RE
It was a decent block at the time - and a breath of fresh air from Turner when most of the content was filled with crime shows. I think it was a shame that they weren't able to expand on the idea of having a regular block on TruTV, assuming the content that Adult Swim has would be easily able to attract viewers. The early days of the channel could have also been a big opportunity to combine TruTV as not just a channel for scripted reality programming, but one as a shop window for the likes of TCM, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.
That said, regret that the block in itself only lasted a few months. But it came at a time when Turner lost the motivation to support their FTA channel - let alone plan to close it.
All eyes are on Sony though, it'll be interesting to see what they've got planned for TruTV. Would they continue to run the channel and provide decent programmes? Is the space on COM5 lucrative enough to replace it with True Crime? Could they bring a brand to the UK in the future (e.g. AXN)? The next few months may be an interesting one.
Adult Swim was on Freeview?! I'm gutted I missed that!
It was a decent block at the time - and a breath of fresh air from Turner when most of the content was filled with crime shows. I think it was a shame that they weren't able to expand on the idea of having a regular block on TruTV, assuming the content that Adult Swim has would be easily able to attract viewers. The early days of the channel could have also been a big opportunity to combine TruTV as not just a channel for scripted reality programming, but one as a shop window for the likes of TCM, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.
That said, regret that the block in itself only lasted a few months. But it came at a time when Turner lost the motivation to support their FTA channel - let alone plan to close it.
All eyes are on Sony though, it'll be interesting to see what they've got planned for TruTV. Would they continue to run the channel and provide decent programmes? Is the space on COM5 lucrative enough to replace it with True Crime? Could they bring a brand to the UK in the future (e.g. AXN)? The next few months may be an interesting one.
ST
Over the last few years, Sony have been steadily building up their presence in the UK TV market -- finally consolidating the Sony-branded Movie Channel, taking a number of slots on Freeview and Freesat, developing an on-demand service for their children's channels. More recently, acquiring TruTV.
Their rather clever strategy of broadcasting on the local and Manchester-area multiplexes means they have increased their reach and secured national EPG slots in the process.
It strikes me that (should they choose to) Sony are now in a position where they could launch a surprise "attack", perhaps with a rebrand to position themselves as a UKTV-style family of channels. Of course, this would require significant investment in content, but the foundations are in place for them to try and become a big brand over here, too.
Their rather clever strategy of broadcasting on the local and Manchester-area multiplexes means they have increased their reach and secured national EPG slots in the process.
It strikes me that (should they choose to) Sony are now in a position where they could launch a surprise "attack", perhaps with a rebrand to position themselves as a UKTV-style family of channels. Of course, this would require significant investment in content, but the foundations are in place for them to try and become a big brand over here, too.
GO
^ Launching the movie channel on Freeview has been a huge success, a lot of films have hit a few hundred thousand viewers which is a big number for a channel like that. Hopefully this will spur them on to invest in their failing general ent Sony Channel and launch it on Freeview at some point.
LL
London Lite
Founding member
I think in the whole time Sony's channels have been on Freeview, the only time I've watched anything on their low bitrate, low resolution channels has been Porky's on Movies4Men.
I think their best move was finally rebranding Movie Mix to the Sony moniker, although like others I'm curious to see what they do with TruTv and will the True channels get some proper branding?
I think their best move was finally rebranding Movie Mix to the Sony moniker, although like others I'm curious to see what they do with TruTv and will the True channels get some proper branding?
:-(
A former member
So what does Turner own in channels in the UK?
RE
Yep. Sony Movie Channel is considerably doing much better in the ratings compared to its previous iteration as a Sky-only channel, and it's Freeview predecessor, Movie Mix. It's also got a steady slate of decent films, and cements itself as an alternative to Film4.
And as for the Sony Channel, I'd imagine that the lack of Freeview carriage is holding it back. It's FTV on Sky, and is easily available on the basic packages for Virgin, BT and TalkTalk. Judging by its ratings, and the content on offer, keeping it behind a paywall may as well not be a good move.
There are several other channels that need Freeview more than Freeview needs them. PBS America, Eden, Real Lives, to name a few, would serve well as decent additions to the platform. The lack of capacity at the minute may hold it back, though.
^ Launching the movie channel on Freeview has been a huge success, a lot of films have hit a few hundred thousand viewers which is a big number for a channel like that. Hopefully this will spur them on to invest in their failing general ent Sony Channel and launch it on Freeview at some point.
Yep. Sony Movie Channel is considerably doing much better in the ratings compared to its previous iteration as a Sky-only channel, and it's Freeview predecessor, Movie Mix. It's also got a steady slate of decent films, and cements itself as an alternative to Film4.
And as for the Sony Channel, I'd imagine that the lack of Freeview carriage is holding it back. It's FTV on Sky, and is easily available on the basic packages for Virgin, BT and TalkTalk. Judging by its ratings, and the content on offer, keeping it behind a paywall may as well not be a good move.
There are several other channels that need Freeview more than Freeview needs them. PBS America, Eden, Real Lives, to name a few, would serve well as decent additions to the platform. The lack of capacity at the minute may hold it back, though.
PF
They do tend to show the same films regularly though. How many times have Jumanji and Matilda been on in the past few weeks? Then they have promos for a movie season and, surprise surprise, Jumanji and Matilda are rolled out again. Now they're showing Hook seemingly once a day.
Yes, a free movie channel is great and nice to have along side Film 4, but they need to show a bigger library of films, and they are showing plenty of 2.35:1 films cropped. Full OAR would be nice too, even considering the awful frame rate & resolution the channel has.
Yes, a free movie channel is great and nice to have along side Film 4, but they need to show a bigger library of films, and they are showing plenty of 2.35:1 films cropped. Full OAR would be nice too, even considering the awful frame rate & resolution the channel has.
ST
I suspect this may change when the new (more relaxed) rules on channel changes on Freeview come in to effect later this year.
And as for the Sony Channel, I'd imagine that the lack of Freeview carriage is holding it back. It's FTV on Sky, and is easily available on the basic packages for Virgin, BT and TalkTalk. Judging by its ratings, and the content on offer, keeping it behind a paywall may as well not be a good move.
I suspect this may change when the new (more relaxed) rules on channel changes on Freeview come in to effect later this year.