RU
Here's a sad moment when the signage from TVS was being taken down during summer 1993
NW
I believe they were able to buy slots on LWT but Thames refused. I read somewhere that Thames had to give in during the last week, as promos for the following week had to be aired.
Yes, I'd imagine they'd have had a lot of slots to fill if they hadn't. Though I remember that 'Only Want to Be With You' promo of varying lengths was shown in virtually every junction towards the last couple of days.
I'm pretty sure the promos that were broadcast were for programmes on 'ITV' rather than 'Carlton' There were Carlton and GMTV launch promotions too, but they might have been in ad time rather than promo slots
There were some great YouTube clips uploaded a few years ago (since deleted/removed) with plenty of continuity from Thames' final week, one clip had a This Is Your Life promo which was indicating that it was carrying on in the new year on ITV. There was also an introduction for the last Strike It Lucky on Thames, where beforehand Phillip Elsmore advised it was the last one to be shown on Thames.
This junction always amazes me, Thames having only ceased broadcasting an hour beforehand, Carlton then promoting Thames shows...
I believe they were able to buy slots on LWT but Thames refused. I read somewhere that Thames had to give in during the last week, as promos for the following week had to be aired.
Yes, I'd imagine they'd have had a lot of slots to fill if they hadn't. Though I remember that 'Only Want to Be With You' promo of varying lengths was shown in virtually every junction towards the last couple of days.
I'm pretty sure the promos that were broadcast were for programmes on 'ITV' rather than 'Carlton' There were Carlton and GMTV launch promotions too, but they might have been in ad time rather than promo slots
There were some great YouTube clips uploaded a few years ago (since deleted/removed) with plenty of continuity from Thames' final week, one clip had a This Is Your Life promo which was indicating that it was carrying on in the new year on ITV. There was also an introduction for the last Strike It Lucky on Thames, where beforehand Phillip Elsmore advised it was the last one to be shown on Thames.
This junction always amazes me, Thames having only ceased broadcasting an hour beforehand, Carlton then promoting Thames shows...
WH
It had much to do with the loss of production ability at TVS due to indies started by TVS staff such as Topical Television. What was really left of TVS in early 1993 was the Maidstone Studios and its archive. It was no longer in a strong position to continue as a producer.
I'm interested to know exactly why IFE wanted the entire TVS archive rather than just the archive of MTM, then left the tapes behind when they sold the Maidstone Studios. Ideally the TVS archive - with the possible exception of a few programmes of interest to IFE - should have been preserved in a way similar to the TSW archive.
No, the indies such as Topical Television were as a result of TVS winding down, not the other way around.
Please for the love of God let's not get into the saga of the TVS archive. It was valuable to IFE when it wanted to run a UK channel, and zero value when it didn't.
In terms of a comparison to the fate of TSW's archive - TSW's archive was very much regional, and TVS' regional archive remains in tact and in the care of ITV.
Whataday
Founding member
TVS wasn't in a position to make any bold decisions about its future. Pat Thingy - and we shall continue to call him that as he's abhorrent - wasn't only interested in an ageing archive. He wanted a base for his new channel.
It had much to do with the loss of production ability at TVS due to indies started by TVS staff such as Topical Television. What was really left of TVS in early 1993 was the Maidstone Studios and its archive. It was no longer in a strong position to continue as a producer.
I'm interested to know exactly why IFE wanted the entire TVS archive rather than just the archive of MTM, then left the tapes behind when they sold the Maidstone Studios. Ideally the TVS archive - with the possible exception of a few programmes of interest to IFE - should have been preserved in a way similar to the TSW archive.
No, the indies such as Topical Television were as a result of TVS winding down, not the other way around.
TV Trade Media, Inc. posted:
Why did International Family Entertainment buy MTM?
"For several reasons," explained IFE's 38-year old CEO Tim Robertson. "First, we saw a large [2,000 hours] TV library that fit nicely with what we do. Second, we needed product for our European Family Entertainment channel, and a base in the U.K."
In effect, the Virginia Beach-based IFE purchased the remaining assets of U.K.'s TVS Entertainment plc, which included its TV studio facilities in Maidstone, its 500 hour program library and the Los Angeles based MTM Entertainment, Inc.
For the past two years, IFE had been looking for "something" that could fuel its entry into the U.K. and the European TV market.
Immediately after the TVS acquisition came the deal (now being finalized) with B Sky B, which is paving the way for IFE to enter the U.K. with its EFE, In effect, after losing its TV franchise ,TVS will re-enter U.K.'s TV screens under a new banner.
The TVS acquisition will also help IFE to execute what Ronald J. Harris, IFE's v.p. new business ventures, called "the Coca Cola approach." That is, IFE will provide "the product" and find local "bottlers" in the Pacific Rim for Family Channel marketing. Similar expansion plans are also in the works for Latin America.
