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Five to launch new channel

Milkshake is one possibility (January 2005)

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BR
Brekkie
Five are finally considering launching new channels, with a childrens channel Milkshake one option being considered.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1387208,00.html

Quote:
Five is planning to launch a children's digital channel called Milkshake, designed to build on its successful block of programmes broadcast each morning between 6am and 9am.

The channel is being devised by Nick Wilson, Five's controller of children's programming, who has managed to devise a successful low-cost approach costing around £7m a year - a quarter of ITV's spending - despite fierce competition.

...

The proposed channel is one of several options being examined by Jane Lighting, the chief executive of Five, the channel confirmed today, though no decision has been made.

In public Ms Lighting has been reticent about her multichannel strategy, insisting that the issue was not as urgent for Five as for other broadcasters since the switchover to digital adds to Five's incomplete analogue national coverage.


With five still concentrating on estabhlishing itself, it's no surprise they've waited. No word on if they would be free-to-air or part of a subscription package, but space on the SDN Freeview multiplex is sparce. Do Five rent space off SDN, or are they allocated half the multiplex?
JO
Johnny83
I heard originally back in 1999/2000 there wer rumours of a 5 Movies channel but nothing obviously came of it.

Prehaps this is a possibility
MA
Matt Founding member
Shouldn't they put all of that money into making their existing channel... what was it called? Oh yes... FIVE actually watchable before branching out and wasting even more bandwidth?
IS
Inspector Sands
Brekkie Boy posted:
With five still concentrating on estabhlishing itself, it's no surprise they've waited. No word on if they would be free-to-air or part of a subscription package, but space on the SDN Freeview multiplex is sparce. Do Five rent space off SDN, or are they allocated half the multiplex?


They do rent space from SDN, but they are entitled to more of the MUX, the rest of their entitlement (probably just the space for 1 channel) is taken up by another channel
FA
fanoftv
Johnny83 posted:
I heard originally back in 1999/2000 there wer rumours of a 5 Movies channel but nothing obviously came of it.

Prehaps this is a possibility


Especially if they continue to buy deals so that five have first play of movies instead of having them going to SKY first and then onto the terrestrial channels.
MS
Mr-Stabby
If they did set up a 5 Movie Channel, I wonder where it would appear on the EPG if it were to make it to Sky Digital, perhaps next to FilmFour? I don't give much hope for a Childrens Channel as there are already an abundance of these on Sky. However Movie Channels on Sky could be expanded. Ok there are 11 Sky Movie Channels but as far as i know the only other alternative movie channels on Sky are FilmFours lineup and TCM, correct me if i'm wrong. And if they continue to buy into blockbuster movies like they have done with Terminator 3 they could have a good lineup as well.

If i were them though i'd seriously consider concentrating their budget on making their terrestrial channel watchable.
BR
Brekkie
An update at Digital Spy: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds18283.html

Though unconfirmed, it looks highly likely Five will set up their own childrens channel. It also reports S4C is too launch their own kids channel (not sure if in English or Welsh!)

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