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Men and Motors for sale

Will it stay or Close?? (December 2006)

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TI
This Is Granada
Looks like ITV want rid of Men and Mortors:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40740.html

Quote:
ITV could be planning to sell off lads channel Men and Motors, following months of discussion about its future.

A possible merger with ITV4 had been on the cards, but Broadcast reports today that a sale is likely to go ahead, with the deal to be finalised in early 2007.

ITV is believed to be unhappy with the ratings for ITV4, and the move would mean it could focus attention on building the branded channel's audience. The man behind its launch, Steve Arnell, has recently been moved to develop the launch of a new film channel, ITV Movies, with former Men and Motors chief, Dave Fewings, currently heading up ITV4.

Men and Motors was originally a joint venture between Granada and Sky in 1996. Although ITV took over in 2004, Sky would benefit from any sale of the channel, because of clauses in the deal. Along with Sky, Flextech and Five are being suggested as purchasers.


What do we think will happen to the channel?? I think it will end up closing, which is a shame cos its quite a good channel.
AL
aland1999
I'm sure when ITV brought Sky's 50% stake in the venture one of the terms was that if they sold M&M they'd have to pay them a rather large (close to 50% IIRC) percentage of the profits, this makes selling it sound a bit stupid... (particularly if they sold it to Sky)

I'm not sure I could see Five buy M&M, but maybe Flextech.
JO
Jonny
This Is Granada posted:
Looks like ITV want rid of Men and Mortors:

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds40740.html

Quote:
ITV could be planning to sell off lads channel Men and Motors, following months of discussion about its future.

A possible merger with ITV4 had been on the cards, but Broadcast reports today that a sale is likely to go ahead, with the deal to be finalised in early 2007.

ITV is believed to be unhappy with the ratings for ITV4, and the move would mean it could focus attention on building the branded channel's audience. The man behind its launch, Steve Arnell, has recently been moved to develop the launch of a new film channel, ITV Movies, with former Men and Motors chief, Dave Fewings, currently heading up ITV4.

Men and Motors was originally a joint venture between Granada and Sky in 1996. Although ITV took over in 2004, Sky would benefit from any sale of the channel, because of clauses in the deal. Along with Sky, Flextech and Five are being suggested as purchasers.


What do we think will happen to the channel?? I think it will end up closing, which is a shame cos its quite a good channel.

out of the companys metioned i hope flextech get it. sky would end up closing it, five would ruin it, flextech though might do a decent job of revitilising it. i hope it doesnt close as its much better than other mens channels such as itv4
BR
Brekkie
I imagine if they do sell it ITV will strip the channel of it's most attractive rights to keep for themselves and ITV4!
TI
This Is Granada
If flextech buy it, wont they just merge it with Bravo?
ZS
ZiggyShadowDust
The first thing I thought of was. Hmph. Thats what happens when you replace its Freeview slot with a sh***y channel. *cough*ITV*cough*Play*cought
NW
nwtv2003
This Is Granada posted:
If flextech buy it, wont they just merge it with Bravo?


I wouldn't have thought so, I'd have guess they would complement the channel, or even Bravo 3 could happen. But M&M and Bravo have very similar formats and programmes so I'd guess they'd be merged in that sense.

I'm surprised it has lasted this long, I usually take a look on the BARB website and I don't see how ITV can be unhappy with ITV4's ratings, the top rated programmes which are usually Football matches often get higher ratings than ITV3's top programmes.
BR
Brekkie
ITV4 is - and always has been - pointless though and shows nothing that ITV2 or ITV3 couldn't easily accomodate - and indeed did!
JE
Jez Founding member
Ive never watched ITV4, nothing on there really appeals to me. Men and Motors is better.
SE
Square Eyes Founding member
Brekkie Boy posted:
ITV4 is - and always has been - pointless though and shows nothing that ITV2 or ITV3 couldn't easily accomodate - and indeed did!


Disagree, some of the cult series and in particular movies on ITV4 were never given a home on ITV2 or 3. It's a niche channel but does still serve a purpose, and it's more popular than More 4.
NW
nwtv2003
Square Eyes posted:
Brekkie Boy posted:
ITV4 is - and always has been - pointless though and shows nothing that ITV2 or ITV3 couldn't easily accomodate - and indeed did!


Disagree, some of the cult series and in particular movies on ITV4 were never given a home on ITV2 or 3. It's a niche channel but does still serve a purpose, and it's more popular than More 4.


Not forgetting Police, Camera, Action! aswell, if wasn't for ITV4 (and M&M for a couple of months) this only decent Carlton programme would haved lied on the ITV dustbin for even longer, considering the fact it hadn't been shown on ITV1 for years now.

I agree with SE here, it's not the best channel but it's showing classics and half decent Films and Sport which don't get the full coverage on ITV2 or ITV3. Granada Plus used to show a fair whack of the old ATV and ITC archive, I guess ITV4 is filling in here.

I remember ratings were disappointing to start off with, but check the BARB website, the ratings often top ITV3's.
CO
Connews
I've been reading with interest that NTL are attempting to merge with ITV... Maybe if this were to go ahead, NTL would by MM and merge it with ITV4 to make a 24-hr mens channel?

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