According to Robertson, the TVS acquisition cost $85; million, of which $11 million were in cash and the rest in IFE stock.
In the U.S., IFE Inc. operates the Family Channel, a 24-hour-a-day cable TV network serving 54 million homes generating revenues in the range of $120 million a year. The Family Channel was spun off from CBN cable operations in 1989, when its financial contributions to the tax-exempt religious-based parent company exceeded the level allowed by law. In 1990 the Family Channel was sold for $250 million to IFE, Inc., a new corporation owned by the Robertson family, TCI and Family Channel employees. TCI purchased securities convertible into 18 per cent of the common stock, while senior financing was handled by banks. Subsequently, in 1992, 10 million IFE Inc. shares were placed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange. At this writing, the IFE stock trades at $15.25 per share. Some 18 million shares are outstanding, out of 42 million issued. Holding the majority of share ownership, the Robertson family is firmly in control of IFE Inc., with the Rev. Pat Robertson as chairman and son Tim as CEO.
Can the Robertsons' Midas touch now reverse the fate of the money-losing TVS and MTM?
Before we to it over, MTM employees didn't even have a retirement plan," said Tim Robertson. They were losing over $7 million a year and couldn't afford fringe benefits." How does Robertson plan to make MTM profitable? "We cut overhead, changed management philosophy and implemented a profit-oriented production strategy," he explained. According to Robertson, MTM now has the added advantage of a Family Channel back-end user, plus an additional 400 hours of programs for its domestic syndication catalog from the Family Channel's co-production activities.
Part of MTM's restructuring involves streamlining management, a task that is left to Tim Robertson as chairman, Chuck Larsen as president worldwide distribution, and Bill Allen as president MTM productions. Under Larsen, but running his own show, is London-based Greg Phillips for international distribution. Yet to be appointed is the manager of U.S. syndication.
Much depends on the success of two pilots that MTM is developing for U.S. networks, IFE has to "front load" MTM with up to $12 million. The U.K. venture is expected to cost IFE an additional $20 million over a three-year period. The BSkyB deal will allow European Family Entertainment to reach initially three million homes in the U.K. EFE will be taking advantage of the satellite foot print spillover in a second phase which includes the development of an EFE channel Spanish and German.
Robertson hopes that heading EFE will be former MTM International CEO Tim Buxton. Currently, TVS' U.K. assets are looked after by Richard Warner.
How does Robertson plan to reassure Hollywood that particular religious considerations will not be imposed on MTM's productions? "Just look at the Family Channel," answered Robertson. "There is nothing to suggest a religious bias. Plus, if a commissioned product were unsuitable for the Family Channel broad viewership, we'd still make it other networks."
"For several reasons," explained IFE's 38-year old CEO Tim Robertson. "First, we saw a large [2,000 hours] TV library that fit nicely with what we do. Second, we needed product for our European Family Entertainment channel, and a base in the U.K."
In effect, the Virginia Beach-based IFE purchased the remaining assets of U.K.'s TVS Entertainment plc, which included its TV studio facilities in Maidstone, its 500 hour program library and the Los Angeles based MTM Entertainment, Inc.
For the past two years, IFE had been looking for "something" that could fuel its entry into the U.K. and the European TV market.
Immediately after the TVS acquisition came the deal (now being finalized) with B Sky B, which is paving the way for IFE to enter the U.K. with its EFE, In effect, after losing its TV franchise ,TVS will re-enter U.K.'s TV screens under a new banner.
The TVS acquisition will also help IFE to execute what Ronald J. Harris, IFE's v.p. new business ventures, called "the Coca Cola approach." That is, IFE will provide "the product" and find local "bottlers" in the Pacific Rim for Family Channel marketing. Similar expansion plans are also in the works for Latin America.
According to Robertson, the TVS acquisition cost $85; million, of which $11 million were in cash and the rest in IFE stock.
In the U.S., IFE Inc. operates the Family Channel, a 24-hour-a-day cable TV network serving 54 million homes generating revenues in the range of $120 million a year. The Family Channel was spun off from CBN cable operations in 1989, when its financial contributions to the tax-exempt religious-based parent company exceeded the level allowed by law. In 1990 the Family Channel was sold for $250 million to IFE, Inc., a new corporation owned by the Robertson family, TCI and Family Channel employees. TCI purchased securities convertible into 18 per cent of the common stock, while senior financing was handled by banks. Subsequently, in 1992, 10 million IFE Inc. shares were placed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange. At this writing, the IFE stock trades at $15.25 per share. Some 18 million shares are outstanding, out of 42 million issued. Holding the majority of share ownership, the Robertson family is firmly in control of IFE Inc., with the Rev. Pat Robertson as chairman and son Tim as CEO.
Can the Robertsons' Midas touch now reverse the fate of the money-losing TVS and MTM?
