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Freeview channel TruTV in trouble - Turner seeking buyer |
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#1 |
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Freeview channel TruTV in trouble - Turner seeking buyer
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Free-to-air broadcaster TruTV is under threat of closure if owner Turner fails to strike a last-minute funding deal. Source and more: http://m.broadcastnow.co.uk/5112309.articleBroadcast has learned that US media giant Turner is considering closing the digital channel, which launched in 2014 and airs series such as Ink Master and a raft of true crime programming. However, it is understood that Turner, which also runs CNN and Cartoon Network among other channels, is in negotiations with an unknown third party over a deal that could save the TruTV from the axe. The channel has struggled to cut through in the competitive free-to-air market, averaging a consolidated all hours audience of 27,000 (0.3%) since the start of the year. Quite remarkable that a channel with such wide availability may be forced to close but not entirely surprising either. The upper end of the EPG is certainly lacking in both quality and more crucially I think variety, and yet the quantity continues to increase. A lot of very similar channels playing nothing but a select band of US documentaries on loop. These channels lack identity to such an extent it would be hard to distinguish one from another. To be fair to TruTV, it has made more effort than most to acquire more substantial content than some of the channels it neighbours. The likes of America's Got Talent, Conan and RuPaul's Drag Race at least showed a degree of ambition at launch, which is more than can be said for Fox's Your TV and more recently A&E's Blaze. But I guess the viability of these channels is always going to be under question when surrounded by utter dross - maybe viewers only bother to venture so far down the Freeview EPG these days? The other issue is the obvious one - a lack of homegrown content to stand out from the crowd, something which Turner had apparently planned for TruTV at the beginning, only to be put off by the low viewing figures. Perhaps a buyer can be found but I would have thought the channel slot would be of more interest than anything else at this point, and even then I can't see any of the big players being interested unless they are looking to launch yet another +1 channel. |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Jul 2007
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Tru TV UK has always struggled, the handful of good shows from the US Tru TV are on other channels here (Dave, Comedy Central). The shows they bought in like Drag Race and American Idol weren't popular enough and were surrounded by old US crime documentaries which filled the majority of the schedule.
Tru TV, Your TV and Blaze are all very poor channels. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Mar 2008
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There's a disconnect between TruTV US which is all sketch comedy and the UK which is still the mixture of crime and docu-reality rubbish that used to define the US channel.
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#4 |
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Join Date: Sep 2008
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I've never even heard of it, which kind of says it all.
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#5 |
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Join Date: Mar 2006
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I thought Turner sold CNN to Time Warner some time ago ?
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#6 |
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I thought Turner sold CNN to Time Warner some time ago ?
http://www.timewarner.com/company/op...visions/turner |
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#7 |
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Drag Race is the only show ive seen on the channel, and then not a full episode, not sure why anyone would buy Tru TV, its nothing with the rights it has now, what it will be after it looses those rights, ive no idea.
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#8 |
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Join Date: Mar 2016
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Why are the trying to save it? Obviously no-one gives a toss about it. Just hours of endless American dross.
The sooner they clear out all the crap off the EPG the better. |
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#9 |
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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Quote:
Why are the trying to save it? Obviously no-one gives a toss about it. Just hours of endless American dross.
The sooner they clear out all the crap off the EPG the better. |
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#10 |
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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The introduction of Adult Swim to truTV was a good move, providing content which is unlike that on most other channels, and I have also watched things like Fear Factor and the Carbonaro Effect on the channel. However, I tend not to watch the looped reality/crime dross on this and other channels. Sadly truTV came at the point there's been a 'race to the bottom' of firms grabbing Freeview space without any clear idea what to do with it. Turner/Time Warner has quite an extensive library of brands and content as we've seen with their prior UK entertainment channels (TNT, CNX) so it's odd that they'd choose reality, a genre they'd little prior experience of operating in Britain, presumably because they wanted something cheap and repeatable for their FTA network. If I had my way at Turner HQ I'd flog the second-banana reality shows to other channels in the category and use the truTV slot for something which shows better content that's less likely to be skipped over as ho-hum. Maybe even give some CartoonNNetwork and TCM content a free window where permitted?
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#11 |
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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I'm surprised that they think it's struggling, as it's not really doing that badly, there are worse performing channels on Freeview and considering the level of content they are putting out...
