VIVA to be removed from Freeview

I still think that the working titles of 5* and 5USA were the best, Five.2 and Five.3.

They probably were better than what we have now, but with the name change back to Channel 5, they would sound strange if they became Channel 5.2 and Channel 5.3. I still think 5 USA and 5 Extra would be better names for them. 5 Extra keeps the 'broad scope of programming' so the channel could show a whole range of content, whereas 5 USA kind of limits it to US shows and films, which may work well enough for them, but they need to diversify more. It can't survive on CSI and NCIS repeats. They could also do with launching HD versions of the 2 channels as well, considering most of 5 USA's programming is recent enough and HD versions of the programming is available, and with 5*/5 Extra showing new programming as well as things from the main channel, a god portion of that would be HD too.

Only me that thought Fiver was a catchy, unique name that would've developed into as strong a brand as any with the right content (and more time, obviously)?

I also liked fiver.

Fiver had more logic, with the "-r" implying "more Five". I've never liked 5* as a name, and not only because it's impossible to type it correctly.

Frankly though the name doesn't matter - 5* especially hasn't made an impace like ITV2 or E4 because of it's content, not it's name. 5USA pretty much does what it says on the tin (with the odd exception).

5★?

I disagree I think the name does matter. I can't tell you having the best name in the world will make people watch but if you were to call a channel "channel" it wouldn't attract much attention and would seem pretty bland. The name can bring hype and make people look into a station. Channel 5 renamed it 5* presumably with the idea of 5 star quality in mind but it fails and is often just channel 5 repeats or cast-offs. 5USA isn't as bad because it does what it is supposed to do but when that is just repeats of NCIS and CSI it gets boring too. I think if the two channels were to merge and create a 5 Extra or even call it "Fiver", they could really have something nice. They could keep some of the good stuff both have whilst adding some extra content, develop the identity and promote heavily all leading to a single stronger sister channel. Right now, however, not even together do they stack up as adequate sister channels compared to what both itv and channel 4 have. My thing is I see itv and channel 4 sister channels in their own right and could see them minus the "motherchannel" whilst 5* and 5USA are, in my opinion, cheap imitations of the main station.

They'd be much better off going down the UKTV route and developing individual brands than something like "5 Extra". C5 as a brand is much stronger than it used to be but it certainly doesn't have the brand power of C4 or ITV when it comes to digital channels.

Now that they're part of Viacom they'd be better of developing channel brands that could potentially be rolled out into other territories, or indeed importing their own brands as they are with Spike.

Any news as to when it will be dropped shorlty?

I notice that the shameful North East p**s-take Geordie Shore has made its way onto VIVA within the last few weeks.

I wonder whether content like this will be moved onto Spike or 5*, or whether it was a pointless temporary move onto VIVA, perhaps simply as an endorsement, a plug to attract people into switching over to MTV?

The Aussie soap omnibuses seemed to have failed to turn up this year, after a fairly long campaign about it.