Before we to it over, MTM employees didn't even have a retirement plan," said Tim Robertson. They were losing over $7 million a year and couldn't afford fringe benefits." How does Robertson plan to make MTM profitable? "We cut overhead, changed management philosophy and implemented a profit-oriented production strategy," he explained. According to Robertson, MTM now has the added advantage of a Family Channel back-end user, plus an additional 400 hours of programs for its domestic syndication catalog from the Family Channel's co-production activities.
Part of MTM's restructuring involves streamlining management, a task that is left to Tim Robertson as chairman, Chuck Larsen as president worldwide distribution, and Bill Allen as president MTM productions. Under Larsen, but running his own show, is London-based Greg Phillips for international distribution. Yet to be appointed is the manager of U.S. syndication.
Much depends on the success of two pilots that MTM is developing for U.S. networks, IFE has to "front load" MTM with up to $12 million. The U.K. venture is expected to cost IFE an additional $20 million over a three-year period. The BSkyB deal will allow European Family Entertainment to reach initially three million homes in the U.K. EFE will be taking advantage of the satellite foot print spillover in a second phase which includes the development of an EFE channel Spanish and German.
Robertson hopes that heading EFE will be former MTM International CEO Tim Buxton. Currently, TVS' U.K. assets are looked after by Richard Warner.
How does Robertson plan to reassure Hollywood that particular religious considerations will not be imposed on MTM's productions? "Just look at the Family Channel," answered Robertson. "There is nothing to suggest a religious bias. Plus, if a commissioned product were unsuitable for the Family Channel broad viewership, we'd still make it other networks."
Please for the love of God let's not get into the saga of the TVS archive. It was valuable to IFE when it wanted to run a UK channel, and zero value when it didn't.
In terms of a comparison to the fate of TSW's archive - TSW's archive was very much regional, and TVS' regional archive remains in tact and in the care of ITV.
IS
It started at Euston then when that closed it's playout moved to Molinaire - a facilities house near Carnaby Street (which incidentally is where what became Sky TV started in the early 80's).
The intention was to move it to Stephen Street when that opened in 1997* but if it did it wouldn't have been for long as it moved to TV Centre when UKTV started later that year.
*I saw the plans for Stephen Street during it's fit out and there was a suite allocated to it
UK Gold came from Thames' Euston Road Studios I believe, and moved with them to Stephen Street.
It started at Euston then when that closed it's playout moved to Molinaire - a facilities house near Carnaby Street (which incidentally is where what became Sky TV started in the early 80's).
The intention was to move it to Stephen Street when that opened in 1997* but if it did it wouldn't have been for long as it moved to TV Centre when UKTV started later that year.
*I saw the plans for Stephen Street during it's fit out and there was a suite allocated to it
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 17 February 2017 7:09pm
:-(
A former member
Cheers for the details. Im still confused as to why there went into bed with Flextech to get that channel running. Of course we have to remember Thames played out TCC aswell didn't there or was that Central? also who played out the Super channel?
RI
I contacted ITV in the last year with a list of 'minor' TVS programmes and was reliably informed that they do not have them in their archive. Some of the programmes were productions for C4. They have an archive of news programmes that were handed to Meridian and some current affairs programmes but they were unable to supply me with a catalogue of programmes due to the efforts involved.
I'm interested to know if any tapes of TVS programmes have turned up in the archives of foreign TV channels. Every now and then tapes and films of old BBC programmes that no longer exist in the BBC archives turn up in the archives of foreign TV channels.
TVS' regional archive remains in tact and in the care of ITV.
I contacted ITV in the last year with a list of 'minor' TVS programmes and was reliably informed that they do not have them in their archive. Some of the programmes were productions for C4. They have an archive of news programmes that were handed to Meridian and some current affairs programmes but they were unable to supply me with a catalogue of programmes due to the efforts involved.
I'm interested to know if any tapes of TVS programmes have turned up in the archives of foreign TV channels. Every now and then tapes and films of old BBC programmes that no longer exist in the BBC archives turn up in the archives of foreign TV channels.
IS
Article about the deal here. Presumably it helped raise some money for the launch and brought in some expertise? For an American company wanting to come in and start a satellite/cable channel here I suppose it's good to have a company on board that's already in that sector
Pretty sure they didn't.
It came from various places, including being outsourced for a while at Molinaire, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Europe
Cheers for the details. Im still confused as to why there went into bed with Flextech to get that channel running.
Article about the deal here. Presumably it helped raise some money for the launch and brought in some expertise? For an American company wanting to come in and start a satellite/cable channel here I suppose it's good to have a company on board that's already in that sector
Quote:
Of course we have to remember Thames played out TCC as well
Pretty sure they didn't.
Quote:
also who played out the Super channel?
It came from various places, including being outsourced for a while at Molinaire, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Europe
VM
Nice to see you on here russ!
Here's a sad moment when the signage from TVS was being taken down during summer 1993
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGPIJzp6izI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGPIJzp6izI
Nice to see you on here russ!