TV Home Forum

BT to launch rival to Sky 1

(May 2016)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
LL
Larry the Loafer
My judgement on what warrants its own thread is pretty awful, but hopefully this won't be the case.

Broadcast have reported that BT are planning to launch a general entertainment channel to rival Sky 1.

http://m.broadcastnow.co.uk/5103654.article

Quote:
BT is eyeing the launch of a standalone general entertainment channel – a move which would provide the pay-TV business with a Sky 1 rival.

Broadcast understands that the telco is in the early stages of planning its first non-sports channel to diversify its network and super-proof it against the seasonal swing of the Premier League.

Plans for the channel are understood to include a mixture of non-scripted original commissions and US acquisitions.

The project is being overseen by BT TV’s general manager of content Jonathan Boseley, who joined the company in February to manage its non-sports content.

Boseley joined BT from indie Renowned Films, where he was head of TV and content, having previously been director of programming and commissioning at London Live and vice president of programming and production at Disney Channel UK.

Almost 12 months ago, BT secured the exclusive rights to offer the UK version of AMC, the channel best known for meth drama Breaking Bad and Fear The Walking Dead [pictured].

At the time, Delia Bushell, managing director of BT TV and BT Sport, told Broadcast that enhancing BT’s entertainment and drama offering was key to the growth of the business.

“For us to take [AMC] as a springboard and move more broadly into drama and entertainment is the logical next step,” Bushell said. “This opens up a lot of avenues for future opportunities, whether that’s offering other channels, acquiring premium content or whether that’s even commissioning opportunities.”

The launch of an entertainment channel would put BT TV on a firmer footing as it continues to compete with Sky, opening up another front as the businesses battle to win subscribers.

BT TV has 1.5m subscribers in the UK after adding 66,000 TV customers in the first quarter.

However, its net additions were lower than over the previous two quarters, suggesting that the company depended on Premier League and Champions League football to lure subscribers, an issue that a high-profile entertainment channel would help address.

BT declined to comment.


The term "non-scripted original commissions" makes me worry if this is a euphemism for more reality cack.
LL
London Lite Founding member
I'd like to hope that this new BT channel is distributed wholesale to other operators, yet I suspect it'll be another BT TV exclusive with 5 viewers like AMC.
RE
Rex
I'd like to hope that this new BT channel is distributed wholesale to other operators, yet I suspect it'll be another BT TV exclusive with 5 viewers like AMC.

First post here.
I agree. AMC has struggled in ratings thanks to being locked behind a BT paywall, and if BT does the same, it'll fizzle out like other channels (i.e. Virgin1).
I'm optimistic for a BT channel similar to Sky1 to level out the content available on pay TV though.
:-(
A former member
Here we go again..... lets all remember Virgin one.....
RE
Rex
Here we go again..... lets all remember Virgin one.....

Decent channel that provided a lot of good shows that wouldn't have been on Freeview. It's an absolute shame that Sky killed it off.
VM
VMPhil
Virgin 1 wasn't exactly behind a paywall though was it, it was on Freeview and Sky as well as Virgin.

It only got shut down because Sky bought it and they already had Pick.
PF
PFML84
Would be some laugh if they launched "BT TV1" and then poached The Simpsons from Sky to put on it!
LL
London Lite Founding member
It works for Sky with Sky Atlantic as they have a huge customer base via Sky and NOW TV and a back catalogue of shows from HBO and Showtime that you may well dip into, along with UK commissions.

AMC's Fear of the Walking Dead is on Amazon Prime now, so it's worth waiting if this new BT channel output ends up on either Amazon Prime Video or Netflix within a year of tx.
IS
Inspector Sands
They're rumoured to be the favourite to buy Channel 4, so I'd have thought if that happens this idea will either be ditched or the channel will somehow come from the current C4 stable
BR
Brekkie
I wouldn't be surprised if they put BT Sport 1 behind the BT Sport pack paywall this year and throw this in as a sweetener with a limited amount of live sport simulcast on it.
JF
JetixFann450
BT 1 seems novel, but I don't think it'll last, like how Virgin 1 (or as it was called when it shut down, Channel One) went.
LL
Larry the Loafer
It should be pointed out that Virgin 1 only closed because Sky bought VMTV and had no use for another general entertainment channel. Sure, Virgin 1 didn't have many quality programmes and had as many original commissions as Shane McGowan had dental appointments, but to say it was rubbish is really doing it an injustice. It was a brilliant addition to the Freeview line up, showcasing a lot of stuff you'd only find on cable and satellite.

Newer posts