Freeview channels thread

From Tuesday 7th Jan, 5Spike will become Paramount Network. You'll be able to catch even more of the shows you love on Sky channel 150, Freeview channel 31 and Virgin Media channel 154. pic.twitter.com/klLwbd22Mk

— 5ACTION (@5ACTION_tv) December 14, 2019

Yep. Paramount is moving, and adding some of 5Spike's programmes to its schedule.

https://twitter.com/paramountnetuk/status/1205778201710092290

So they're essentially merging the two channels? Surprised the Spike name lasted so long after the name disappeared in the US.

There Spike became Paramount, seems like they've gone about it a more complicated way round here

First week of Paramount Network in the new format:

The A-Team
Knight Rider
Airwolf
Street Hawk
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Arrow
Suits
Police Interceptors
Traffic Cops
Trucking Hell
Bouncers
Car Crash TV
High Alert
Criminals: Caught on Camera
Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away!
Winter Road Rescue
World's Deadliest Weather
World's Toughest Prisons

It's very clearly just 5Spike under a new name.

I don't have anything against the content, as 5Spike has been very successful at appealing to the old Bravo demographic, and Spike is a good brand for that, but there's no way that these shows should be associated with the Paramount brand in the UK.

What about Star Trek:Phase 2

Especially with the Viacom and CBS re-merger meaning they're back in control of the various TV shows that were made by Paramount which they could show.

Yeah, 5Star 2 would be a more appropriate name. Things like Arrow and Suits, fair enough, they're recent US dramas. A-Team, Airwolf, Knight Rider, old classics, also fine. But stuff like Police Interceptors, Traffic Cops, and Can't Pay should only be on 5 branded channels.

It feels like Channel 5 is seeping into a handful of channels it doesn't need to - and it's a really confusing move especially on Viacom's behalf because surely it's damaging their brand(s)?

I couldn't believe VH1 had been airing some of the Jane McDonald shows. No wonder it's closing!

VH1 died when it dropped all music programming. It’s been a slow and painful death, but I will always be grateful for how it widened my musical tastes and made me appreciate older music, not just the latest hits.

Box Upfront will not be returning when Boxmas comes to an end next week, and the channel will be closing down:

https://www.rxtvlog.com/2020/01/box-plus-axes-upfront.html

Aren't all the Box channels rumoured to be rebranding under the 4Music brand?