TruTV 0 21% Blaze 0.09% YourTV 0.18% True Crime 0.11% Food Network 0.16% Travel Channel 0.14% CBS Drama 0.09% I think they must have unrealistic expectations. |
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#12 |
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Join Date: Oct 2010
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The only things I watch on Tru TV is the adult swim block -- why is there no proper channel for this in the UK abide I believe FOX UK is the only one that does it with Family Guy and American Dad in it! I also liked the Jesse Ventura Conspiracy show (that was an eye opener) but as people said TruTV US has shows like Impractical Jokers which in the UK is on Comedy Central - I just don't understand some content not shown on original channel in US to UK?
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#13 |
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Join Date: Aug 2012
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Best thing on Tru TV is the adult swim block, If I where them I change the channel name and show a mix of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and new content. Drop all crime stuff.
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#14 |
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Join Date: Oct 2010
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Quote:
Best thing on Tru TV is the adult swim block, If I where them I change the channel name and show a mix of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and new content. Drop all crime stuff.
I do think TruTV in the UK doesn't know really what direction its going in...one minute its conspiracy with crime then its showing America's Got Talent, Ru Pauls Drag Race and Adult Swim. I think the channel needs to be more varied in its scheuling than relying on crime programming most of the time, why not show more of TruTV US shows (surprised actually that they have not repeated Most Shocking series thats on Pick/Sky1/2) |
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#15 |
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I think that the nail has been hit on the head they do not know what to do with the Channel. Its trying to be all things to everybody. They would do better having cartoon network during they day and adult swim at night.
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#16 |
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Just to note that Cartoon Network is 24/7 but is not allowed so show Adult Swim in this country. Because it is in the kids section at the moment.
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#17 |
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Quote:
I think that the nail has been hit on the head they do not know what to do with the Channel. Its trying to be all things to everybody. They would do better having cartoon network during they day and adult swim at night.
Regarding other programming maybe they need to sort that out properly - what is the channel meant to be? I admit I have not properly looked at TruTV US for its shows but am aware of Impractical Jokers which is shown on Comedy Central UK |
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#18 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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I've watched a few things.
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#19 |
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On Sky the only channels between 137 and 300 I watch are ITV and C4 HD. The rest in there just seem to be SD American dross.
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#20 |
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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True Crime, Your TV, TruTV, Blaze and CBS Reality churn out the same reality dross. All these channels bar TruTV are exclusive to the UK, why is this the case? Are Freeview slots very cheap, or why do they launch lots of free to air channels specifically for the UK? True Crime, Your TV and CBS Reality are basically the same channel and even share programs. Any recent news on TruTV or who could actually buy it? What would happen if a company did - rebrand/rename or what would happen? Also out of the channels listed, TruTV is the 2nd best performing channel, are the others in trouble?
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#21 |
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Quote:
Also out of the channels listed, TruTV is the 2nd best performing channel, are the others in trouble?
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#22 |
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Quote:
Unlikely, as every channel will have different targets. The owners of True Crime and Your TV etc probably have lower expectations than Turner, who wanted TruTV to be a bigger channel with original programmes.
I think that Turner has unrealistic expectations, and when they weren't up to snuff, the quality of programming went to the dogs for dinner. If TruTV ever faces closure like how it's been mulled on Broadcast - the crime channel craze is going to burst. The lower end of the Freeview EPG is full of channels shoving the same old shit, over and over again, to the point where they're taking Freeview carriage for granted, while producing programming that adds nothing to the Freeview lineup. It serves as a stark reminder for companies not to jump onto a trend of launching new channels to chase ratings, while lacking a consistent focus and not even taking risks. Companies like Turner, Fox and A&E only need to look at how improved the Freeview offerings from Sky and UKTV are. |
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#23 |
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Quote:
...Companies like Turner, Fox and A&E only need to look at how improved the Freeview offerings from Sky and UKTV are.
