Channel 4

C4 seem to really push the 7pm airing of The Simpsons on C4+1, which I'm sure has absolutely nothing to do with Sky showing them at the same time at all. It's strange too how Sky have never bothered with +1 channels - only Sky Movies Premiere has one, and they repeat the same thing every night anyway.

What are the sort of right issues '+1' channels normally face?

Repeats.

Technically an airing on C4+1 is a repeat. Which if you think about it is correct, as its a playback of what went out on the main channel an hour ago.

Sometimes when you buy a programme you can only show it so many times. Therefore if you buy it for a one-off showing, you pay for two airings, for the main and the +1.

Of course some channels are better at doing +1 than others. Channel 4 managed it straight off the bat with with E4+1, followed by More4+1, Film4+1 and Channel 4+1. So when ITV thought it would be a good idea to launch ITV2+1 and ITV3+1... oh dear, it turns out they don't have repeat rights, let's show you a holding card instead.

Of course, ITV2+1 is better than it has been in the repeats department. ITV3+1 looks surplus to requirements when they have a Two Ronnies day.

Instead of a holding card (as presumebly that have to change the feed so that it doesn't air what ITV2/3 aired an hour ago), couldn't they air a longish channel trailer instead? I know theres not much point, but surely some people will stick to a trailer than a holding card (namely us lot).

Do you think there will be an ITV4+1, or would it be too complication with a lot of live sport on the channel?

I noticed a while ago on both ITV2+1 and ITV3+1 that during the repeats of the 'Emmerdale Omnibus' that they don't broadcast the show, just place a holding caption up, but they do repeat the adverts.

Seemed a bit wierd to me at the time, but surely as ITV Productions produce 'Emmerdale' they wouldn't need the permission to repeat it again?

I wonder how long it'll be before the BBC start a timeshift channel ("BBC One+1"?) on D-SAT?

I'd imagine they are just too stingy to pay the repeat fees - I know with Corrie at least there has been alot of disagreements over what the cast are paid for digital airings.

Talking of which, is the Corrie omnibus still around on ITV1 on Saturdays?

Indeed it is, also I notice it's shown later again on ITV2 as well.

I think with the ITV channels, they prefer to spend the same amount of money on two separate broadcasts rather than the main broadcast and the +1. That's judging by how many repeats in a week they usually show of the same programme/film.

Sometimes E4 screws up. When they showed the final Sopranos episodes, a caption was added underneath the DOG saying something like "10.30PM Final Sopranos". The same DOG TAG was shown on E4+1. (The only difference between the channels being the "+1" bit.) Hence E4+1 was advertising a programme at 10.30PM, when it already was 10.30PM and Smallville was on!

I still get really confused when at the end of a show on C4+1 they tell me what's coming up next on 4 and 4+1 and it's wrong!

Interesting capture from just as 'The TV Show' was starting on C4 earlier today.

http://www.gorillaenterprises.co.uk/upload/uploadFiles/ITN-Card.jpg

The programme is made by Princess Productions in London, so not sure why this was shown which seems to imply a feed from ITN (does the MCR mean Manchester, perhaps?)

MCR = Master Control Room