Sony Channel (UK and Ireland)
| Sony Channel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Launched | 7 April 2011 |
| Owned by | Sony Pictures Television |
| Picture format | 576i (16:9 SDTV) |
| Audience share |
0.05% 0.01% (+1) (September 2015, BARB) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | United Kingdom, Ireland |
| Formerly called | Sony Entertainment Television (2011–2016) |
| Replaced |
Film 24, Open Access 3 |
| Sister channel(s) |
More Than Movies Movies4Men Sony Movie Channel Chart Show Dance Chart Show TV Flava Scuzz Starz TV Kix Pop Pop Girl Tiny Pop The Vault True Drama True Entertainment True Movies 1 True Movies 2 |
| Timeshift service | Sony Channel +1 |
| Website | www.sonychannel.co.uk |
Availability | |
| Satellite | |
| Sky |
Channel 157 Channel 181 (+1) |
| Cable | |
| Virgin Media | Channel 193 |
| IPTV | |
| TalkTalk TV | Channel 331 |
| BT TV | Channel 331 |
| Plusnet | Channel 331 |
| Streaming media | |
| TVPlayer | Watch live (UK only) (TVPlayer Plus subscription required) |
| Virgin TV Anywhere | Watch live (UK only) |
Sony Channel is a general entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland from Sony Pictures Television (SPT), which launched on 7 April 2011.[1]
History
Sony Channel was made possible after Sony Pictures Television acquired channel 157 on Sky's EPG, previously owned by Film 24, in November 2010.[2] A one-hour timeshift channel was also available from launch after the purchase of Open Access 3's Sky EPG slot on channel 190. Both Film 24 and Open Access 3 closed on 4 April 2011, to make way for previews of Sony Entertainment Television. On 15 December 2011, Sony Entertainment Television was added to Virgin Media.[3] On 2 April 2012, Sony Entertainment Television +1 moved to Current TV's former Sky EPG slot on channel 183, with channel 190 used to launch Men&Movies +1. On 3 July 2012, Sony Entertainment Television +1 moved to channel 181.
BT agreed a deal with Sony Pictures Television to offer its Sony Entertainment Television and Sony Retro programming on-demand on BT Vision from 1 March 2010.[4] The move marked Sony Entertainment Television's debut in the UK market, over a year ahead of the launch of the Sony Entertainment Television channel.
On 12 January 2016, the channel was rebranded as Sony Channel.
Programming
The channel is aimed at women aged between 25 and 54 and broadcasts a range of dramas and comedies, including Hawthorne, Huff, and 'Til Death.[5] Sony Entertainment Television also brings UK series Hustle and Hotel Babylon, along with the last ever season of Las Vegas and reruns of Crossing Jordan, Dawson's Creek, My Boys, Ned & Stacey, and NewsRadio.[6] It also shows movies from SET's parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment, such as The Da Vinci Code, All the King's Men, Marie Antoinette, and Philadelphia. From September 2011, Holby City began airing on Sony Entertainment Television.[7] From 16 May 2012, Sony Entertainment Television will show BBC Spy drama Spooks from series 1.[8] It was announced on 2 August 2012, that Sony Entertainment Television acquired the rights to broadcast Hot in Cleveland in the UK and Ireland, as it will show season 3 on 14 September 2012, season 1 and season 2 have already been broadcast on Sky Living.[9] The channel also broadcasts the American sitcom Community.[10] The channel broadcasts Ashes to Ashes, which is the follow-up programme to the BBC's highly successful Life on Mars.
References
- ↑ "Sony to launch UK channel". Broadband TV News. 8 March 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ↑ "Sony acquires Film24's Sky EPG slot". Digital Spy. 19 November 2010.
- ↑ "SET comes to Virgin media platform!". Sony Entertainment Television. 15 December 2011. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
- ↑ "SPT channels on BT Vision". Broadband TV News. 4 March 2010.
- ↑ "Sony to launch new TV channel in April". Digital Spy. 9 March 2011.
- ↑ "Sony TV launches in the UK, and becomes the first branded TV station to do so". The Hollywood News. 15 March 2011.
- ↑ "Holby City comes to Sony". Sony Entertainment Television. 6 September 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011.
- ↑ "Spooks to be broadcast again from the very start". Radio Times. 30 April 2012.
- ↑ "Sony Entertainment Television Acquires UK Rights To Hot In Cleveland Season Three". TVWise. 2 August 2012.
- ↑ Jeffery, Morgan (25 February 2015). "Community season 6 to air on broadcast TV in UK". Digital Spy. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
External links
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