Is this (or should I say was this) the longest-running satellite channel discounting the likes of the BBC?

It launched in April 82 as Satellite Television, rebranded as Sky Channel in Jan 84, which were both pan-European, in July 89, it again rebranded as Sky One focusing on the UK and Ireland only.

Although, it wasn't until 1st September 1993 when Sky One was scrambled, restricting its audience to UK/Eire viewers.

[JAS84]

Is this (or should I say was this) the longest-running satellite channel discounting the likes of the BBC?

It launched in April 82 as Satellite Television, rebranded as Sky Channel in Jan 84, which were both pan-European, in July 89, it again rebranded as Sky One focusing on the UK and Ireland only.

So, while technically it's even older than Channel 4, if you only count it's present form as Sky One, then several other channels are older. MTV comes to mind.

[Rdd]

It’s difficult to say really because not a lot happened on the day it changed from Sky Channel to Sky One, other than a tweak to the ident to change “Channel” to “One”. It was otherwise exactly the same channel. Of course they pulled it off cable systems on the continent at the same time. But schedule wise most of the programming changes had happened with the February 1989 revamp.

As I mentioned in a previous post, the channel was off air for the entirety of 4th Feb 1989 and until 6pm on 5th Feb, and you might regard this as being the closure of the “old” pan-Europe Sky Channel and the beginning of what had been promoted for existing cable viewers as “The New Sky Channel”. Still, that’s also hard to square with the continuation of shows from the “old” channel like DJ Kat and Fun Factory, among other things.

[zeebre12]

Does Sky History2 have any first-run content or is it all repeats? I see some series listed as New in the guide but I presume the are just new to the channel?

[Brekkie]

Channel 4 will probably keep it, they still likely need a FTA outlet (and appetizer) for the Simpson , and to still make it relevant
Top

Probably a question of when not if but certainly logic for keeping the free to air element going. I think though ultimately however successful Disney+ is once it's gone from linear TV around the world The Simpsons will accelerate further towards it's inevitable end as I suspect most of the value in streaming is with older episodes rather than newer ones.

[Kunst]

Does Sky History2 have any first-run content or is it all repeats? I see some series listed as New in the guide but I presume the are just new to the channel?

AFAIK (Sky) History 2 is not exactly a "secondary" channel to History (otherwise it would have probably shut down already), but a more history-oriented alternative to the main (Sky) History channel (that has gone more "populist"), also in other European countries where it exists, mostly in CEE, and in the US, before it became Viceland.

That was the original intent, but I think nowadays the content kind of overlap, or at least they did last time I checked.

But they should have a certain amount of original content

In a way or the other, these are not classic Sky channels, but A&E operated channel which happen to use the Sky branding and graphics, which is also why a Sky History 2 exists.

[Kunst]

https://www.tvguide.co.uk/mobile/channel...#514174056

Yes, I've just checked , it's gone quite populist too, except for certain programmes.

OT: but Is there a "serious" remaining history channel, these days?

Yesterday shows older sitcoms at night, and Discovery History kind of does (but it slips towards other genres occasionally), but it's hardly promoted.

Maybe something on PBS America

[Neil Jones]

OT: but Is there a "serious" remaining history channel, these days?

History's one of those things you're either into or you're not. Most people tend to cherry pick key parts of history - ie World War II, but couldn't tell you about the chain of events that led up to it, so I wouldn't be surprised if people think WWII started because Germany just spontaneously decided one day to invade Poland for example.

But much like most TV channels that specialise in one area, they soon start going after other things when their planned remit doesn't put bums on seats. You can find history documentaries in any style you like covering pretty much any era you like on YouTube, some of which look as if they could have ended up on TV at some point.

[OldSkoollCITV]

I wonder if they show the full old idents on Sky One's last day.

I would like to see the new Sky Max carry the block of Sky Kids programming from 6am-7pm.

Sky entertainment channels are following the same path that UKTV did in the mid-00s with the channel line up. I wouldn't surprise if Sky does a Dave and ditch the Sky branding from the channels.

[Rdd]

Found the tenth anniversary ident on YouTube. They never did anything like this again. There’s a snip of the then current Brimful of Asha in this clip.

https://youtu.be/Lk2SQ0aJShg