No longer a Channel One – it’s all nothing from now on
15 September 2010 tbs.pm/1208
Well here’s something we didn’t expect to be saying. Just over a month after it was announced that Virgin One would becoming Channel One after Sky bought it and other channels from Virgin Media, and just a few weeks after the station rebrand went ahead and… err… well… Sky decide to close it down completely. Apparently it’s just too similar to Sky 3 to remain. (In other words, they’re both full of cheap crap.)
Well hey, who would have thought that? Surely Sky must have known what they were buying when they spent the cash? Why even bother with the expense of rebranding (even if it wasn’t exactly an expensive looking rebrand) if they were going to shut it down?
It’s not the only channel to die. After 25 years on air Bravo is also set for the axe thanks to it being too similar to Sky One.
Programmes from both channels will be “redeployed” to other channels where appropriate and Channel One’s Freeview slot will be handed over to Challenge TV so Freeview viewers will surely be whooping delight in the arrival of ancient quiz shows. Hey, I know I will be.
You Say
12 responses to this article
Craig Williams wrote 16 September 2010 at 2:19 pm
I don’t think anyone is going to shed a tear about Bravo and “Channel One” disappearing. As long Sky continue to show Dog the Bounty Hunter somewhere, I’m not really too bothered!
Jenny wrote 1 February 2011 at 1:26 pm
As a Star Trek addict, and with such a pitiful offering of programmes on the rest of our Free View Channels – including mainstream TV, I hope I’m going to get my daily fix of Trek somewhere!
Sky have obviously bought channels from Virgin to close them down and protect their own. I wonder what the Monopolies Commission has to say about it?
Rich wrote 1 February 2011 at 2:16 pm
I agree with Jenny, especially regarding the Star Trek. At this rate I might have to do something drastic like get a job just to get through the day!
Kevin Stanley wrote 1 February 2011 at 3:58 pm
I’ve been watching Star Trek Voyager and TNG for months now. Then today (after the finale of Voyager yesterday) I find that I’m stranded in the middle of TNG season 4 with no more episodes from Channel One. It was one of the only free channels worth watching and now it’s gone, just like that?! Thanks very much Sky.
Spencer Warner wrote 22 February 2011 at 1:35 am
I agree with a lot of peoples complaints to do with “Sky” buying “Channel one” and other channels… my view on the subject is utter frustration, why bother buying out a channel for what ever reason then, not to the delight of the viewers, go permanently take it off the air… Sky head boggings? get a life!! what a complete waist of tax and licence payers money, so what if other channels are showing the same programs, who cares?! why am I paying a monthly service on “Virgin media” or those on “sky” if half the channels get axed anyway? don’t make scene! Half the channels on my digi box what I pay for are on free-view and you wonder why some people have there box chipped. please “sky” get your act together have a re-think and bring back “channel one” thank you.
Rudolf Maxwell wrote 23 February 2011 at 12:51 am
“what a complete waist of tax and licence payers money”
What a complete nonsense of a comment.
There is no waist involved. (Shurely he meant to write “waste”?)
There is no tax payer’s money involved.
There is no licence payer’s money involved.
When a corporation buys a TV station it can shut it down if it wishes, and will most certainly do so if it is losing money.
You seem to be under the delusion that B$kyB operates for the benefit of viewers, when its only prime directive is to make a profit for its stockholders.
Spencer Warner wrote 23 February 2011 at 3:54 pm
If you are going to be pedantic, at least get it right yourself.
“(Shurely he meant to write “waste”?)”
Surely you meant surely?
Or was that your own lame attempt at irony?
Hatman wrote 4 March 2011 at 9:41 pm
“Shurely” is a reference to Private Eye. And it isn’t pedantic to correct glaring errors that are central to your argument – if you don’t understand then look up the meaning of pedantry. Did you really believe taxpayer’s and license payer’s money went into Sky channels?
You should be embarrassed.
Chad H wrote 6 March 2011 at 10:56 pm
Fear Not Trekers – CBS Action I think carries all the treks now and I think its on FreeSat.
As for Virgin/Channel 1, looking at the filler programs, it just seems to have been renamed Sky Atlantic.
Jenny wrote 7 March 2011 at 12:37 am
Murdoch takes over BskyB :-
http://www.channel4.com/news/government-approves-rupert-murdoch-takeover-of-bskyb
We are shurely doomed ….
Shelley Davies wrote 7 March 2011 at 9:38 am
Mr Maxwell and Hatman, do you both belong to the sad minority that get some sort of enjoyment or feeling of superiority out of ‘people bashing’ on forums?
I think anyone with any intelligence would get the gist of what the guy was trying to say and overlook any inaccuracies.
Stating the obvious is the easiest form of insult.
On the contrary, you should be embarrassed!
Transdiffusion wrote 7 March 2011 at 11:23 am
This correspondence is now closed.