BR
So it’s ok when the BBC do it...
You’re right about Channel 5 not being missed though - both the main channel and it’s portfolio of other channels. I know we often reminisce about the early days of the channel here, but I so wish they’d stuck with the original style of the channel. It felt like it had a very distinct voice when it started, but now it’s just a bland sea of nothingness with the occasional Alex Polizzi or Jane McDonald fronted hit.
Well it's one thing doing it to a handful of shows, quite another doing it virtually every night.
The trouble with C5 is the commissioned content to fill the 9pm/10pm slot isn't better than the movies they could be showing - it's all very run of the mill and feels like it's commissioned for the sake of it, rather than because it makes good TV. The channel was strong when they had the CSI shows and Prison Break dominating the weeknight schedules, but they seem to be completely absent now with most drama on 5USA/5Star. Like C4 have been in recent years they are too reliant on one-off documentaries which just don't build an audience that returns to the channel week in, week out.
Ultimately though I think C5 just came to our screens that little bit too late - an analogue channel in a digital world. Perhaps had it made it to air around 1994 which I think was originally the plan it would have had more of a chance to establish itself before multi-channel television became the norm. At least though in the early days it was a fun and vibrant channel - it's just going through the motions now really.
Do feel the water should be tested with OFCOM on this. It's one thing renaming a show in the hope it'll attract a different audience (I think the BBC did something similar with some BBC3 shows) but C5 are clearly doing it routinely to con the audience into thinking they're offering new content when they're clearly not.
Agree with VMPhil's sentiments above - I don't think television would miss Channel 5 at all if it closed tomorrow.
Agree with VMPhil's sentiments above - I don't think television would miss Channel 5 at all if it closed tomorrow.
So it’s ok when the BBC do it...
You’re right about Channel 5 not being missed though - both the main channel and it’s portfolio of other channels. I know we often reminisce about the early days of the channel here, but I so wish they’d stuck with the original style of the channel. It felt like it had a very distinct voice when it started, but now it’s just a bland sea of nothingness with the occasional Alex Polizzi or Jane McDonald fronted hit.
Well it's one thing doing it to a handful of shows, quite another doing it virtually every night.
The trouble with C5 is the commissioned content to fill the 9pm/10pm slot isn't better than the movies they could be showing - it's all very run of the mill and feels like it's commissioned for the sake of it, rather than because it makes good TV. The channel was strong when they had the CSI shows and Prison Break dominating the weeknight schedules, but they seem to be completely absent now with most drama on 5USA/5Star. Like C4 have been in recent years they are too reliant on one-off documentaries which just don't build an audience that returns to the channel week in, week out.
Ultimately though I think C5 just came to our screens that little bit too late - an analogue channel in a digital world. Perhaps had it made it to air around 1994 which I think was originally the plan it would have had more of a chance to establish itself before multi-channel television became the norm. At least though in the early days it was a fun and vibrant channel - it's just going through the motions now really.
NJ
Advertised through 1993 and 1994 for a 1995 start. For whatever reason the initial batch of applications were all rejected. Think it only got going again when they figured out it could be squashed into the spectrum portion that happened to be mostly used by video recorders but the requirement of going out to retune everybody's videos had to be done by the winning company and I think it was that that delayed it into 1996 and 1997.
Neil Jones
Founding member
Ultimately though I think C5 just came to our screens that little bit too late - an analogue channel in a digital world. Perhaps had it made it to air around 1994 which I think was originally the plan it would have had more of a chance to establish itself before multi-channel television became the norm.
Advertised through 1993 and 1994 for a 1995 start. For whatever reason the initial batch of applications were all rejected. Think it only got going again when they figured out it could be squashed into the spectrum portion that happened to be mostly used by video recorders but the requirement of going out to retune everybody's videos had to be done by the winning company and I think it was that that delayed it into 1996 and 1997.
IS
Your time line is a bit out there.
The Channel 5 license was originally advertised in 1992. It only had one bidder and in 1993 the ITC decided not to award it.
The second attempt at a channel 5 license was advertised in Nov 1994 until May 1995 and awarded in October 1995 (and only confirmed after a high court review in April 1996)
The video retune issue was identified right back in 1990
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Channel_5
The Channel 5 license was originally advertised in 1992. It only had one bidder and in 1993 the ITC decided not to award it.
The second attempt at a channel 5 license was advertised in Nov 1994 until May 1995 and awarded in October 1995 (and only confirmed after a high court review in April 1996)
The video retune issue was identified right back in 1990
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Channel_5
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 1 August 2019 7:47am
MA
Yes, and the transmission proposals (divised by the ITC) were so crazy, few would have been able to receive it anyway (Very broadly, the use of vertical polarisation at existing sites using horizontal polarisation for Ch 1-4 was proposed)
Your time line is a bit out there.
The Channel 5 license was originally advertised in 1992. It only had one bidder and in 1993 the ITC decided not to award it.
The Channel 5 license was originally advertised in 1992. It only had one bidder and in 1993 the ITC decided not to award it.
Yes, and the transmission proposals (divised by the ITC) were so crazy, few would have been able to receive it anyway (Very broadly, the use of vertical polarisation at existing sites using horizontal polarisation for Ch 1-4 was proposed)
TV
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JA
Might not be relevant but I've noticed various SkyComedy social media usernames have been registered (though not necessarily by Sky).
Not sure what it means... but BARB who have always reported the TV ratings for Comedy Central and Comedy Central Extra as part of VIMN (Viacom International Media Networks) have moved these channels into the Channel 5 group. MTV, VH1, BET and Nickelodeon etc all remain under VIMN.
Might not be relevant but I've noticed various SkyComedy social media usernames have been registered (though not necessarily by Sky).
KE
I appreciate it may be out of date, but according to the Comedy Central website, it's still operated by The Paramount UK Partnership, which is a partnership between Paramount British Pictures Limited and BSkyB Comedy Limited.
There's no references to Channel 5 at all on the website.
Not sure what it means... but BARB who have always reported the TV ratings for Comedy Central and Comedy Central Extra as part of VIMN (Viacom International Media Networks) have moved these channels into the Channel 5 group. MTV, VH1, BET and Nickelodeon etc all remain under VIMN.
I appreciate it may be out of date, but according to the Comedy Central website, it's still operated by The Paramount UK Partnership, which is a partnership between Paramount British Pictures Limited and BSkyB Comedy Limited.
There's no references to Channel 5 at all on the website.
TT
I appreciate it may be out of date, but according to the Comedy Central website, it's still operated by The Paramount UK Partnership, which is a partnership between Paramount British Pictures Limited and BSkyB Comedy Limited.
There's no references to Channel 5 at all on the website.
They recently relaunched the website, and have added © VIACOM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA NETWORKS 2019 but as you say, the T&Cs are the same (last updated 21st February 2014), as is the Privacy Policy (last updated 25th May 2018).
Not sure what it means... but BARB who have always reported the TV ratings for Comedy Central and Comedy Central Extra as part of VIMN (Viacom International Media Networks) have moved these channels into the Channel 5 group. MTV, VH1, BET and Nickelodeon etc all remain under VIMN.
I appreciate it may be out of date, but according to the Comedy Central website, it's still operated by The Paramount UK Partnership, which is a partnership between Paramount British Pictures Limited and BSkyB Comedy Limited.
There's no references to Channel 5 at all on the website.
They recently relaunched the website, and have added © VIACOM INTERNATIONAL MEDIA NETWORKS 2019 but as you say, the T&Cs are the same (last updated 21st February 2014), as is the Privacy Policy (last updated 25th May 2018).
Last edited by TellyTime on 8 August 2019 8:54am