Tag: Pop Max

Sony Sells UK TV Channels

Sony, the Japanese electronics and entertainment company, has sold its portfolio of UK television channels to US investment firm Narrative Capital. The channels sold include the Sony Channel, Sony Movies, Sony Movies Action, and Sony Movies Classic which feature the Sony brand, and children’s channels Pop, Pop Max, and Tiny Pop.

The use of the Sony brand has not been included in the sale, and as such the Sony brand will be replaced with the Great! brand on the 25th May (2021). The Pop brand is expected to be retained, and the programme line-up is also expected to remain similar in the short term.

The current Sony branded channel line-up formed as recently as January 2020, when the True and Movies4Men brands were discontinued in favour of a rationalised channel line up under the unified Sony brand.

Pop Player Now on Freeview Play

This story happened in November, but has escaped my attention until now.

On the 17th November (2020), Pop Player launched on most Freeview Play devices connected to the internet.

The new player provides on-demand content from Sony’s three children’s channels; Pop, Pop Max, and Tiny Pop. The player can be accessed via the portal on channel 100, or the Freeview Play button.

From launch, Humax 4000/5000t and LG devices were not compatible with the service.

Sony Crime Channel Complaints

Following the downgrading of the Sony Crime Channel Freeview service, RXTV-Log has reported a large number of complaints on social media. Sony appear to have responded by simply removing the Facebook and Twitter pages entirely.

There is speculation that the channel may not last much longer, however given some high profile business departures from social media such as Wetherspoons, this appears to be an attempt to control bad publicity.

In other connected news, children’s channel Pop Max has increased its broadcast hours on Freeview, and Movies for Men has taken over the ’40’ channel number from the Sony Crime Channel.