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Sony Movie Channel to launch on Freeview in 2017


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Old 13-12-2016, 15:12
hyperstarsponge
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http://www.a516digital.com/2016/12/s...ch-on.html?m=1

Sony Pictures Television has announced it's effectively merging MovieMix with the Sony Movie Channel in the new year.

It will mark the culmination of a four year exercise to turn a former teleshopping channel slot into a Sony branded TV channel on Freeview, without falling foul of rules which would have sent the channel to the bottom of the Freeview channel list.

MovieMix is available on Freeview, and since earlier this year on Virgin Media. Sony Movie Channel is distributed on Sky and is also available as a premium channel on web streaming service TVPlayer.

From the 10th January 2017, the channels will effectively merge, but with the Movie Mix name being dumped in favour of the Sony brand. MovieMix's separate Freeview broadcasting licence has already been removed from the Ofcom database ahead of the changes. Of the two channels, despite not being on Sky, MovieMix has enjoyed the highest audience reach, according to BARB figures covering July-September 2016.

The merger of the two channels has been expected for a while. Both channels already frequently broadcast the same movies, albeit in different timeslots over the course of several weeks. The change to the Freeview service follows the proposed relaxation of restrictions that has stopped Freeview channels suddenly turning into a different service while retaining their channel slot.

MovieMix first appeared on Freeview at the end of 2012, in what was initially simply a new name for teleshopping and gameshow channel The Big Deal. At first it showed a classic movie in the middle of the night, with normal output at other times. Then in 2013, it began to simulcast More>Movies, a former Sony Pictures Television channel. During subsequent years, Movie Mix's broadcast licence was transferred from Big Deal owner Square 1 Management to Sony Pictures Television in several stages. The gradual change enabled Movie Mix to keep Freeview channel 32, as the existing Freeview channel allocation rules allowed gradual, evolutionary changes to channels without risking demotion down the channel list.

While the new look Sony Movies Channel will be distributed on Sky, Freeview (and by default on YouView-based platforms) as well as Virgin Media, there's no mention of Freesat, which currently doesn't carry either channel.
Loose connection to Broadcasting so I am posting it here as well as the Freeview forum.
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Old 13-12-2016, 18:01
Daveww
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Great news.
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Old 13-12-2016, 19:35
mike65
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Curios that Freesat is not included - not that the channel is likely to be anything much - Move>Movies only had the odd decent flick.
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Old 13-12-2016, 19:59
ney
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The sould good news look forward to seeing that films will be on the channel. I do watch movieMix now and again so it's good we are going on o have an moreover movie channel.
Just a shame it will still not be in HD but it's still better than nothing.
I also have BT TV as well as Netflix but I'm all for some channels still being free.

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Old 13-12-2016, 20:41
hyperstarsponge
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Added note that Movie Mix at the moment may be becoming more and more like the Sony Movie Channel from now until it launch on Freeview, By the end Movie Mix would be Sony Movies channel in disguise.
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Old 13-12-2016, 20:44
Cricketblade
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I am amazed channels like this make any money at all.
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Old 13-12-2016, 22:17
mike65
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Cheap deals of second run film titles and advertising is how they make any money.
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Old 13-12-2016, 23:15
hyperstarsponge
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Cheap deals of second run film titles and advertising is how they make any money.
It's a nice alternative to Film4 through, Don't class True Entertainment and Horror Channel because they show programmes alongside films.
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Old 16-12-2016, 20:13
Daveww
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Hopefully they'll bring Sony entertainment aswell in the future.
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Old 16-12-2016, 20:33
Bandspread199
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Movies 4 Men seems to be part of the same organisation, some good old movies there. And don't forget Talking Pictures TV on Channel 81 for some real classics!
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Old 17-12-2016, 00:14
david16
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Sony Movies to pinch the best new movies from under Sky Movies nose.
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Old 17-12-2016, 01:36
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Sony Movies to pinch the best new movies from under Sky Movies nose.
Thats's alot of big wishes and non will come true.
The money Sony make from selling the movie rights to Sky is huge! Plus, Sony Movie Channel would have to go subscription IF they ever did decide to create their own premium movie service.
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Old 17-12-2016, 19:04
YouView
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Hopefully they'll bring Sony entertainment aswell in the future.
If you mean the Sony Channel, it's a pay TV channel on Virgin, BT, TalkTalk and TVPlayer so that's very unlikely.
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