Stuart Murphy to leave Sky

Because the commissioning strategy for Sky1 is poor. Too many dreadful fact ent shows have been introduced to the schedule and have diluted the brand. Hopefully without Stuart at the helm they'll focus more on big drama, comedy and more event non-scripted and put an end to the lame, small scale series they're commissioning too much of.

Otherwise the channel brands are fairly strong and I think viewers probably have a decent idea of what to expect from each station so it would be a mistake to rejig it all again.

Sky1's most viewed show of this year so far is Karl Pilkington's The Moaning of Life, a factual entertainment format.

I suspect like the C4 documentary formats on rotation, they're relatively cheap to produce and provide the numbers. The Pilkington DVD's also do well.

In your opinion. No doubt about it Sky Atlantic launching and Living being bought under the Sky branding confused the identity of Sky 1 but it has really rebuilt over the last couple of years and offers a strong schedule most nights with a healthy mix of US and UK shows. Sky Living isn't for me, but it's not targetted at me, while the nature of Sky Atlantic means most content there I watch On Demand, but it's a got a catalogue of programming any station would envy.

Sky 1 has had its moments. I've been impressed by their comedy offerings, although I haven't witnessed anything since Spy and Trollied. I am shaking my head at their lack of originality though. I could forgive A League Of Their Own for essentially being A Question of Sport, but they've just launched a clone of Bullseye and their Never Mind the Buzzcocks rip off is waiting in the wings.

One of the reasons why I got NOW TV was purely for Sky Atlantic for the HBO and other premium offerings. Don't forget, Atlantic also has the occasional home grown offering such as The Tunnel, a co-production with Canal+.

Outside of Thrones, Atlantic's share is small, but it's still a targeted channel.

Sky Arts is also worth the subscription alone.

Also worth noting that Sky rebranded Sky LivingIt to Real Lives, giving it a clear targeted focus, while Living is more gender netural that it was under Virgin. This distinguishes Sky Living from trashier rivals, such as TLC.

I was referring more to dross like Kings and Queens of Speech and OAP Internet Virgins that have been amongst their lowest rating original programmes and certainly aren't the sort of shows you'd associate with the brand.

Dream Team and Mile High both successful dramas for Sky one before Murphey was anywere near SKY

Both of a very different ilk to what they've done in recent years though.

http://www.stvplc.tv/blog/2015/10/sky-1-goes-behind-the-bars-of-scotlands-prisons-in-landmark-new-series



Is this one of his?

But still very much successful original British drama for SKY which with the excepting of Game of Thrones is not the case now.

Sorry, I didn't mean that he started it just that under him original productions have increased substantially. Certainly before him the few original programmes that Sky had didn't have any great critical acclaim or win any awards.

Comedy especially has gown under him, before the only one I can think of was Time Gentlemen Please

I not certain but I think Dream Team might have won an award. It a shame Stuart Murphey dident do any original shows for Pick TV that channel is a complete mess. I know it only to stop anyone else getting freeview place but putting a few things from Sky sports and the older series of game of thrones wont hurt.