Tag: Sky

Further Sky Branded Channels to Launch

Sky Documentaries and Sky Nature are due to launch this spring, and will be joined by Sky History and Sky History 2.

Sky History is part of a joint venture between A+E Networks UK and Sky, and will be a rebrand of the current History channel. Both Sky History and Sky History 2 will be available on Sky’s Now TV streaming platform, as well as Virgin Media, BT TV and TalkTalk TV.

The changes are also due to take place this spring, with both channels to continue being operated and managed by A+E Networks UK.

Financial Difficulties at Information TV Lead to Channel Closure

Information TV, owned by now collapsed parent company Carlauren Group Ltd, has been in financial difficulties since 2019. This has now led to channel changes.

Sports channel Front Runner has now closed. The channel was home to Greyhound Racing, which has moved to Live 360. Live 360 is available on Sky channel 175, and can be streamed on compatible Freeview boxes via Vision TV on channel 264.

Meanwhile, sister channel Showcase TV is transitioning to new satellite capacity, and is currently unavailable on Sky and Freesat, but is expected to return. Showcase TV allows smaller, niche broadcasters to book out blocks of time on the channel, enabling part time broadcasting.

Retro Movies Removed from Satellite

Retro Movies appears to have stopped broadcasting on satellite. Although still listed on Sky and Freesat EPGs, the satellite feed has went ‘dark’ with no programmes or other content being broadcast.

According to website RXTV Log, Retro Movies is still available as part of Channelbox on Freeview 271, as a streamed channel on devices connected to the internet.

There has been no official word from Retro Movies. Their website (at time of publication) is still live, but the schedule doesn’t list any programmes beyond Friday 24th January.

Talking Pictures, Sony Movies Classic and TCM Movies are alternative channels for those wishing to view older films.

Sewing Quarter to Close TV Channel

Shopping channel Sewing Quarter is to close, following its owner Immediate Media’s decision to exit from the TV business. Sister channel Jewellery Maker is being sold to Gemporia, who originally launched the channel.

The Sewing Quarter TV channel will close later this month, with discussions regarding the sale of the remaining business ongoing. The website will continue to take orders. Customers that have gift cards, vouchers, or credit will need to use these before 17th January 2020.

Sewing Quarter was only launched in 2017, and is currently available Freeview 73, Sky 687, and online.

Sky to Launch Brexit Free News Service

At 5pm today, Sky News is to launch a part time Brexit free version of the channel. Sky News Brexit-Free will be a available on Sky channel 523, from 5pm to 10pm, Monday to Friday, utilising capacity normally reserved for pay-per-view events.

The channel will also be available on the Sky News Youtube Channel, for non Sky TV customers.

Sky News Brexit-Free is being launched in response to a survey which found that around a third or people are avoiding the news, with Brexit being a significant reason.

More Channel Closures

AMC will become high definition (HD) only from Thursday, when the standard definition version of the channel on the Sky satellite platform will come to an end. A small number of viewers with non HD equipment will loose access to the channel. The HD version remains unchanged. Asian music service MTV Beats will also leave the Sky platform in the next week.

Over on the Virgin Media cable platform, standard definition versions of TLC, Quest, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Eurosport 1, and Eurosport 2  have been removed. Where the HD version of the channel was on a lower number, the channel has been promoted to the higher number. Some of the HD channels were on a higher subscription package, but these have been moved down to the former standard definition channels subscription tiers, so no viewers will lose access to the channels.

As all Virgin Media boxes in use are HD compatible, the standard definition versions of the channels were effectively redundant. No viewers will be impacted by the change.

Meanwhile, Your TV has closed on all platforms. The channel was free-to-air, and was acquired by Disney with the Fox business. Disney currently operated no free-to-air channels in the UK.

More HD Conversions and Channel Closures

AMC will become high definition (HD) only from Thursday, when the standard definition version of the channel on the Sky satellite platform will come to an end. A small number of viewers with non HD equipment will loose access to the channel. The HD version remains unchanged. Asian music service MTV Beats will also leave the Sky platform in the next week.

Over on the Virgin Media cable platform, standard definition versions of TLC, Quest, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Eurosport 1, and Eurosport 2  have been removed. Where the HD version of the channel was on a lower number, the channel has been promoted to the higher number. Some of the HD channels were on a higher subscription package, but these have been moved down to the former standard definition channels subscription tiers, so no viewers will lose access to the channels.

As all Virgin Media boxes in use are HD compatible, the standard definition versions of the channels were effectively redundant. No viewers will be impacted by the change.

Meanwhile, Your TV has closed on all platforms. The channel was free-to-air, and was acquired by Disney with the Fox business. Disney currently operated no free-to-air channels in the UK.

Freeview Changes

Newton TV Transmitter
Newton relay Freeview transmitter.

Discovery’s Quest +1 has changed frequency on Freeview, and is now broadcasting 24 hours a day. The timeshift of Quest now occupies space released by Sony following reductions in their TV portfolio. Viewers will need to retune in order to continue watching Quest +1 on channel number 76.

The move will allow arts and crafts channel Hochanda to broadcast 24 hours a day on Freeview channel 86, from the 2nd of October. Hochanda had been slot sharing with Quest since 2017, handing over to Quest at 7pm. On connected devices, Hochanda continued to be available as an online stream after 7pm.

Meanwhile, on Sky and Freesat, Ideal World is switching to HD broadcasts. Ideal World HD and sister channel Create & Craft HD will be available on the existing channel numbers. As the services are switching to HD, the old standard definition feeds will be switched off. This means users of old non-HD equipment will no longer be able to view these channels

Sky to Launch New Channels

Sky has announced two new channels, both to be available on the Sky satellite platform and via the Now TV Entertainment Pass.

First to launch is Sky Crime, in October 2019. This channel will show US crime shows from Oxygen and HBO, and first run content from Jupiter and Woodcut. Sky Comedy will follow in February 2020, and will show content from HBO, NBC and Showtime.

Sky subscribers will receive these channels at no extra cost. As yet channel numbers are yet to be confirmed, and it has not yet been announced if these channels will be available on any other platforms. There is also some speculation that the new channels might be replacements for Real Lives and Sky 2.

Alongside a variety of Sky branded channels, Sky’s channel line up also includes the E!, SYFY, Pick and Challenge brands. Challenge and Pick can both be found on free to air platforms Freeview and Freesat.

Foodxp to Launch

Foodxp is to launch on satellite platform Sky on 1st August, at the same time as its sister channel Travelxp launches on the platforms.

Foodxp will focus on Global and Asian food, in contrast to existing food channels which focus mainly on UK and US food.

The channel has been allocated number 712, in the section of the Sky EPG (electronic programme guide) reserved for Asian channels.