Currently Sky is forbidden from providing more than three channels on DTT (at launch Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Travel; today Sky News, Pick and Challenge) - at the time this was to prevent Sky controlling more than half a multiplex (three of the seven or so channels provided) but as Freeview has grown, now with up to 16 streams on a mux, Sky's allocation hasn't grown proportionately - contrast with, say, UKTV (who've risen from one-and-a-half slots to six) or Viacom who went from one channel (TMF) to ten LCNs (in eight stream slots) following their acquisition of C5. So my theory is this: Arqiva and Sky submit an application to amend the multiplex licence so as Sky can provide four channels rather than three, with Real Lives added to the list of permitted channels. Turner would then sell the truTV channels and their associated slots and rights to Sky, which would combine truTV into Real Lives, using the Freeview and Freesat truTV berths for the new combined channel. (On the Sky platform, where Real Lives already exists, the truTV and +1 slots could be used by Sky for something else, maybe +1s for Sky2 and Sky Arts...) Turner would then serve as a content supplier to Sky, furnishing Pick and Real Lives with content. Adult Swim would move to Pick (which has previously aired grown-up animation - Father of the Pride, Futurama) along with other eentertainment content currently signed to truTV. Some of the reality/lifestyle currently on Pick would move to Real Lives to make room. Content which Sky doesn't want to keep - and/or isn't covered by the Turner deal - would go back to its distributors to be relicenced to Really, CBS Reality, YourTV et al. That way, pretty much everyone's happy - Sky gets another key slot on FTA platforms to support its strategy (already in place on Pick and Challenge), Turner gets rid of the struggling truTV without losing its window into FTA altogether, viewers lose little (many of the affected programmes including those of Adult Swim stay on air somewhere, and there's no loss of channel slots bar perhaps the no-longer-needed truTV +1 placeholder). All that's needed to enable this entirely sensible solution is for Ofcom to update an archaic regulation that predates the post-switchover growth of DTT... |
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#24 |
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Join Date: Sep 2016
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Quote:
A thought did strike me earlier as to how Turner could make a graceful exit from truTV in conjunction with another broadcaster, subject to Ofcom agreeing a tweak to the Freeview licence...
Currently Sky is forbidden from providing more than three channels on DTT (at launch Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Travel; today Sky News, Pick and Challenge) - at the time this was to prevent Sky controlling more than half a multiplex (three of the seven or so channels provided) but as Freeview has grown, now with up to 16 streams on a mux, Sky's allocation hasn't grown proportionately - contrast with, say, UKTV (who've risen from one-and-a-half slots to six) or Viacom who went from one channel (TMF) to ten LCNs (in eight stream slots) following their acquisition of C5. So my theory is this: Arqiva and Sky submit an application to amend the multiplex licence so as Sky can provide four channels rather than three, with Real Lives added to the list of permitted channels. Turner would then sell the truTV channels and their associated slots and rights to Sky, which would combine truTV into Real Lives, using the Freeview and Freesat truTV berths for the new combined channel. (On the Sky platform, where Real Lives already exists, the truTV and +1 slots could be used by Sky for something else, maybe +1s for Sky2 and Sky Arts...) Turner would then serve as a content supplier to Sky, furnishing Pick and Real Lives with content. Adult Swim would move to Pick (which has previously aired grown-up animation - Father of the Pride, Futurama) along with other eentertainment content currently signed to truTV. Some of the reality/lifestyle currently on Pick would move to Real Lives to make room. Content which Sky doesn't want to keep - and/or isn't covered by the Turner deal - would go back to its distributors to be relicenced to Really, CBS Reality, YourTV et al. That way, pretty much everyone's happy - Sky gets another key slot on FTA platforms to support its strategy (already in place on Pick and Challenge), Turner gets rid of the struggling truTV without losing its window into FTA altogether, viewers lose little (many of the affected programmes including those of Adult Swim stay on air somewhere, and there's no loss of channel slots bar perhaps the no-longer-needed truTV +1 placeholder). All that's needed to enable this entirely sensible solution is for Ofcom to update an archaic regulation that predates the post-switchover growth of DTT... Real Lives needs Freeview more than Freeview needs it - its ratings are bad on pay TV platforms. It also would completely boost Pick through providing Adult Swim - its exposure would be larger on that channel, considering that it's occupying a high slot in LCN 11. The next few weeks will be exciting to see - whether TruTV can survive or not. Frankly with Turner's commitment at an all-time low, I'm predicting closure. |
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#25 |
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Why do big companies like Sky, A&E, Discovery really bother with 'barker' channels at all? What really is the idea? Could they not just have everything pay TV so you have to pay like in the US? Its not like Pick shows much Sky Living/1/Atlantic programming? For me watching Pick it wouldnt entice me to subscribe to Sky? Whats the idea? Should Pick not like simulcast new episodes of The Flash/Supergirl/Blue Bloods from Sky 1 and the stop after a few weeks (like a preview) now this would entice me more to go pay. Now does their current form entice people to go pay? Also isnt this 'shop window' channel a UK thing? Are there channels like this in any other country? I know in the US there is a proper 'shop window' kind of channel on a provider called Dish called Dish Studio where there are certain shows from lots of channels just show an episode or two of a TV show? Is this not a better model? Also how is Your TV meant to promote Fox, or whats the idea?
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