Channel axings, rebrands, relaunches

out of the current lineup of digital telly channels, which of them would you -

relaunch/revamp, rename, axe etc.

I would axe: -

Life TV, Overload, Game Network, You TV, AVAGO, BEN, Friendly TV, ACTV, LIVE TV, Nation 217, OBE, Game In TV, Get Lucky TV, Majestic TV, Soundtrack Channel, London TV, Real Estate TV, Wine TV, Unlimited TV, Open Access 2

- personally the programming lineups the above channels offer I feel is shocking - they just clutter up the EPG + don't have a purpose unlike channels like E4, Paramount, Sky One, UKTV Gold, Discovery Channel etc. that do.

I like that Home and Leisure has been renamed today, "Discovery RealTime" it sounds like a more practical name and Discovery Health becoming "Home and Health" is a better lifestyle channel.

I would also axe UKTV Bright Ideas - we already have UKTV Style, Food and now Style Gardens...I think we have plenty of lifestyle channels to keep us going.

I don't want Men and Motors to become ITV4. I don't want an EPG where it will become BBC13, BBC14. Men + Motors is the only GSB channel left and it should keep its individuality.

Also, do any one of you feel there is far too many +1 channels - it is sort of going beyond the limit.

How would you feel if UKTV Gold and Drama merged simply into UKTV Entertainment - so there is a real mix of comedy, drama, talkshows all on the same channel.

Anything you would do to current digi channels?

post here

I agree with that idea. EDIT: And UKTV Gold 2 could come back on to rename that breathtaking (word) UKTVG2?

I for one don't like the renaming of Home & Leisure to Real Time, I don't even understand the context in which it is supposed to stand, as the DIY shows that they shows are never shot in real time. Look at new yankie workshop; "I'm going to paint this wall beige and then we'll add some shelves" the he walks back in where the wall is already painted.

The name Home & Leisure fitted in well with the channel, as it contained programmes on the 'Home' and 'Leisure' activities.

Plus the idents are absolutely sh*t in comparison to Home & Leisures,

It's just American interfearance for the sake of it.

As for UKTV Gold and Drama becoming one, what's the point?

Gold offers mainly comedy programmes, and classic programmes with drama offering drama. That takes away people's choice. If anything Gold should be renamed Comedy, but it should really offer a mix of everything as Gold is a long serving brand.

I'd axe ITV1

I really can't see the point of it. It's one of the worst television channels i've ever watched.

I mean, there maybe one watchable programme every-so-often and I know - millions of people watch Coronation Street - but I don't and neither does anyone I know.
And fair enough, you can argue that it's not to everyone's taste and some people like it, but come on, ITV1 is supposed to be one of the two biggest channels in the UK. So entertain me already.

ITV2 is fine - not great - but occasionally some little gems pop up, but I never watch ITV1, ever. Mainly because there's nothing on! I mean I watch Sky Travel and FTN more often than I watch supposedly one of the best channels in Britain.

I'd never have said this if I hadn't thought about how much I really watch ITV1 the other day... and it turns out - I never do! It's abismal!

BBC -
All BBC services would become subscription based. (Scrap that licence fee).

ITV -
ITV1 would be a "home-grown" General Entertainment chanel
ITV2 would become a "Imported General Entertainment" channel.
ITV3 would show ITV classics.

Channel 4 -
"4" becomes FOUR Entertainment
"E4" becomes FOUR Fun
FILMFOUR stays the same.

FIVE -
stays exactly the same.

SKY's Satellite Service -
Becomes more of a closed-platform.
channels have to pass a Quality test to gain an EPG slot.

SKY's television channels -
Sky One, Sports, news etc. stay pretty much the same
(Although they take on a more americanized look ala '92)

Generic Waste of EPG space channels -
i'd have some sort of "Quality control - access" type board set up by sky and ofcom to determin if a channel meet's the standards of broadcast on SKY's service. (As i said above).

Cable Television Platofrm -
NTL: and TELEWEST BROADBAND would merge.
become known as National Transcommunication Europe Limited. (N~TEL).


Well, opinions?

I think the best way for Sky to provide a "quality control" element would be to add the facility to hide channels from the EPG.

This way, channels can pay their fees to Sky, but run the risk of being "removed" from an individual's EPGs if they continue to broadcast a diet of crap programming !!!

Remember Sky will be having a major EPG change later this year and the Gaming channels will be moved out of the entertainment section and into their own section. That should see Friendly TV, Get Lucky etc moved out of the way.

As for what i'd do, i'd make MTV Dance play Dance music again and get rid of that childish devil logo/idents.

If I could wave a magic wand and make any channels disappear, it would have to be all the religious ones. I firmly believe that if there is a God he would be appalled at the drivel and bigotry put out in his name.

I'd relaunch Disney Channel.Not so much the idents,but it's more the Studio Disney titles i don't like.
All they needed to do when they made them last year was stick the logo in the O!