UTV2 and S2. Anyone remember?

Does anyone remember these two channels? I read they were both fairly regional at the start, but ended up being simulcasts of ITV2 in the end, albeit with covered up branding. Also, UTV2 apparently never had any commercials.

Anyone remember??

Yeah by the end they just used an opaque logo over the ITV2 DOG, which was ultimately why the channels shut down.

I think the reason why the programming was reduced was because, well, if you think how little viewers digital TV had back then in the UK as a whole, just think how little viewers they would have in just Scotland or Northern Ireland alone.

Yeah I had S2 on the old OnDigital, and S2 Live was the main show presented by Sarah Heaney, and closed in 2001 due to the deal with ITV Digital.

UTV2 started off as TV You, and was very rarely promoted or mentioned on UTV - as mentioned by the OP, they had no advertising, and the channel ran a break filler featuring location footage recorded in various NI towns which got recycled into a set of idents briefly used on UTV in 2000.

ISTR UTV2 opted out of random points in the evening schedule to show things like archive sports coverage and other repeat material. Although I never watched any of its output - and I don't think anyone else I know/knew ever did.

Plus the fact they weren't on Sky, which was far and away the market leader at that point.

Stv sold off S2 to itv for lots of money .... given the the right to promote the channel etc. If only there never sold it off.

And STV would have had an unprofitable digital channel?

Look what happened to Sky Scottish for one reason!

No market for it!

But won't this just come full circle again if they get round to launching this Channel 6 they keep banging on about?

I don't think Channel 6 will see the light of day, but from I can gather they keep changing their minds about it being 50/50 split between networked and local or being toally regional (e.g. like Channel M) with potential to buy each others programmes but a huge emphasis on primetime local content. If the latter was to happen then you would have STV and new Channel 6 competing for the same viewers which, I believe, would be disastrous to both companies.

This is why the idea should be killed off and the local programmes be slotted into ITV, Ch4 and Five network.

Even ITV said there would happily give up some slots for local shows to be placed on the network.

4pm slot, stuff
6pm slot for news
7.30pm or 8pm for stuff.

Ch4 could do the same etc .

Considering how Channel M is pretty much the only local analogue channel that has (barely) survived it is surely a non-starter for an entire channel. The only way I could see it working is if it is national based with local content during primetime and then content from other regions filling the rest of the days schedule.

OFCOM of course though were to quick to let ITV drop non-news based regional content. Most ITV regional news programmes get 300-400,000 viewers, the sort of figures most digital channels can reach - so although obviously more costly to ITV to produce multiple programmes for a half hour slot than just the one to air nationwide, the audience is probably there for it.

A bit of smart commissioning too means regional content could then get a nationwide repeat run - shows like The Lakes and The Dales are essentially regional shows airing nationwide.