Next linear channel to close?

[zeebre12]

With the announcement of BET and Vice to close their linear channels, what linear channel do you think is in danger of closing?

[adamiow]

I wouldn't put it past Discovery to close one of their channels given how much they are pushing Discovery+.

[This is UTV]

Paramount Network.

Surely its current terrible line up of nothing but cop shows can't last much longer. The Paramount name deserves better.

[Mateus Honrado]

Paramount Network.

Surely its current terrible line up of nothing but cop shows can't last much longer. The Paramount name deserves better.

I'll say this. Paramount Network was a much better channel before they merged with 5 Spike.

[nwtv2003]

Paramount Network.

Surely its current terrible line up of nothing but cop shows can't last much longer. The Paramount name deserves better.

It really devalues the Paramount name by putting the 5Spike content onto it. It’s only on because ViacomCBS have the channel running in other countries. I get Spike was being phased out by the company, but from memory Spike was still doing ok in this country. It would have made more sense to rebrand 5USA as Paramount Network.

I could see more of the lesser +1’s getting the chop at some point.

Dare I say it, I wouldn’t rule out Challenge. I hope I’m wrong but it really is being ran into the ground.

[Brekkie]

Paramount really should have been for movies, drama and comedy - that is where the brand value is.

Obviously Disney didn't hesitate in closing their linear channels but if they're paying for themselves then there surely is no better place for Discovery to advertise Discovery+ than on their own channels.

You'd think the +1 channels days would be numbered in an on-demand world but I guess they still pay for themselves.

[ChrisOnTees]

I certainly hope BBC Parliament gets the axe, the only time I've watched it once for Boris' easing of lockdown speech.

But the BBC is reluctant to close it.

So realistically, one of Channel 5's sister channels.
5 Star (Least likely.)
5 USA (Maybe?)
5 Select (Maybe?)
Paramount Network (Most likely IMO.)

Or more cuts could be made to the MTV channels.

[AndrewP]

Couldn't you say providing coverage of parliamentary proceedings is part of the BBC's responsibilities as a public service broadcaster, which is fulfilled by BBC Parliament?

[BBI45]

I can't see any reason for BBC Parliament. It costs very little to run, and as [mention]AndrewP[/mention] said, it fulfils a public service.

[Brekkie]

BBC Parliament won't be axed but it should have been replaced a few years ago in favour of the superior BBC Democracy Live which offered live coverage of both houses, Wesminster committees and live proceedings in Scotland, NI and Wales, as well as the EU, all in one place.

However had they scrapped it then I suspect given how politics has become far more dominant in all our lives in the last few years it would have been revived at some point.


Ideally the next channels to close will be SD simulcasts of channels in HD and the BBC regions in SD. If viewers were put before exclusivity deals with Sky then on Freeview switching the ITV/C4 mux to HD/T2 with ITV2/3/4 and E4/More4/Film4 switching to HD would be the way forward, with the BBC initially sacrificing BBC News, Parliament and Red Button (the latter two rehoused on the new ITV/C4 mux temporarily in SD) to make space to retain SD simulcasts of ITV, C4 and C5 in the short term before a full HD switch over.

Also when you look at the Satellite transponders if you remove all but one SD simulcasts you can see that for the BBC switching the regions to HD wouldn't actually take up any more transponder space as removing the simulcasts of existing HD services frees up the extra space HD channels take up if the transponders are upgraded to DVB-S2).


Also not TV but radio on TV and I wouldn't be surprised to see the BBC ultimately withdraw the radio channels in favour of the BBC Sounds app - I'm guessing though the cost associated with running them is relatively small.

[Neil Jones]

I certainly hope BBC Parliament gets the axe, the only time I've watched it once for Boris' easing of lockdown speech.

But the BBC is reluctant to close it

Remember there used to be The Parliament Channel. Which IIRC was technically commercial but I don't believe it actually ran any commercials. Then for one reason or another it ended up in the hands of the BBC as I believe its one of those operations that falls through to the BBC if there's no other suitable outlet for it.

Anyway it hasn't long rebranded, having started looking like BBC News, so while it has lost what little commissions it made in the first place, I'd be surprised if it goes anywhere - last time it was tooted to close Parliament along with the house, people got a bit upset about it: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2018/s...orporation

[moonygiiiuls]

I'll vouch for GINX Esports TV. Pretty sure sooner or later that will move online only, since the channel covers something that is now too niche for a linear channel.

[AlfieMulcahy]

I certainly hope BBC Parliament gets the axe, the only time I've watched it once for Boris' easing of lockdown speech.

But the BBC is reluctant to close it.

So realistically, one of Channel 5's sister channels.
5 Star (Least likely.)
5 USA (Maybe?)
5 Select (Maybe?)
Paramount Network (Most likely IMO.)

Or more cuts could be made to the MTV channels.

BBC Parliament won't close for a long while yet. It's a valuable service for journalists and the like.

[valley]

I certainly hope BBC Parliament gets the axe, the only time I've watched it once for Boris' easing of lockdown speech.

But the BBC is reluctant to close it.

So realistically, one of Channel 5's sister channels.
5 Star (Least likely.)
5 USA (Maybe?)
5 Select (Maybe?)
Paramount Network (Most likely IMO.)

Or more cuts could be made to the MTV channels.

BBC Parliament won't close for a long while yet. It's a valuable service for journalists and the like.

Strictly speaking BBC Parliament closing wouldn't mean the end of Parliament broadcasting - journalists typically have access to the Bow Tie-produced streams via their employer, and anyone can watch it on parliamentlive.tv without needing to tune in to BBC Parliament.

[Vanilla Vip3r]

5Select or Paramount Network have got to be quite likely. Paramount in particular doesn't really have much of a purpose other than screening endless repeats of Police Interceptors and Traffic Cops.

4Music is a possible candidate as well.