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UKTV Drama to launch - July 8th
Ronald McDonald
Posts: 248
Forum Member
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In short:
UKTV is set to go head to head with ITV3 with the launch of Drama, a new channel on Freeview.
Launches July 8th
Shows include:
Tipping The Velvet
Cranford
Lark Rise To Candleford
Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice
Catherine Cookson’s The Cinder Path
Sharpe
PROBABLY using Dave Ja Vu slot
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadcasters/uktv-takes-on-itv3-with-drama-channel-launch/5054513.article?blocktitle=Latest-News&contentID=2319
UKTV is set to go head to head with ITV3 with the launch of Drama, a new channel on Freeview.
Launches July 8th
Shows include:
Tipping The Velvet
Cranford
Lark Rise To Candleford
Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice
Catherine Cookson’s The Cinder Path
Sharpe
PROBABLY using Dave Ja Vu slot
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/broadcasters/uktv-takes-on-itv3-with-drama-channel-launch/5054513.article?blocktitle=Latest-News&contentID=2319
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Comments
Michaelalanr
Sort of like Microsoft Office with their W, X, O, P, A etc. for their products.
Sharpe, Catherine Cookson - has already been played (re-played) on the Yesterday channel.
Still this addition is better than having a +1 channel added.
So 2 drama channels this is really becoming a joke!
Alibi is not on Freeview.
Yesterday shows other things as well as dramas.
And what's wrong with drama channels if they are targeted at specific genres?
Although this is the Freeview forum and Alibi is not on Freeview nor has Drama been confirmed for Sky or Virgin Media.
Given the channel's British focus " it will be a home for the best British dramas from a range of broadcasters spanning the last 40 years" I wonder if Drama will replace Blighty on pay tv? Perhaps this will be announced when the channel number(s) are announced?
abc1 and quest which both started out as freeview went over to Sky and Virgin too.
Just seems like it ends up with content overlap and channels which just have endless repeats.
I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. And I hope the new channel does well as it will really make them consider an even greater freetoview strategy.
I'm simply saying I think the channels could be slightly better organised.
Example just before the UKTV re-branded all there channels the lines between them had become very blurred and most progs were being shown over 2 channels, and when the rebrand took place, to Dave, Home ect I think it did help but it just seems in my opinion that it has been heading back that way. As I saw someone elses' post on the news section Gavin and Stacey has been shown across 4 UKTV channels!
I forgot Alibi just to be UKTV Drama.
Probably had to launch a new channel so it doesn't mean taking another one from pay to free.
This is my thought, but ultimately (few years) it will just become 1 channel again
I would agree - it's a positive and useful addition to Freeview. I am sure that it will attract a large audience as well. No mention of whether it's going to be on other platforms although I expect it'll be on one of Sky's subscription entertainment packages. As a Freeview channel, it might end up on Virgin Media's base level Starter Collection though ----> http://store.virginmedia.com/bundles/our-collections.html
Looks like they will just be showing all the current regular dramas that are on the YESTERDAY channel. Especially at weekends.
Wouldn't be surprised to see the likes of Lovejoy, Secret Army and Colditz being added to the list too over the coming months.
A rose by any other name as the saying goes?
ESPN Classic closes at the end of June and as the channel comes within the Sky Entertainment package, it would certainly be an ideal replacement.
Sky really can't afford to lose too many more channels from the basic Varity/Entertainment pack as there are already customers grumbling about less channels but no price cut to reflect it.
It could also mean that Yesterday may focus more on History and documentary shows rather than being a general entertainment channel by another name.
Would be good if Yesterday started showing more history programmes and knocked the light dramas and sit-coms on the head.
That is the only positive that I think can come from this. It would be good to have more history programmes that haven't been shown on Yesterday before.