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Could UKTV be scrapped?

To allow concentration on a Netflix rival... (September 2018)

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AE
AlexEdohHD13
I know money is the key priority to them, and they're bound to lose money by closing channels. But seriously, in my opinion, it just cheapens the UKTV brand when they have programmes on channels that really shouldn't be there. And my stance probably won't change until I stop seeing The Two Ronnies on a channel dedicated to history documentaries.


In all fairness though, that sort of situation has occurred before on other networks and tends to be trend related. Music channels are a good example of this when MTV and friends cut back dramatically on actually airing any music in favour of cheap reality crap. The sister channels did move back towards music eventually though, whereas MTV has pretty much committed itself to anything but music.

Pretty much like 4Music really, which is effectively E4 in different colours these days. Why they don't just rebrand the damn thing I really don't know as I can't remember the last time it played any music.

Or Scrap it. Razz
BM
BM11
Not sure old programes will do well as box sets - they schedule fillers which people turn into and will watch whatever episode is airing at that time.
BR
Brekkie
BM11 posted:
Not sure old programes will do well as box sets - they schedule fillers which people turn into and will watch whatever episode is airing at that time.

That is very true. Sometimes people need someone else to decide what they want to watch.
JK
JKDerry
UKTV will not be scrapped. They had just finished a deal with Virgin Media, which caused them terrible publicity, so I think it is safe to say UKTV channels are here to stay for the foreseeable future, with a lot more online content.
JA
JAS84
The CHANNELS are, yeah. Not necessarily the UKTV parent brand though. What if the BBC just sold their share to Discovery?
JK
JKDerry
JAS84 posted:
The CHANNELS are, yeah. Not necessarily the UKTV parent brand though. What if the BBC just sold their share to Discovery?

The BBC have the huge archive of programmes at their command, and so any sale would have to involve a rights deal, if the new company owning UKTV would want to air the sold sitcoms, dramas etc. That is big cash, as the BBC archive make up a huge chunk of the output on the UKTV channels.
BR
Brekkie
Is there much demand though for archive content on demand. Although it is there Netflix and Amazon have only grown to what they are today thanks to original content.
SE
Square Eyes Founding member
You would think that the best way to combat Netflix / Amazon Prime would be for all the linear terrestrial broadcasters (BBC, ITV, C4, C5) to bring their online / streaming offerings together onto a single platform. Have catch-up all in one place but also perhaps some originals / joint commissions.

But then the terrestrials seem all too keen to sell their content to Netflix, so don't know how that would work.
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
Is there much demand though for archive content on demand. Although it is there Netflix and Amazon have only grown to what they are today thanks to original content.


For some stuff yes. Anything universally popular like Fawlty Towers, Dad's Army, Keeping Up Appearances, etc will do well on demand on any platform. Amazon seems to have "picked up" a lot of BBC stuff though I suspect they're just leeching off the iPlayer feeds.

For anything else such as a random episode of Panorama in 1982, back episodes of Nationwide and old episodes of Brush Strokes (thank you Philomena Cunk Wink), then probably not. In fact I dare say 95% of the entire archive that sits on a server or tape format, once you get past the nostalgia part and sit through ten minutes of an episode you suddenly lose all interest in it.
JA
james-2001
Give me the back catalogue of the old Saturday morning shows and I'll be entertained for weeks :p
BR
Brekkie
You would think that the best way to combat Netflix / Amazon Prime would be for all the linear terrestrial broadcasters (BBC, ITV, C4, C5) to bring their online / streaming offerings together onto a single platform. Have catch-up all in one place but also perhaps some originals / joint commissions.

You could call it Project Kangeroo but OFCOM wouldn't like it.
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
Give me the back catalogue of the old Saturday morning shows and I'll be entertained for weeks :p


shame Disney wiped Motormouth really then wasn't it? Wink Mind you most of Tiswas was wiped too.

BBC wise, looks like most of Swap Shop was wiped as well. Some of Superstore is lost and Going Live looks like being the first complete run.

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